Three Forks

Montana river town beside the headwaters where three forks join to form the Missouri.

Three Forks is a small town in Gallatin County, Montana, named for its location near the point where the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin rivers converge to form the Missouri River. Meriwether Lewis named the three rivers in July 1805 for President Jefferson, Secretary of State Madison, and Treasury Secretary Gallatin.

Missouri Headwaters State Park, just north of town, marks the confluence and is the main reason to stop here. The park has walking trails along the riverbanks, interpretive signs about the Lewis and Clark expedition, and good fishing access to all three rivers. A statue of Sacagawea stands in a park off Main Street — she was captured near this spot by the Hidatsa in 1800 and later returned with the Corps of Discovery as a guide and interpreter.

The Headwaters Heritage Museum on Main Street covers the town's history from the fur trade through the railroad era. The Sacagawea Hotel, a restored 1910 brick landmark, is the best place to eat and sleep in town.

Three Forks sits at the western end of the Gallatin Valley, about 30 miles west of Bozeman. The fly fishing here is exceptional — the Madison, Gallatin, and Jefferson are all blue-ribbon trout rivers, each within easy reach of town.

Guide

Getting There

Three Forks is on Interstate 90, about 30 miles west of Bozeman. The drive takes under 30 minutes. Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) has direct flights from most major US cities and is the practical gateway for the region.

There is no public transport to Three Forks. A car is essential — both for getting here and for reaching Missouri Headwaters State Park and the fishing access sites outside town. Most visitors use Bozeman as a base and make Three Forks a half-day or day trip, though the Sacagawea Hotel makes an overnight worthwhile.

From the north, US-287 connects from Helena (about 60 miles). From the south, Montana Highway 2 runs along the Jefferson River valley. The Madison River valley to the south is accessible via US-287 toward Ennis.

Guide

Things to Do

Three Forks is built around one of the most historically significant river confluences in North America. The Missouri Headwaters State Park sits just north of town where the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin rivers join — the spot Lewis and Clark reached in July 1805 after months of upstream travel. The Headwaters Heritage Museum on Main Street tells that story alongside the town's railroad and homesteading history.

For most visitors today, the draw is the fishing. Three blue-ribbon trout rivers converge here, and the Madison, Gallatin, and Jefferson offer very different experiences within a short drive. The Sacagawea Hotel, a restored 1910 landmark on Main Street, is the most comfortable base in town.