Smith River State Park offers gorgeous scenery in a remote setting. Renowned trout fishing is just one of the recreational opportunities that make a float trip on the 59-mile Smith River an unforgettable experience.

The Smith River is so popular that a permit is required to float it. The permit process allows visitors a quality, multi-day float in relative solitude.

Reservation Line

If you aren’t awarded a permit, you still have a chance to float the Smith River by calling the Smith River Reservation Line at (406) 454-5861 beginning March 11, 2019 (between 8am and Noon, Monday through Friday) to request any remaining launch dates or cancelled permits. Unsuccessful applicants can also book a trip with one of the eight authorized Smith River outfitters listed below.

Smith River State Park has one put-in point (Camp Baker) and one take-out point (Eden Bridge) for the entire 59-mile stretch. The river is accessible only by non-motorized watercraft, including; rafts, canoes, kayaks and drift boats. Rowers and paddlers should have at least intermediate level skills. On average, visitors take four days to float the river.

From May 15 - July 15 floaters can stay on the river a maximum of four nights only. To help preserve the unique quality of the Smith River canyon, overnight camping must take place at designated boat camps.

Since the Smith River flows through a remote canyon, there are some things to keep in mind for this adventure; there are no public services from Camp Baker to Eden Bridge. Floaters must carry their own food, water, safety, camping equipment and a fishing license. It is advisable to bring all the drinking water you will need for the duration of your trip, as there is no drinking water available at the put-in location of Camp Baker. Also, Camp Baker does not have trash dumpsters, but one is available at the Eden Bridge takeout point along with aluminum-recycling bins.

FWP to host Grizzly Bear Education & Outreach Summit in Helena

With grizzly bears expanding their range across much of the western half of Montana, awareness of how to live, recreate and work safely in grizzly bear country is critical.

However, with several organizations, groups and agencies providing grizzly bear education and outreach, the message can sometimes get a bit confusing and the point of contact to provide such information unclear.

To help better coordinate this broad effort, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is hosting a summit next week in Helena to gather people around Montana and neighboring states who work to educate the public on grizzly bears. The purpose of the summit is to explore how the effort can be more efficient, reach more people and be consistent.

“At a basic level, we all want fewer grizzly bear conflicts,” said Greg Lemon, FWP Communication and Education division administrator in Helena. “However, many of us work individually to reach our audiences. This summit will give us to chance to see how we can do better by working together.”

The summit is sponsored by the Montana Outdoor Legacy Foundation and Defenders of Wildlife and will begin with a reception and “trade show” the evening of Jan. 28.

The idea is to have a place where organizations can set up, share and demonstrate their outreach methods and tools for all attendees to see. The following day will include a panel discussion, and breakout sessions. The summit will close the morning of Jan. 30 after the group looks at action items to move forward.

The summit comes as Gov. Steve Bullock’s Grizzly Bear Advisory Council is working through a series of meetings. The council was formed to look at the future of grizzly bear management in the state. One of the topics they’ve taken up has been education and outreach. One output from the summit will be a compendium of organizations doing this work in Montana that will be shared with the council and the public.