This 12 Mile Missouri River Cruise Explores The Deep Gorge Discovered And Named By Lewis And Clark

 

All of our Bison Quest Packages include a chance follow in the exact footsteps of Lewis and Clark on an exciting portion of that marvelous journey that you won't see anywhere else.

"The Journals of the Lewis & Clark Expedition"

Volume 4 (Lewis Friday July 10, 1805)

"this evening we entered much the most remarkable clifts that we have yet seen. these clifts rise from the waters edge on either side perpendicularly to the hight of 1200 feet. every object here wears a dark and gloomy aspect. the tow(er)ing and projecting rocks in many places seem ready to tumble on us. the river appears to have forced it's way through this immence body of solid rock for the distance of 5 ¾ miles and where it makes it's exit below has thrown on either side vast collumns of rocks mountains high. the river appears to have woarn a passage just the width of it's channel or 150 yds. it is deep from side to side nor is ther in the 1st 3 miles of this distance a spot except one of a few yards in extent on which a man could rest the soal of his foot. several fine springs burst out at the waters edge from the interstices of the rocks. it happens fortunately that altho' the current is strong it is not so much so but what it may be overcome with the oars for there is hear no possibility of using the cord or Setting pole. it was late in the evening before I entered this place and was obliged to continue my rout untill sometime after dark before I found a place suffieciently large to encamp my small party; at length such an one occurred on the lard. side where we found plenty of lightwood and pichpine. this rock is a black grannite below and appears to be of a much lighter colour above and from the fragments I take it to be flint of a yelloish brown and light creemcolourd yellow. - from the singular appearance of this place I called it The Gates of the Rocky Mountains."

Expect a relaxing adventure filled with countless photographic opportunities capturing rugged mountain landscapes, birdlife, and big game along the river banks and mountainsides. Magnificent panorama abounds around every turn in the river including great towering walls of limestone. This cruise offers glimpses of eagles, young and old, elk, deer and mountain goat and sheep. The canyon is also home to otters, squirrels, ermine, beaver, mountain lions, black bears and over 120 bird species.