Judith Landing State Park

There are few places in Montana that are as rich in history as the Judith Landing. Here the Missouri River meets the Judith River in a wide-open valley. After traversing miles of steep cliffs and badland formations, the Judith Landing’s cottonwood galleries must have felt like an oasis to those following the river. For millennia, Native people, such as the Blackfeet, the Assiniboine, and many others, gathered here, using the landing as a seasonal camp. In May 1805,  Meriwether Lewis and William Clark also camped in this valley, with Clark naming the Judith River after his future wife.

Judith Landing was also the site of significant tribal peace councils. In September 1846 and October 1855, Indigenous leaders convened at Council Island, first to broker peace between the Blackfeet and several western tribes, then to negotiate Lame Bull’s Treaty, which established communal hunting grounds and paved the way for non-Indigenous settlement.

Please respect the historic and cultural significance of the area while you enjoy your visit to Judith Landing State Park. Do not enter or disturb the historic buildings and leave any archaeological features, artifacts, or fossils where you find them.

Additional information about Judith River Landing Campground and boat/float information