River Recreation: New advisory council seeks to help overcrowding on Montana waterways

It’s the limestone cathedral of the Smith, the caddis hatch on the Madison, the rushing emerald water of the Flathead that draw more and more people to the arterial waterways of Montana’s wild country. That’s just to name a few.

Anyone who’s spent time on a river in Montana in the past decade probably saw a variety of people using the waterways. 

Especially since the pandemic, use of the state’s streams has escalated as more people have sought ways to recreate outdoors. 

The Montana River Recreation Advisory Council was recently created by Fish, Wildlife & Parks to look into river recreation and all of the issues that come with it. These may include garbage, crowding and sometimes fistfights as tempers escalate.

The council recently met over three days to come up with some suggestions for FWP. Here to talk about the group is Brett French, outdoor editor at the Billings Gazette.