A Fine Passageway

For many thousands of years, travelers of every description have traversed the Blackfoot River corridor. American Indians, specifically the Salish, Pend d'Oreille, Nez Perce, Blackfeet and related tribes, traveled an ancient network of trails through the Blackfoot, heading for prime bison country on the high plains of central Montana. In 1841, Jesuit Father Nicolas Point became the next EuroAmerican after Captain Lewis to record traveling through the Blackfoot River Valley. Between 1853 and 1855, military parties also visited here in search of the best routes for a military road and a transcontinental railroad. Today, the Blackfoot welcomes rafters and anglers, kayakers and birdwatchers, as well as travelers eager to savor the simple pleasures of picnicking or camping along the banks of this still-pristine river.

Montana · United States