The Missouri River, the continent's longest river, has figured prominently in the unfolding of America's saga. In its 2,341-mile course from the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi, the Big Muddy is not only loaded with sediment but steeped in stories about American Indians, Lewis and Clark, fur traders, and steamboat captains. Its role in the settlement of the Great Plains is celebrated in two free-flowing portions set aside by Congress at Missouri National Recreational River, where unlike the dammed and channelized sections, these river segments provide opportunities for outdoor activities within one of America's great historic settings.