Things to Do in Three Forks, Montana
Three Forks is where the Gallatin, Madison, and Jefferson rivers converge to become the Missouri River. Needless to say, fly-fishing is pretty darn good here. A not to miss is the Lewis & Clark Caverns, especially on a hot day! The Three Forks Rodeo takes place in July and is a big rodeo for a small town.
Lewis & Clark Caverns
25 Lewis & Clark Caverns Road
Whitehall, Montana 59759
(406) 287-3541
Guided Cave Tours
Visitor Center
RV & Tent Camping
Open Year Round
Closed: Thanksgiving Day Christmas Eve & Day
New Year’s Eve & Day
Winter Hours Nov-Mar:
Wed-Sun 10am-4pm
Summer Hours Apr-Oct
8:30am-4:30pm
Open till 6:30 pm mid-summer More about Lewis &
Clark Caverns
Directions to Lewis &
Clark Caverns
Take our standard cave tour to experience these spectacular caverns lined with stalactites, stalagmites, columns and helictites. The tour begins with a 1-mile gradual uphill walk to the cave entrance. The route inside the cave is lighted for a safe and enjoyable visit, and the caves are naturally air-conditioned. Kids especially have fun on the tour’s famous Beaver Slide and enjoy the occasional bat sighting. The tour includes 600 steps and involves ducking, waddling, bending and sliding as you make your way through the cavern.
NOTE: If it’s a warm day, be sure to have water with you.
Cost: $12 / person, 12 years & older; $5 for children (6-11 years);
5 years & under are free. Purchase tickets upon arrival.
No reservations accepted.
Trout On The Fly
Fly Fishing Outfitter
Fly Fishing Outfitter
Guided
Full-Day Float Trips
1/2 Day Walk-Wade
Big fish, small flies, fine tippet and prolific hatches sum it up. The “Mighty Mo” is perfect for the dry fly enthusiast and for anglers that want to put their skills to the test.
Rivers near Three Forks are the Gallatin River, Jefferson River, and Madison River.
No gear, no problem. Trout on the Fly will have all the gear you need.
Missouri Headwaters State Park
1585 Trident Road
Three Forks, Montana 59752
(406) 285-3610
Bicycling Bird – Watching Boating Camping – Canoeing – Education Exhibit – Fishing – Hiking – History Kayaking – Photography Picnicking – River Fishing
RV Camping – Tent Camping Wildlife Viewing
Within the boundaries of this scenic park and National Historic Landmark, the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin Rivers merge to form the 2,300-mile Missouri River.
Considering it an essential point in the geography of this western part of the continent, Meriwether Lewis wrote the country opens suddenly to extensive and beautiful plains and meadows which appear to be surrounded in every direction with distant and lofty mountains. The legendary Sacajawea was captured here as a child and eventually returned as a member of the Corps of Discovery. Another member of this expedition, John Colter, later made several trips to this area in search of furs and began his famous run nearby. Pioneers slowly settled the surrounding area and transformed it into profitable grazing and farming land. Missouri Headwaters State Park preserves much of the region’s abundant wildlife, lush, vegetation, and scenic beauty that have attracted people for thousands of years.
The park provides 17 campsites, tipi rental, foot trails to points of interest, and interpretive displays of the area’s cultural and natural history. River floating, fishing, picnicking, bicycling, hiking, interpretive programs, and photography are popular activities.
Madison Buffalo Jump State Park
6990 Buffalo Jump Road
Three Forks, Montana 59752
(406) 285-3610
Open Year-Round during Daylight Hours
Bird Watching
Cultural
Exhibit
Heritage
Hiking
History
Situated on the edge of a broad valley carved by the Madison River, this high limestone cliff was used by Native Americans for 2,000 years–ending as recently as 200 years ago. Native people stampeded vast herds of bison off this massive semicircular cliff, using them for food, clothing, shelter and provisions.
“Runners,” highly skilled young men trained for speed and endurance, wore buffalo, antelope or wolf skins to lure bison to the “pishkun” or cliff. The buffalo jump was often the key to existence for native peoples. Although the introduction of horses led to the abandonment of this jump sometime after 1700, the rugged outcropping now serves as an inspiring monument to the region’s early inhabitants.
The park includes all the main geographical features of a jump site and other evidence remains to provide visitors with a glimpse into the cultures that used this hunting style. Interpretive displays help visitors understand the dramatic events that took place here for nearly 2,000 years.
Buffalo bones still lie buried at the cliff’s base, and archaeologists have located the tipi rings of an extensive village. With a little imagination it is easy to visualize the drama of a buffalo drive, the thunderous roar of the stampede, the dramatic sight of the fall, and the frenzy of activity that followed.
Headwaters Public Golf Course
225 N. 7th Avenue E.
Three Forks, Montana 59752
(406) 285-3700
The scenic Headwaters Golf Course in Three Forks, Montana, a public golf course, is just a stone’s throw from the confluence of the Gallatin, Jefferson and Madison Rivers. These waters join to create the majestic Missouri River. The nine-hole course, completed in 1986, features water on 6 of the holes and with multiple tee boxes can be both a fun course for the novice golfer and a challenge for the seasoned player.
Three Forks Arena &
Event Center
MT-2
Three Forks, Montana
July 15-16, 2023
The premier event of the weekend is the Annual Three Forks NRA Rodeo. Gates open each night at 5:30 with the performance beginning at 7 pm.
In conjunction, The Three Forks Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Street Fair, Parade and Street Dance following the Rodeo.