A Trip to Glacier National Park

You’re 2.5 hours away from the East entrance to Glacier National Park when you’re in Great Falls. There is only one road through the park, Going to the Sun Road, and the east to west route is the most dramatic views. Hiking throughout the park is pristine. Here are some options on the east side for you to consider, from our local hiking guru, Eric Heidle. We recommend a minimum of a 1.5 days for this trip, but be safe and plan two whole days to recreate in Glacier National Park.

A Trip to Yellowstone National Park

Yes, it’s in Wyoming, but you are only 3.5 hours from the North entrance to Yellowstone National Park, which is Gardiner, Montana! The drive from Great Falls, through Kings Hill Scenic Byway to Livingston is a feast for the eyes! We recommend a minimum of 2 days in the park.

Day Hike through Sluice Boxes State Park

This park has two entrances and we recommend starting at the first (or bottom) entrance and hike through the Belt Creek crossings to the second (or top) entrance and back. The entire time you are in a limestone canyon that was once filled with mining camps. Learn more about this experience from one of our locals, Molly Pearce.

Day Hike the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex

There are many day hike options outside of Choteau and Augusta. The two we most recommend are Mount Wright and Our Lake. These are big days, so get going early if you want to tackle either of them. If you want to do both – plan a day for each hike and a stay in Choteau – it only makes sense.

Learn about our heritage at First Peoples Buffalo Jump

Just a half hour south of Great Falls in Ulm is North America’s Largest Buffalo Jump and National Historic Site, First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park. Learn how 13 different tribes used this location to drive bison off a cliff to get the groceries, tools, and materials for their tribes at the Visitor Center, then hike to the top of the jump and see the panoramic views and the drive lines that made the bison stampede into one area.

Recreate on the River’s Edge Trail

Great Falls has 53 miles of trail on the banks of the Missouri River ideal for all kinds of recreation. The River’s Edge Trail has 29 art installations and our first recommendation is doing the 3.5 Urban Loop by Bird Scooter. The Urban Loop has the largest concentration of art on it and will take you on the Historic 10^th Street Bridge, restored in phases through the tenacity of Arlene the bridge lady, and an old train track was converted to trail as the initial phase of the River’s Edge Trail creation.

Our second recommendation is to hike the Sulphur Spring Trail which is steeped in Lewis & Clark History. You’ll see sulphur spring, relatively untouched since Sacagawea was saved by drinking from it. The trailhead is the old townsite of Morony, about a half hour drive from Great Falls. 

Our third recommendation is to hike (or bike, but you’d have to bring your own) the North Shore. The trailhead is at one of our 5 falls, Rainbow, and provides technical riding on the mayhem portion of the trail, and great river views by foot.

Our fourth recommendation is to walk from the caboose trailhead and do the Giant Springs Loop. It’s an easy walk, paved the entire way. You can take your bike, or rent a scooter to do it as well. You’ll go past another one of our 5 Falls, Black Eagle, and into Giant Springs State Park where you’ll see the World’s Shortest River, the World’s Largest Natural Spring, and North America’s Longest River all in one spot.

Enjoy Electric City Waterpark

If you are into lazily floating or the thrill of slides that twist and turn, you’ll find what you need at Electric City Waterpark. The park has three pools, the first with slides, the second for the under 5 crowd, and the third with a flowing lazy river where you can ride a tube for hours and have the current take your cares away. Concessions are available along with chaise lounges, patio chairs, and picnic tables.

Explore the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center

Lewis and Clark are a big deal for our area. Yes, they are a big deal to a few other states as well, however, the Corps of Discovery spent the most time in any one location outside of winter camp here in Great Falls. It took them 31 days to portage all 5 of the falls and our Interpretive Center is North America’s most extensive collection of the Expedition.

BONUS:  Attend the Lewis & Clark Festival right before our Retreat on June 21! More details here.

Get to Know Famed Cowboy Artist C.M. Russell

There are few artists in the world where you can get access their work, home, and studio, and the C.M. Russell Museum Complex provides that for Charlie Russell. The museum has the largest collection of Charlie’s most intimate works of art, along with his western contemporaries. The home he shared with his wife Nancy has been restore to it’s original grandeur and showcases the opulent business side of the Russell’s as well as the modest day to day in the private areas of the home. Charlie’s log cabin studio remains relatively the same as when Charlie once occupied it.

Explore 10 MORE Museums

Great Falls is Montana’s museum capital – so you can spend a lot of time connecting to our culture, history, and art in our various museums. The Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art is one of the premiere modern art museums in the Pacific Northwest and has an iconic exhibit by Lee Steen – a self-taught artist who create life size stick people. The History Museum covers our military history, such as Great Falls connection to the Berlin Airlift and our Ferrying Mission in World War I. There are more, but we’d be remiss in not mentioning we have a museum, connected to a bar – The Cowboy’s Bar and Museum has a pretty cool barb wire exhibit worth checking out, with a drink in your hand.