Montana might be known for its wide-open roads, but if you really want to experience travel the old-fashioned way, skip the highways and find yourself a river ferry. That’s right, Montana still has three of them quietly doing their thing along the Upper Missouri River, floating locals and curious travelers from one side to the other. You’ll find them near the small towns of Carter, Virgelle, and north of Winifred, where the Stafford-McClelland Ferry still floats back and forth.

The Virgelle Ferry is a sight to see. At first glance, you might think it couldn’t hold much, but everything from pickups to grain trucks make the trip. It was built back in 1913 and has carried of 30,000 vehicles across the water.

Each ferry is operated by the local county, with Carter and Virgelle managed by Chouteau County and McClelland by Blaine County. The operators live right nearby, keeping an eye on river levels and ice conditions to decide when the season begins and ends. Typically, they run from April through October, though spring melt or early freeze can shift things around.

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Best part? It’s completely free. It’s pretty simple too. You just drive up, wait your turn, and roll on board. No fancy tickets, no online booking, no stress. It’s one of those perfectly Montanan experiences that reminds you of a slower pace and simpler times. They are time machines floating on the Missouri, carrying a piece of Montana’s past right into the present.

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Gallery Credit: Derek Wolf

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