9 Best Sights in Great Falls, Billings, Little Big Horn, and the Montana Plains

This 76,000-square-foot complex houses the largest collection of original art and personal objects of legendary cowboy artist Charlie Russell (1864–1926). Russell's more than 4,000 works of art—sculptures, watercolors, oil paintings—primarily portray the vanishing era of the Old West. His log studio and home, built at the turn of the 20th century, are adjacent to the main galleries. A highlight is the bison exhibit: more than 1,000 objects are used to tell the epic story of this Western icon, and you feel the floor tremble as you experience the sensation of being in the middle of a stampede. Also here are collections of paintings by other 19th-century and modern Western artists, interactive exhibits, and a research library.

On the north side of the historic part of town is 40-foot-high, 500-foot-wide Black Eagle Falls, one of the places where the Missouri River takes a sharp dive on its 500-foot descent through town. A pedestrian bridge from the parking area leading to an island alongside the falls makes a nice place to watch birds or the water. The adjacent golf courses and baseball diamond give the area plenty of green space and a seminatural feel, although it's hard not to notice the concrete dam looming above.

For centuries Native Americans hunted bison by stampeding them off a cliff at this 2,000-acre park, which is sacred to the state's original residents. This is one of the largest and best-interpreted buffalo jumps in the United States. The mile-long cliff affords a spectacular view of the Rocky Mountains, the Missouri River, and the plains. An interpretive center focuses on the culture of the Plains Indians before white settlement. You can hike the 1.5-mile-long trail to the top of the hill where buffalo runners led herds over the cliff to their demise.

The freshwater springs here feed a state fish hatchery that covers 400 acres of parkland. According to residents, the waters that flow from the springs form the shortest river in the world, the 200-foot-long Roe River (Oregonians hold that their D River is shorter, but most independent record keepers side with Montana on the issue). In addition to the hatchery, a visitor center, picnic grounds, a river drive, hiking and biking trails, and a playground are all on-site, and you can walk up the hill to Fish, Wildlife & Parks' regional headquarters, filled with educational displays featuring life-size mounts of area wildlife. You can also fish, attend educational programs, and take tours. Kids will enjoy feeding the hatchery's fish.

This park, named for the insightful founder of Great Falls, is the crown jewel of the city's 400-acre park system. The most popular features are the duck pond and extensive flower gardens. There are also jogging paths, outdoor exercise equipment, basketball courts, horseshoe pits, restrooms, a playground, a band shell, and prime picnicking spots. Riverside Railyard Skate Park, reputed to be one of the best in the Northwest and one of the largest in the country, connects to Gibson Park via the walking path leading underneath the railroad overpass. The restored log cabin of Vinegar Jones, reportedly Great Falls' first permanent resident, is also on display in the park near the gardens.

Follow the trail that the Corps of Discovery traveled 200 years ago (1803–06) in search of an overland route to the Pacific Ocean and experience their struggles and successes. The center shows what it was like for travelers and Native Americans of the era through films, exhibits, and live programs. Take the self-guided tour, and watch the costumed interpreters conduct demonstrations.

Contemporary artwork of the northwest United States makes up the bulk of the collection here. There is an educational resource room where kids and adults can try hands-on puzzles and projects, along with several exhibition halls and a photography collection. A perennial and butterfly garden on the south side of the building is a perfect spot for a summer picnic.

One of the waterfalls that gives the city its name, 50-foot-high Rainbow Falls is below Rainbow Dam, about 1½ mile east of Giant Springs State Park. An overlook has informational signs about the history of the area, as well as excellent views of the river. The surrounding land is mostly owned by ranchers, although there are some trails cut into the hills near the falls.

Flowing out of the Helena National Forest in the heart of Montana is the 60-mile Smith River. Like most other waterways in the state, it fluctuates with the seasons, ranging from a trickle in September to a raging torrent in June (thanks to the melting mountain snowpack). Although the river is popular for numerous activities, including camping on its banks, fishing, and swimming, the most prevalent activity on the Smith is floating. The only put-in spot is in White Sulpher Springs, about 2½ hours south of Great Falls. The only take-out spot is at Eden Bridge State Fishing Access, about 20 miles south of Great Falls. Floating is so popular, in fact, that Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks limits the number of groups boating down the river and has a lottery system for floating permits. (It also prohibits dogs.) Despite the river's popularity, this is still Montana, and the sense of serene isolation that comes from the sight of towering mountains and open prairie will far outweigh any annoyance at seeing a few other boats during your journey.