Paths of Progress: Trails, Tracks, Rivers & Rails

The free, family-friendly program will explore the rich history of the Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence through the many ways people traveled across and through the landscape, from Indigenous trails and river travel to wagons, steamboats, and railroads. The event is open to all ages.

Hands-on activity stations will be available throughout the day, allowing visitors to drop in and participate at their own pace. Interactive components include building and packing a travois, a “Float Your Bull Boat” engineering challenge, an oxcart-building STEM activity, a horse care station, and additional transportation-themed challenges.
Thirty-minute presentations will be offered at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. to complement the all-day activities. These talks connect the hands-on experiences to historical examples, highlighting how transportation and movement shaped daily life, trade, and cultural connections at the Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence.