Mapping the best river access in the west
Montana is a waterway wonderland, home to thousands of river miles that play host to world-class paddle trips. Much of these flow through private lands, but the state has nonetheless ensured public access though a “best in the west” Stream Access Law.
But the access law only applies to certain waterways, and has two different classifications, each with different restrictions. Some rivers allow overnight camping while others don’t. It’s a bit complicated… maybe OpenStreetMap can help!
I created a tag to encode Montana stream access classes and then tagged every Class I river mile in the state. As a result, data users can easily tell where certain recreational activities are protected when planning their next epic adventure on the water.
