Pets allowed
Allowed
Guided tours
No
Backcountry camping
No
Lodging
No
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

As instructed by Thomas Jefferson, Lewis and Clark famously ventured through this area in search of the Missouri River’s Headwaters. When they reached the confluence of the Gallatin, Jefferson, and Madison rivers, they were unsure of which river would lead to the Missouri’s headwaters. Meriwether Lewis scouted the land from a high point currently named Lewis Rock. On July 25, 1805, Clark wrote,

those three forks are nearly of a Size, the North fork appears to have the most water and must be Considered as the one best calculated to ascend.

The north fork of the river was actually the Jefferson River, which eventually took them a few hundred miles south to Brower Springs in the Centennial Mountains near Idaho.

Long before Lewis and Clark first ventured here, this land was visited by native peoples for thousands of years. The Crow called the Gallatin River the “Cherry River” for its ample fruit near the banks. The Madison River was called the “Straight River” as it seemed to flow straight out of the mountains to the south. The area was used for its stone, with chert being transformed into both tools and weapons. Some of these weapons were used by tribes in their seasonal buffalo hunt at the sheer limestone cliffs of Buffalo Jump State Park.

After Lewis and Clark’s journey, more people began to move westward with the passing of the Homestead Act in 1862. The government promoted the fertility of the open valley, encouraging farmers to take up land and reside in the area for five years at little cost.

Today, Missouri Headwaters State Park provides ample activities for young and old. Cyclists, walkers, and runners can enjoy time on the paved Missouri Headwaters Legacy Trail and other trails throughout the park. Anglers can take up fishing on the banks of different rivers. Anyone can take in the rich history of the area and enjoy the sight of three magnificent rivers coming together to form the Missouri river.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

Moderate

Parking Pass

State Park Fee

Pros

Rich history. Ample activities.

Cons

Surrounded by private land.

Features

ADA accessible
Geologically significant
Campgrounds + Campsites
Historically significant
Flushing toilets
Boat ramp(s)
Bicycling
Potable water
Picnic tables
Off-leash dog area
Covered picnic areas
Fishing
Bird watching
Wildlife

Site type

Full hookups

Location

Nearby Adventures

Nearby Lodging + Camping

Comments

01/01/2019
Headwaters State Park is virtually empty of visitors in the cold winter months. We had the first confluence entirely to ourselves and enjoyed hearing the ice sheets collide into each other on the river's surface.
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