Great Falls is a beautiful city located in the United States of America. Great Falls is the county seat of Cascade County in the state of Montana. According to a recent census, the town has a population of 58.505 people living on an area of 20 square miles. The inspiration for the name of Great Falls was given by the five waterfalls close to the city, but the city is also nicknamed Electric City, thanks to the five hydroelectric dams located in its proximity. Great Falls is the third largest city in Montana and home of famous people like historian Valeen Tippetts Avery, gay activist Brian Coyle, MLB manager John Gibbons and writer Cyra McFadden. If planning to visit Great Falls, there are some places you should definitely see.
Top Attractions within Great Falls
Roe River is a curiosity for the lovers of nature and not only for them. The river flows in Great Falls between Giant Springs and the Missouri River and has just 201 feet. Apparently, this is the shortest river in the world and in 1989 it was included even in the Guinness Book of Records. For this to happen, locals campaigned together with NFL player Dallas Neil, who supported their efforts.
University of Great Falls is a private Roman Catholic university in town. The school was founded in 1932 and it was initially intended exclusively for women, but in 1937 it became coeducational. The university offers degrees in arts, humanities, history, literature, sciences and business, among others.
C.M. Russel Museum Complex is an art museum in Great Falls. The museum displays the works of a cowboy artist - Charles Marion Russel and also has a rich collection of memorabilia of the artist - letters and other items. The museum opened in 1953 and in the last year had more than 30.000 visitors who came in Great Falls especially for it.
Great Falls was named after the number of waterfalls that the Lewis Clark expedition had to go round. Great Falls is also known as the “Electric City” as there are five hydropower generation plants that have been built on the Missouri river close by. In fact, it was the building of a dam to supply electricity that brought industries and businesses to Great Falls.
1. Tour the Lewis Clark expedition's portage site: In 1805, this famous expedition stopped at Great Falls portage and disassembled their boats, carrying them up stream then assembling them after crossing the falls. The site has been declared a National Heritage Landmark.
2. See the shortest river in the world: The Roe River was declared the shortest river in the world by the Guinness Book of Records, as it only runs 201 feet! Sadly, the Guinness Book of Records removed this category in 2006.
3. See waterfalls: A visit to one of the four waterfalls that are close to Great Falls becomes a must and the best one to visit is the Rainbow falls. This was one of the falls that the Lewis Clark expedition encountered. Crooked falls is the only falls that remains unchanged.
4. Visit a Lewis Clark expedition museum: The Lewis Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center makes one see and experience this great 1804 expedition. One can also see exhibits of ancient North American Indians in this museum.
5. Visit a historic bridge: The 10th Street pedestrian bridge that spans the Missouri river was built in 1920 and is a masterpiece of engineering skills and architecture. The citizens of Great Falls are restoring this historic bridge.
Visit Joplin recorded as a census-designated place in Liberty County, Montana. The city, which is bordered by the Ozark mountain range, has numerous streams and eight beautiful lakes, all of which add-up to make it a scenic haven.
1. Visit Pompey's Pillar National Monument: The monument was designated a National landmark in 1965. The rock cliffs provide a marvelous but treacherous challenge and have ensured its popularity with the hiking and climbing fraternity.
2. Explore the beauty Glacier National Park: The park is a huge center for outdoor activities, including boating, camping, fishing and hiking. The National Park has over 700 miles of trails, in an area of wilderness large enough to ensure complete solitude.
3. Do not forget to explore the Yellowstone National Park: The park, which was established in 1872, is a haven for grizzly bear, bison and wolves. Then there are the geysers, the most famous of which is, of course, Old Faithful. If that was not enough to satisfy the adventurous visitor there are spectacular views of Yellowstone Lake and Fort Yellowstone.
4. Go skiing at Granite Peak: This is the ideal place to practice your skiing and is the highest peak in Montana, at a height of 12,800 ft. Granite Peak has an excellent snow record and in addition to skiing, is a popular destination for hunting, trekking and fishing.
5. Pay a visit to George A. Spiva's centre: This art centre is very dynamic, with exhibits and artifacts being changed regularly. The gallery is region specific and therefore enables visitors to catch a glimpse into the history of the immediate area.
