Great Falls is a Town to Fall For

Located along the Missouri River in central Montana, on the route Lewis and Clark took to explore the West, Great Falls, Montana is bursting with places to explore.

Start your day in Great Falls by hitting the trails. Explore the River’s Edge Trail, 56 miles of mixed pavement and singletrack following the beautiful Missouri River. Pick up a trail map at Great Falls Montana Tourism at 15 Overlook Dr. and choose your adventure. You can walk or bike to view Great Falls’ five namesake waterfalls, and four dams. If you didn’t travel with your own bike, rentals are available in town.

Along the River’s Edge Trail is the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center where once inside, you can pull a canoe (made from the wood of a hollowed tree) against the Missouri River’s strong current to see what Lewis and Clark were up against when they passed through the area. The center is unique in that it covers the entire 1804-06 journey the two men and their team took. It also tells the stories of their experiences with Plains and Northwest Native Americans. Discover more when you go on the center’s outdoor ranger tour.

Explore one of the town’s favorite sections of the trail by taking 15th Street north and turn east onto River Drive to get to the historic BNSF caboose. Hop on the trail to walk, bike or rollerblade to Giant Springs State Park, home to North America’s largest natural spring. Walk across the open bridge to watch water flow at a stunning rate of 156 million gallons per day. Also in the park, you’ll find the Roe River, the world’s shortest river. In one location, you can stand near North America’s longest river, the world’s shortest river and North America’s largest spring. You can stroll by waterfalls, bird watch, fish or see a fish hatchery from the park. It’s also a great spot to enjoy a picnic.

Half an hour south of Great Falls is First People’s Buffalo Jump, where Native American hunters would drive herds of wild bison off a 30-foot cliff to their death. The tribes used all parts of the bison for food, clothing, housing, tools and more. Start at the visitor center before exploring the trails on foot.

While you’re out exploring the trails, don’t miss Great Falls’ incredible outdoor art scene. You’ll find art pieces along the River’s Edge Trail to check out while you’re walking or biking and take in the downtown mural walk, which is added to each year during Montana ArtsFest in August. You’ll see incredible murals adorning the sides of buildings and alleys throughout downtown. Head out on The Great Buffalo Hunt to find 20-plus life-sized bison art pieces throughout town with themes like “Buffalo Nights” featuring the Northern Lights and “Rainboffalo,” a rainbow trout and bison hybrid. Find their locations online at VisitGreatFallsMontana.org/the-great-buffalo-hunt.

After spending time on the trails, the waters of the Missouri River might start to look pretty inviting, especially on a hot day. Rent a stand-up paddleboard or kayak at Bighorn Outdoor Specialists or Montana River Outfitters. In town, put in at the Missouri River and float 12 miles south from Broadwater Bay boat ramp. Forty-five minutes from town, you can head to the extremely popular Holter Dam area where you can float 7 miles to Craig or go beyond Craig an additional eight miles to Mid Canon. Grab your fishing license and head to Broadwater Bay or West Bank for an afternoon searching for taut lines.

Ready to relax? Head to Mighty Mo Brewing Co. for local Montana craft beer. The barley used to brew the beers is all grown within 50 miles of Great Falls. You can also refuel on hand-crafted pizza and several varieties of mac and cheese – including mac and cheese on a pizza. If there’s a show happening at The Newberry, Great Falls’ newest music venue located right downtown, grab a ticket. It’s the best way to cap off a night. You’ll sleep tight after a day full of adventures, dreaming of all the fun that’s yet to come in Great Falls.

Looking for More Adventure?

Sluice Boxes State Park

Just 34 miles from Great Falls, Montana, hike past former mines, historic cabins and limestone cliffs in Sluice Boxes State Park, a rugged, understated gem that’s dog friendly. Follow the trails past limestone cliffs and dip your toes into the clear, cool waters of Belt Creek that runs through the park. While bear encounters are rare, bring bear spray as a safety precaution.

Missouri River Breaks National Monument

Forty minutes northeast of Great Falls lies Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, which spans 149 miles of the Upper Missouri River. A highlight is its striking White Cliffs area. Made of sandstone, this badlands area offers hiking, river floating, fishing and more. Be sure to plan ahead if you need a guide.

C.M. Russell Museum

You’ll find a gorgeous museum dedicated to western artist extraordinaire C.M. Russell in Great Falls.

While artist Charles Marion Russell died in 1926, you’ll discover evocative scenes from the 1800s and early 1900s depicted across his broad canvases with splashes of bright-colored paint at the C.M. Russell Museum. You’ll find herds of boisterous elk and the haunting sunlit faces of three Native Americans witnessing a steamboat on the Missouri River for the first time.

While artists of Russell’s era like Thomas Moran and Frederic Remington traveled to the West periodically, Russell stayed, carving out a rich life in a corner of the West where the Great Plains roll up to the Rocky Mountain Front. The museum, his home and log-hewn studio sit on the city block where Russell, his wife Nancy and son Jack lived.

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Learn more at visitgreatfallsmontana.org