By editor
Phillips and Garfield Counties, Northeast Montana
The Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge—commonly known as the CMR—is not merely a sanctuary; it is a geography unto itself. Encompassing 1.1 million acres around Fort Peck Lake, it is a wilderness of badlands, cottonwood bottoms, and vast, rolling sagebrush steppe. This is the landscape of Lewis and Clark, largely unchanged in its stark, eroded beauty.
The CMR is a globally significant Important Bird Area, primarily for its vast tracts of intact sagebrush. In the twilight of early spring, the Greater Sage-Grouse gather on their leks, performing a bizarre and ancient courtship ritual that sounds like water dropping into a deep cavern. The remote prairie benches hold Mountain Plovers and Burrowing Owls, while the Missouri River breaks provide nesting cliffs for Golden Eagles and Prairie Falcons. In winter, Bald Eagles congregate along the ice-free stretches of the river, hunting waterfowl and scavenging winter-killed deer.
Visitor Access
Entry to the CMR is free and open year-round, 24 hours a day, though access is entirely dependent on weather. The refuge roads are primitive dirt and gumbo; they require high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicles and become instantly impassable when wet. A 19-mile auto tour route begins off Highway 191 on the west side. Dispersed backcountry camping is permitted anywhere on the refuge, but visitors must be entirely self-sufficient, as drinking water and cell service are virtually nonexistent.