Montana's State Parks Are At The "Core" Of Discovery

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As Lewis and Clark made their way up the Missouri River they named many natural features and recorded the names in their journals and notes.

Ironically, many of these features already had an Indian name. For example, the early Crow people knew and loved the rivers of the Missouri headwaters and called them Aashalatatche (Where the River is Straight), Baa’chuuaashe (Berry or Cherry River), and Iichi’ilaashe (Horse River). Today, Missouri Headwaters State Park marks the headwaters of the Missouri River where these rivers—named the Madison, Gallatin and the Jefferson by Lewis and Clark—join.

Beyond those Lewis and Clark noted in their journals—Giant Springs, Tower Rock, the Missouri River headwaters, Beaverhead Rock, Clark’s Lookout, Pirogue Island, and Traveler’s Rest— other state parks are also located at significant crossroads, headwaters, rock towers, springs, townsites or lakes.

Many of these sites have also likely been named and renamed over the centuries. Archaeological research shows ancestors of some Montana Indian tribes knew of and frequented some state park locations more than 11,000 years ago.

If you’re looking for adventure and want to “discover” even more of Montana than Lewis and Clark saw, Montana’s State Parks are a great place to start.

Here is a brief description of state parks sites Lewis and Clark visited. For detailed directions and descriptions of Montana’s State Parks, visit the FWP web site, Parks and Recreation. 

1.  TRAVELERS’ REST STATE PARK

The Lewis and Clark Expedition camped here twice during their historic journey to locate the elusive Northwest Passage in 1805 and 1806. Travelers’ Rest is one of only two sites where experts have been able to verify the location of a Lewis and Clark campsite. For generations, Indian people used this area south of Lolo as a campground and crossroads. The Travelers Rest Preservation and Heritage Association manages the site in cooperation with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. 

2.  CLARK’S LOOKOUT STATE PARK

Visible above the dense cottonwoods and willows along the Beaverhead River near Dillon, this rock outcropping provided a vantage point for Captain William Clark to scout what lay ahead for the Lewis and Clark Expedition. McNeal Creek is now Blacktail Deer Creek. You can drive to Clark’s Lookout one mile north of Dillon off Highway 91, park next to it, and walk the trail to the top.

3.   BEAVERHEAD ROCK STATE PARK

While traveling with the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805, Sacagawea recognized this rock outcrop 14 miles south of today’s Twin Bridges as a sign that she was close to her original home. It resembles the head of a swimming beaver. The site is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and can be viewed and photographed from a distance, but it is not directly accessible.     

4.  MISSOURI HEADWATERS STATE PARK

This park near Three Forks encompasses the confluence of the Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin rivers. Lewis and Clark anxiously anticipated locating the headwaters of the Missouri from the time they set out on their expedition. Interpretive signs, picnic spots, short hiking trails, and a campground all make this a convenient and fun stop off Interstate 90 at Three Forks. 

5.   TOWER ROCK STATE PARK

Montana’s newest state park, Tower Rock, is a landmark noted by Captain Meriwether Lewis in his journal on July 16, 1805. This igneous rock formation is 424 feet high and stands in the mouth of the canyon where the Missouri River flows from the mountains to the plains. The northern outcrop is 3,815 feet above sea level and the southern point is 3,976 feet above sea level. Lewis took astronomical measurements from the site and noted “immence herds of buffaloe” on the plains below. While the site isn’t yet open to visitors, it is a prominent rock outcropping easily spotted on the west side of I-15 at the Hardy Creek exit, about 40 miles south of Great Falls. Take the Hardy Creek exit to the west to drive around the site on the frontage road.

6.   GIANT SPRINGS STATE PARK

One of the largest freshwater springs in the world, Giant Springs in Great Falls flows at 338 million gallons of water a day.   The site was “recorded” by the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805. The park offers opportunities to picnic by the Missouri River, visit the adjacent fish hatchery, walk along the Rivers’ Edge Trail, or visit the neighboring Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.

7.   PIROGUE ISLAND STATE PARK

Isolated and shaded by cottonwood trees, this Yellowstone River island near Miles City offers floaters an excellent spot to view wildlife, envision the Corps of Discovery’s travel along the river, and to hunt for moss agates. The site is a haven for waterfowl, bald eagles, and whitetail and mule deer.