Great Falls, MT, 10-6 & 10-7, 2010

We arrived at Dick’s RV Park in Great Falls from Fort Benton safely after a nice short drive.

In 1993 we were in this area on vacation and had visited the buffalo jump. This area is now a state park, they have also built a visitor center. The center was suppose to be open, but the doors were locked. Come to find out the park staff were on a walk of the park. They saw us as they approached the visitor center and invited us in, but by then we were leaving. On our way there we found a prairie dog town and some pronghorns.

The cliffs before you are part of the long rock face used as the buffalo jump.

I am now standing on top of the cliffs. Didn’t realize I was nearly standing over air! Over time, our original memory of this place has faded. We could not find the ledge we stood under out of the rain 17 years ago. This is also the place where the road in was very muddy, almost got stuck in 4” of muck, but our new Explorer (our same one) pulled us through the mud in 4 wheel drive. Now the roads were paved. Time marches on.

Our next stop was the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. We really enjoyed their interpretive talks, heard three of them and they were wonderful! Their displays led you through the time line of their journey. The Corps of Discovery spent 30 days portaging around the five falls in the area, over 18 miles. What an enormous job!

This is the first time I have ever seen a “Heartskin Bucket”.

Then off the see the Giant Springs and the world’s shortest river, The Roe, all 201’ of it. Between 156 to 190 millions gallons per day flow into this pool, then into the Roe River, then into the Missouri River.

Since Great Falls has a Sam’s Club, we had to pay a visit. Our treat today was this huge chunk of Stilton cheese with cranberries. Yummy!

Just want to add that George of The Adventures of Tioga and George could use some prayers, he is going through an incredible tough time with the loss of a son.