Growing up just a few miles from Missouri Headwaters State Park, I took this park for granted. Near the aptly named town of Three Forks, MT, the park marks the confluence of the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin Rivers, forming the mighty Missouri River. The Missouri River is the longest in the US at 2,341 miles.

Credit MT State Parks via YouTube
Credit MT State Parks via YouTube
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A win-win for the landowner and Montanans.

Headwaters State Park recently expanded thanks to a land acquisition in February 2024. Using grant funds from the Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Trust, the Montana State Parks Foundation purchased an additional 26 acres that border the park from a private landowner, increasing the footprint of the park to 532 acres.

Credit MT State Parks via YouTube
Credit MT State Parks via YouTube
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The deal has been in the works for a while, according to an October 25 press release from Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. Linnaea Schroeer, Regional Parks and Outdoor Recreation Program manager for FWP said, “The acquisition of this parcel by Missouri Headwaters State Park has been a goal of the family and park staff for many years, and we’re so thankful to the family and our partners for helping make that vision a reality. This project secures and protects the wild heart of the park for the public to enjoy forever.”

Additional improvements and habitat restoration are planned.

The majority of the additional acreage is now open to the public after park employees spent the summer removing fencing, old farm equipment, and other materials from the site. The westernmost edge of the new parcel remains closed to the public until some of the buildings are assessed for historical significance.

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Credit MT State Parks via YouTube
Credit MT State Parks via YouTube
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Missouri Headwaters State Park is also a national historic landmark.

The area is considered sacred to many Indigenous people, and the Lewis and Clark Corp of Discovery arrived at the confluence in 1805. The park currently has 17 campsites, tipi rentals, several trails, and perhaps some of the best fishing in the state.

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