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Glasgow
On May 8, 1805, the first “tourists” to this region, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, camped at the confluence of the Milk and Missouri rivers, about 18 miles southeast of present-day Glasgow. Lewis explored the Milk for about three miles and said, “The water of this river possessed a peculiar whiteness, being about the color of a cup of tea admixture of a tablespoon full of milk. From the color of its water, we called it ‘Milk River.’” Glasgow was established in the late 1800s as a railroad town. While in Glasgow, visit the Valley County Pioneer Museum for its fossils and Indian artifacts, and railroad, early business, aviation, and wildlife collections. Glasgow grew in stature when the Fort Peck Dam was built a few miles south in 1933. One of the world's oldest and largest hydraulic earth-filled dams, Fort Peck Dam stretches over four miles across the Missouri River. Leaving Glasgow, head southeast on Montana Highway 24 for about 18 miles to Fort Peck and Fort Peck Lake, the largest body of water in Montana. Fort Peck Lake has almost 1,600 miles of shoreline and is backed up for 134 miles behind the dam. The shoreline is equal to the total coastal front of the state of California. Montana's Governor's Cup Walleye Fishing Tournament, held the second weekend in July at Fort Peck, is a national event. Contact the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce for information. The Fort Peck Dam Interpretive Center and Museum is the result of a unique partnership between Fort Peck Paleontology Incorporated, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The facility will feature two of Montana's largest aquariums showcasing native and game species of Fort Peck Lake and the Missouri River. In the main lobby a life size, fleshed-out model of Peck's Rex, the Tyrannosaurus Rex discovered 20 miles southeast of Fort Peck. Other displays include present day and historical animals of the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, and construction history of Fort Peck Dam.
Elevation: 2,090 feet.
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The Glasgow area is full of scenic rolling plains and open farmland. Many roads lead to Fort Peck Lake through the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge. Bugling elk, herds of mule deer, red fox and coyotes call this place home. That doesn't mean the bird watchers will feel left out, however. Songbirds, like the mountain bluebird and blackcapped chickadee, are here in abundance. Make sure you inquire for conditions and directions, either at the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, the Bureau of Land Management in Glasgow or the Fort Peck CMR Refuge Office, located on Highway 117.