(Index Stock/ Inga Spence)

The rivers of Montana aren't well known for the Class V+ thrill rides of Colorado and Idaho, but for those interested in the more subdued pleasures of calmer waters and absorbing the surrounding landscape between roiling whitewater, the rivers of the Treasure State await discovery—which isn't to say that you'll stay nice and dry. The names of the Class II-III rapids in Glacier National Park's Flathead River illustrate the point: Bonecrusher, Jaws, Pinball…. The Gallatin and the 25-mile stretch of the Yellowstone also deliver some serious white-knuckle action, while the Missouri River presents the flipside: a relaxing multi-day canoe trip that retraces Lewis and Clark's route in 34-foot voyageur canoes. And for those anxious for a full-on wilderness retreat, the 149-mile corridor of the Upper Missouri penetrates into the remote, wild Missouri Breaks, where you're more likely to spot mule deer, bald eagles, and bighorn sheep than fellow paddlers.

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