Two months from now I will be in my car with a kayak on top and packed full with gear to live on for 3 months, cruising through Nebraska or South Dakota on my way to Montana. I’ve been asked by friends and family about my itinerary, projected dates and locations, planned progress and potentially meeting me at certain places. I am quite humbled that you’d consider heading up to the lesser traveled, but no less beautiful, parts of our country to see me for a few hours or days. I would absolutely welcome anyone who’d like to meet up with me anywhere along the river, whether it is just to say hi, hand me a cold drink or hot meal, or even paddle with me for a few days!
A couple caveats before providing a plan:
- This is 100% subject to change based on many factors I am aware of, and many I am not aware of.
- This is my best guess for an itinerary based on research, trips that others have done in the past and trying to judge how I’ll be feeling and moving along during the trip.
- I expect this to be somewhat accurate early in the trip – for the first few weeks to a month. But any delays or faster progress early on will affect hitting dates and locations later on during the trip.
- I do expect to have a shareable website connected to my Garmin Inreach that will be updating my progress every 30 minutes or so, giving you access to see how I’m progressing.
- You can absolutely text or email me (or my wife) during the trip to let me know your plans or coordinate meeting up or just to say hey!
And now, the plan:
May 10 – 14: Travel to Montana, pick up the hwife and relax in Wise River for a day or two
May 15 – 21: Put in at West Yellowstone, MT, paddle 100 miles down the Madison River
May 23 – June 9: Three Forks, MT to Great Falls, MT
June 11 – 20: Great Falls, MT to James Kipp Campground
June 21 – July 3: James Kipp to Fort Peck, MT
July 5 – July 12: Fort Peck, MT to Williston, ND
July 14 – July 25: Williston, ND to Garrison Dam, Underwood, ND
July 27 – July 30: Garrison Dam to Bismarck, ND
July 31 – August 17: Bismarck, ND to Oahe Dam, Fort Pierre, SD
August 19 – August 24: Oahe Dam to Big Bend Dam, Fort Thompson, SD
August 25 – August 31: Big Bend Dam to Fort Randall Dam, Southeast Gregory, SD
September 2 – September 8: Fort Randall Dam to Sioux City, IA
September 10 – September 13: Sioux City, IA to Omaha, NE
September 15 – September 21: Omaha, NE to Kansas City, MO
September 23 – September 29: Kansas City, MO to the Arch, St. Louis, MO
mf
Paddle St. Louis 