It's 59 miles of the most cherished stretch of river in America, with one put-in and one take-out. About 1 in 10 people who applied for a private float permit for the Smith River got one for 2023. Nearly 40% of the float permits for The Smith were awarded to nonresidents of Montana. Do we have a problem?
Sustained high temperatures and low flows are a bad combo for Montana's fish, so Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is enacting "Hoot Owl" restrictions on portions of two rivers.
A proposal to develop a copper mine near a Smith River tributary has split public opinion between those who say it would be an economic boon and those who don't want to risk harming one of Montana's most popular recreational waterways.