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Great Falls Montana
What do you do in Great Falls, Montana? Well, depending on what you like to do, the city named for Lewis and Clark's description of the Great Falls of the Missouri can keep you busy all year round. All four seasons are well celebrated, and, being located in Central Montana, sometimes you can experience all four seasons in the same month! Indoor ice skating and hockey at the iceplex and indoor swimming at the historic Natatorium; soccer to baseball, we have it all.
Missouri River and Giant Springs
If you're visiting Montana, there's a good chance you're looking to escape the city and enjoy some Nature. Even though it's one of the bigger "cities" in Montana, Great Falls does offer some unique and majestic natural features. The Missouri River and it's waterfalls, Giant Springs, and the Roe River are all natural water features offering their own unique beauty and mystique.
Let's start with the Great Falls since that's how Great Falls Montana got its name. Great Falls was built around the Missouri River ("The Mighty Mo") and eventually built a hydroelectric dam on the waterfalls, gaining the nickname "The Electric City." This is great for renewable energy, but for those like me that enjoy the natural beauty of untouched nature, it's unfortunate some of the waterfall's beauty has been lost with the man-made damn. You can still see the falls with the dam, and some of the lower falls remain less altered by man, so definitely still worth the look to see what Lewis and Clark had seen on their journey.
But,back to visiting Great Falls. You can still really enjoy the Missouri River a number of ways right in the city! Enjoy a long (or short, your choice) walk or bike ride along the river walk. Not your speed? Enjoy a drink and/or a meal on the patio of one of the restaurants along river road. Looking for something familiar? National chain Applebee's will provide you views of the Missouri.
Want something more local? Check out one of my favorite places to eat in Montana, MacKenzie River Pizza. Located next door to Applebee's, MacKenzie is more "Montana," with a few locations outside of the state. I usually go here for lunch during the summer and sit outside to enjoy the view of the Mighty Mo and enjoy one of their signature sandwiches or pizzas and a local (Montana) brew.
But, if you want a closer look at the Missouri and some other natural bodies of water, I highly recommend checking out Giant Springs State Park.
Giant Springs State Park
One of my favorite little gems in Great Falls in Giant Springs State Park. As far as Montana parks go, it's pretty small, which makes it a nice visit that doesn't require a lot of time commitment, but is definitely worth your time! As with the Great Falls, Lewis and Clark also discovered Giant Springs on their expedition.
As I've noted throughout the site, I absolutely love natural flowing bodies of water. Giant Springs is one of those places I can go to fairly easily for some recharging peace. But there's also a bonus (two really!), it feeds into one of the world's shortest rivers, the Roe River, which feeds into the Missouri river from there.
Giant Springs is one of the largest fresh water springs in the nation (ironically feeding one of the shortest rivers). 156 million gallons of very clear water flow through the springs per day, at a constant temperature of 54 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Roe River is also very nice (yep, that's the full length of the river in the picture there). It's only 201' long! But, both the Giant Springs and the Roe River are right next to the Missouri River, so there's also a massive powerful river right there as well.
Giant Springs is a great place to visit if you're in Great Falls, MT. You can bring a picnic and enjoy some of the land next to the water, walk or bike along the River's Edge Trail, and visit the fish hatchery (a kids' favorite!). Besides that, it's one of the most accessible parks that doesn't require a long drive or a full day visit. Enjoy some nature a couple minutes out of town!