Summer River Shuttles

Nothing screams Montana like a fun-filled day on the river, be it fishing, floating, or whitewater. An important logistical concern, of course, is the shuttle. While some hardcores prefer to hitchhike, bike, or even (gasp) run back to the put-in, we like the idea of a nice cozy car ride. If you want to save the hassle (or greenhouse gases) of two vehicles, check out one of these shuttle services this summer.

2015 update: Check out ShuttleSnap for a mobile app that lets you book and pay for shuttles on the fly, with your phone.

Yellowstone River
River Source Outfitters (223-5134; riversourceoutfitters.com) offers shuttles for "around $1 per mile," which works out to about $20 for a half-day float. They'll also drop your rig in Big Timber if you're planning a multi-day canoe or raft trip. For daily shuttles on one of the Yellowstone's most popular stretches-Gardiner to the Carbella access, which includes famous whitewater runs Gardiner Town Stretch and Yankee Jim Canyon-contact Yellowstone Raft Company (848-7777; yellowstoneraft.com). The cost is $30 and they prefer a reservation made the night before. Another resource for fishermen in Paradise Valley is B & G River Shuttles (223-0626).

Madison River
If the heat of a lazy Madison float has you tuckered, call Floater's Shuttle (587-4747; bigboystoysrentals.com), who will whisk you back to the Warm Springs put-in (from Black's Ford takeout) for a measly $5. For longer trips, River Gal Shuttle Service (685-3500) offers a Beartrap shuttle as well.

Other Rivers
For the Jefferson, Gallatin, and Missouri Rivers, contact the Canoeing House (285-3488). This old-school outfit is no-nonsense and reasonably priced ($15-$35 for a short shuttle). They also rent canoes and other boats as needed.