Bring your four-wheel drive or high-clearance vehicle to get the maximum benefit from this…read moreincredible getaway. Built around Fort Peck reservoir, the Charles Russell wildlife refuge is over 900,000 acres of land (excluding the reservoir itself) some of which is designated as wilderness and most of which does not allow development or settlement, or open grazing as is allowed in other parts of Montana. Permits are required to hunt here, but you can camp, bird-watch, boat, hike, and horseback ride, although not all those activities are allowed everywhere. It's a primitive area, so the park rangers recommend you come prepared for varying temperatures and travel with plenty of water because there won't be any along the way. Some of the trails are not passable in wet weather. There's only one road available for non-four wheel drives, and it can easily take several hours to drive the entire route. For someone wanting to drive through the refuge, make sure you fill up your car or truck with gas first because many of the little towns surrounding the refuge don't have gas stations. When I stopped into the ranger station for recommended trails, the first question I was asked is if I had a four-wheel drive. Then, as she explained the trails and how to get to the nearest one, she also made a point of giving me directions where a gas station was the designated landmark for how to get to the nearest route. Okay. Warning noted. I took the subtle advice. I drove for miles without seeing another person, car, town, ranch of any kind and cell phone service was mostly nonexistent. It was surreal, amazing, and a little unnerving realizing I was relying upon the diligence of the rental car company in maintaining the car I was driving. I'm glad I had a paper map of the refuge and trails. But the view? The view was stunning. If you're adventurous, careful, and willing to be away from civilization in a quest to see some incredible vistas and capture some great shots of wildlife, Charles M Russell National Wildlife Refuge should be on your must-visit list.