Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls may be best know for the Lewis & Clark expedition spending nearly a month portaging the falls and the CM Russell Museum, but it is so much more. The Missouri River headwaters are just south of Great Falls and is excellent for kayaking, rafting, and blue-ribbon fishing. The surrounding mountains offer horseback riding, hiking, and mountain biking. Indoor and outdoor ice skating, art walks, Rodeos… and of course, history. First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park, a National Historic Landmark southwest of town, is believed to be one of the longest buffalo jumps in the U.S.
At 3,330 feet in elevation and being the third largest city in Montana (behind Missoula and Billings), you will find the University of Great Falls (now the University of Providence), Great Falls College Montana State University, Giant Springs, the Roe River (claimed to be the world’s shortest river), the Montana School for the Deaf and the Blind, the Great Falls Voyagers minor league baseball (formerly known as the Great Falls White Sox and before that as the Dodgers and Giants respectively) team, and Malmstrom Air Force Base.
A variety of lodging options, restaurants, shopping, and art galleries make Great Falls an excellent basecamp while exploring the surrounding areas.
