The Missouri River, according to those in authority to give names to the rivers of this nation, begins at the conjunction of the Jefferson River and Madison River which is located near Three Forks, Montana.

Methinks, that the Missouri River, or whatever name given to this riverway by the existing naming authority, actually continues along the path of the Jefferson River up to the source of this riverway. However, the Jefferson River, by that same authority looses it′s identity after flowing just sixty-three miles when the same naming authority changes it′s name to the Big Horn river. Currently, this occurs where the Jefferson river is joined by the Big Horn and the Beaverhead rivers. From this junction, both the Big Horn and Beaverhead continue up onto the mountain to their sources near the continental divide.

That being said, the Missouri River as it flows along the current naming conventions is the longest river in North America, flowing east and then south before arriving at it′s junction with the Mississippi River

The Missouri River flows through Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and then along the borders of South Dakota-Nebraska, Nebraska-Iowa, Nebraska-Missouri, Kansas-Missouri and then through Missouri until it reaches its confluence with the Mississippi River at Saint Louis, Missouri on the Missouri-Illinois border.

Mississippi River

Confluence with Madison and Jefferson Rivers

2,341 miles

Jefferson River, (Hoter Dam), Dearborn River, Sun River

Marias River (Teton River), (Missouri Breaks), (Fort Peck Dam)

Milk River, Popular River,

Madison River, Gallatin River, (Holter Dam), Smith River, (Missouri Breaks),

Judith River, (Missouri Breaks), Sacaqawea River, Miusselshell River,

(Fort Peck Day), Red Water River

Fort Union Trading Post, Little Muddy River, (Lake Sakakawea), White Earth River, Little Knife River

(Missouri River Dam), Knife River, Heart River, Little Heart River

Yellowstone River, (Lake Sakakawea), Little Missouri River,

(Missouri River Dam), Cannonball River

(US 12), (Oahe Dam), (Big Bend Dam), (Fort Randall Dam)

Grand River, (US 12), Moreau River, (Oahe Dam), Bad River,

(Big Bend Dam), White River, (Fort Randali Dam)

(Gavins Point Dam), James River, Vermilion River, Big Sioux River,

(SD-Iowa State Line)

Niobrara River, (Gavins Point Dam)

(US 34), Platte River

Little Nemaha River, Big Nemaha River

Big Sioux River (SD-Iowa State Line), Flyod River, Little Sioux River,

Boyer River, (US 34)

NIshnabotna River, Tarkio River

Nodaway River, Platte River (Kansas City), (US 169)

Fishing River, Crooked River, Grand River, Chariton River, Little Chariton River,

Middle River, Loutre River, (Saint Charles-Lewis and Clark Voyage start)

(US 67), Confluence with Mississippi

Blue River, Little Blue River, Laramie River, Moreau River, Osage River,

Gasconade River, (Saint Charles-Lewis and Clark Voyage start)

(US 67), Confluence with Mississippi

Wolf River, (Kansas City), Kansas River, (US 169)

Awake, look for a w-mart but the two that I find do not have one that is suitable for parking, sipping and getting online. So, instead, I drive to a ff-mart for coffee, then out of town on US 287, which highway takes me near the Missouri River where I can occasionally see Canyon Ferry Lake, but the river and lake are still a distance from me.

So I continue south on US 287, cross the Missouri River just above Canyon Ferry Lake and then follow the river for some time.

Later, US 287 crosses the Missouri River at Toston, Montanna and there is an old truss bridge just upstream of the highway, which I stop to examine. It is called the Toston Bridge and was built in 1919, but bypassed in 1955.