Fort Benton Flavor

The best base camp for hunters exploring the Fort Benton area is the Grand Union Hotel. Perched on the bank of the Missouri River, this historic inn dates back to the late 1800s, when Fort Benton was the last stop for steamboats traveling into Montana territory. Refurbished in recent years, the Grand Union combines upscale rooms and cuisine with laid-back, small-town hospitality. The comfy, no-nonsense atmosphere makes for a great place to put your feet up and relax after a long day in the field.

Just a few steps from the front door of the Grand Union is the Shep Memorial, immortalizing the famous canine who faithfully waited at the train station for his dead master to return. Shep showed up for every train—four times a day—until he died five and a half years later.

Across town are the remnants of the town’s namesake. The remaining structures of the Old Fort Benton have been refurbished and converted to a museum and interpretive center, showcasing the history of the area and the fur-trapping boom of the mid-1800s.