GIANT SPRINGS
The centerpiece of Heritage State Park is Giant Springs, the
world's largest freshwater spring, bringing 14 million gallons
of water per hour to the surface from an aquifer 75 miles away
in the Little Belt Mountains. With nearly 150,000 visits each
summer, Giant Springs State Park in Great Falls draws the most
visitors of all Montana's state parks. Described by Meriwether
Lewis as the "beautiful fountain" when the explorers first saw it
in 1805. The area is a popular picnic destination. The state also
maintains a trout hatchery at the park open to the public.
In the long and short of it, Great Falls is a city of rivers.
The history-laden Missouri, the Sun, and the Roe, all come
together here. The Missouri, at 2,341 miles long, is only nine
miles shorter than America's longest river, the Mississippi. The
Roe River, running just 200 feet from Giant Springs into the
Missouri, on the north edge of Great Falls has been listed in the
Guinness Book of Records as the world's shortest river. The
Sun River flows out of the Rocky Mountain Front to empty into
the Missouri at Broadwater Bay near downtown Great Falls.
Website: stateparks.mt.gov/giant-springs
RIVER'S EDGE TRAIL
Stretching almost 60 miles along both sides of the Missouri
River, River's Edge Trail provides the perfect opportunity for
walking, hiking, jogging, skating, cycling, and mountain biking.
The paved and singletrack trails encompass spectacular views
of the mountains, prairies, river canyons, waterfalls, reservoirs,
and five hydroelectric dams while also connecting to Great
Falls' historic downtown, numerous parks, dining options,
and attractions.
River's Edge Trail provides the Great Falls community and its
visitors a link to outdoor opportunities and the beauty of the
surrounding area. Whether you are looking for a place to just
get away for a while, ride a bike, run, visit a park, or go fishing,
the almost 60 miles of River's Edge Trail is the place to go.
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Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce www.greatfallschamber.org
Outdoor Beauty is All Around Great Falls
Photo provided by Great Falls Montana Tourism
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