Montana River Guides
Offers guided whitewater rafting and scenic float trips on Montana's rivers for various ages and skill levels.
▌ Editor's read Montana River Guides has been operating for over 30 years, founded by Mike Johnston, indicating significant experience in the outdoor adventure industry. They specialize in whitewater rafting and scenic floats on the Clark Fork River, offering both half-day and full-day trips, as well as multi-day expeditions. The website emphasizes safety and the expertise of their guides. While they offer a variety of trips, there is no specific mention of programs tailored for children or youth camps, suggesting their primary focus is on general outdoor recreation for all ages. The 'About Us' page details their history and commitment to the river experience.
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Since 199630+ years operating
Who thrives here Ages 6–99
Montana River Guides serves high-school campers, which means the program is competing against summer jobs, college visits, internships, and residential overnight options. The case for a day camp at this age is usually a CIT (counselor-in-training) track, deep specialization in outdoors/nature, or a portfolio item parents and kids both value. Programs that don't articulate one of those three usually lose this age band by 9th grade.
Facts & Credentials
- Program type
- Day camp
- ACA accredited
- Not verified
- Established
- 1996 (30 years)
- Operator
- Private business
- Staff-to-camper ratio
- Not listed
Details
- Category: Outdoors/Nature
- Ages: 6–99
- Address: 10000 US-12, Missoula, MT 59802
- Phone: 406-722-7238
- Email: [email protected]
Logistics
- Lunch provided: Yes
- Transportation: Yes
- Financial aid: No
- Setting: outdoor
Frequently asked about Montana River Guides
- What ages does Montana River Guides accept?
- Montana River Guides is open to children ages 6–99. Camps publish their own age cutoffs, and some run mixed-age groups internally; check the registration page for that summer's grouping if your child sits at a boundary.
- Who runs Montana River Guides?
- Montana River Guides is operated by a private business, with 30 years of operating history. The operator type matters for tuition policy (refunds, financial aid eligibility) and for what kind of staff training pipeline the camp uses.
- Does Montana River Guides provide lunch?
- Yes — Montana River Guides includes lunch in the program. Confirm whether it's a hot lunch, cold lunch, or a snack-plus-bring-your-own setup, and ask about allergy accommodations if relevant.
- Does Montana River Guides offer transportation?
- Montana River Guides provides transportation. Coverage zones and bus stops vary; ask for the route map for the summer you're enrolling in. Some camps fold bus fees into tuition, others bill separately.
- How does Montana River Guides compare to other outdoors/nature camps in Missoula?
- Montana River Guides is one of 6 outdoors/nature camps in Missoula that overlap its age range. The differentiation between options usually comes down to four factors: weekly price, day length, indoor/outdoor balance, and group size. Browse same-city alternatives in the directory to compare side by side.
Planning guides
Editorial checklists to use before you compare Montana River Guides with other camps.
- How to choose a summer camp · Use the decision checklist before you compare finalists.
- Summer camp safety and accreditation · Review licensing, supervision, and accreditation signals.
- Summer camp pricing in 2026 · Put this camp's cost in market context.
Browse similar camps
Indexable directory cuts for families comparing Montana River Guides against nearby options.
Camps near here
Same city, with age-overlapping options first. Other camps to consider alongside Montana River Guides.
- Boys & Girls Club of Missoula County · Washington Middle School · Ages 5–18 · $120/week
- Tamarack Grief Resource Center · Flathead Lake · Ages 5–17
- Big Sky Summer Camp · Missoula · Ages 6–12
- Boone and Crockett Club Outdoor Adventure Camps · Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Ranch, Dupuyer, MT · Ages 13–17
- Camp And After School · 2100 Stephens Ave, Ste 115 · Ages 5–12
- Camp Fire Western Montana · 2200 S 10th St W · Ages 5–17
- Campus Recreation Youth Camps · University of Montana Campus Recreation · Ages 5–14 · $225/week
- Clark Fork Prep · Clark Fork Prep (301 E. Main) · Ages 5–14