Great Falls, Waterfall system on Missouri River, Montana, United States
Great Falls refers to five consecutive waterfalls along the Missouri River, with the tallest dropping over 87 feet. The individual steps spread across several miles of river course and together form a system of natural and altered formations.
The Lewis and Clark expedition reached the waterfalls in June 1805 and took nearly a month to portage their equipment around them. Later dams altered the natural flow of water at several points along the falls.
The name recalls the moment when the Lewis and Clark expedition discovered the multiple cascades and recorded their size. Today, anglers use the waters below the falls, where trout gather in the calmer stretches of the river.
A viewpoint in Ryan Island Park offers a look at part of the falls and is accessible via a suspension bridge. The best months to visit are spring and early summer, when water levels are higher and the cascades appear fuller.
The amount of water flowing over the falls changes by season due to dam control upstream. In spring, the cascades can become nearly 900 feet wide, while in summer they shrink to several narrower streams.
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