***National Trails Day 2020 Canceled***
Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, National Trails Day as an organized event has been canceled across the country.
However, in our commitment to keeping Great Falls active and outside, we will be providing regular info throughout the summer on hiking/walking options throughout Central Montana. Check our Facebook Page for those updates!
You can also look below at previous years' hikes for inspiration!
Hit the Trail - Make new friends - Find an adventure - All for free
Length: 1 mile
Elevation gain: minimal
Meet: 9:45 am, Gibson Park Bandshell
Total time: 1 hour
Travel Distance to Trailhead: None. Leave from park
Age limit: None; children with legal guardian
Max. Number: 20
Difficulty Level:Easy
Coordinator: Carol Bradley
Step back into history with Carol Bradley, member of the Great Falls-Cascade County Historic Preservation Advisory Commission, as you stroll through the Lower North Side neighborhood for a sidewalk tour of the earliest homes in Great Falls. Enjoy views of front porches, see massive pillars, cupolas, and historic renovations. Wheelchair and stroller accessible. This walk makes many stops to view old classic homes.
Length: approximately 3 miles
Elevation gain: none, all sidewalk travel
Meet: 10:00am, Gibson Park Bandshell; walk departs from park
Total time: 2 Hours
Travel Distance to Trailhead: None. Leave from park
Age limit: 14 and up, children with legal guardian
Max. Number: 20
Difficulty Level: Easy
Coordinators: Ike Kaufman and Channing Hartelius
Join Ike Kaufman, owner of Great Falls’ longest single-family owned business and Channing Hartelius, part-owner of the Celtic Cowboy Pub, for a whirlwind tour of the historic business district. Learn the history of the business owners who operated flourishing stores, taverns, theaters, and hotels in in the historic business district. Ike and Channing will share their extensive research and long-standing family knowledge of businesses from the past. You will gain a new perspective on how you see downtown next time you travel along Central Avenue and the lower south side. For those interested, a post-walk celebration at the Celtic Cowboy is an optional activity.
Length: 3 miles
Elevation gain: none
Meet: 10:15 am, Bandshell, Gibson Park
Total time: 2.5 hours
Travel Distance to Trailhead: Depart on foot from park
Age limit: None
Max. Number: 20 children
Difficulty Level: Easy
Coordinator: Miranda Murray
Grab your parents and join Great Falls Public Schools educator Miranda Murray for a hike across the Central Avenue West walking bridge, then onto Garden Home Park, a fun natural area hidden in the heart of the city. Water height depending, we will take off our socks and shoes and wade along the sandy beach. This hike is wheelchair and stroller accessible and is designed for children who are active and inquisitive. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Length: Less than 1 mile
Elevation gain: none
Meet: 9:45am, Bandshell, Gibson Park
Total time: 1.5 hours
Travel Distance to Trailhead: Depart from park
Age limit: None
Max. Number: 20 children
Difficulty Level: Easy
Coordinator: Erin and Derrick Merchant
Join local Get Fit Great Falls Leaders Erin and Derrick Merchant for a play day with your children. Plan on a short walk from Gibson Park to a play area where organized activities will keep your little one active and engaged in fun, fun, fun, including sidewalk chalk drawing and activity booklet to take home! This walk is designed for pre-school to second-grade children. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Length: 3 miles
Elevation gain: Mostly flat ground with little hills (half is single track dirt trail and half is paved trail)
Meet: 8:45am, Gibson Park to coordinate car caravan to trailhead
Total time: 2 hours, including interpretive stops and talks by the rangers
Travel Distance to Trailhead: 3.5 miles from Gibson Park to main parking area at Giant Springs State Park
Age limit: none, strollers not recommended; children with legal guardian
Max. Number: 15
Difficulty Level: Easy/Moderate
Coordinators: State Park Rangers Tamara Tollett
Description: State Park Ranger Tamara Tollett will lead you on a nature/history hike through Giant Springs State Park. Learn about the smelter sites which still have remnants of the old stacks still standing, the historical work done by the WPA & CCC in the early 1900s, and the plants and animals that call Giant Springs their home.
You will also discover the amazing natural features in the park to include the springs and the shortest river in the world. The hike will be easy to moderate on single track dirt trails to paved trails. There is some incline involved but mostly flat terrain. All ages welcome, but strollers are not recommended. Learn and see all the wonderful things about Giant Springs State Park and why it is the most visited State Park in Montana.
Length: 3 miles
Elevation gain: Mostly flat ground with little hills. All is paved.
Meet: 10:00am, Gibson Park Bandshell
Travel Distance to Trailhead: No driving. We will walk from the park.
Total Time:2 hours
Age limit: Ages 5 and up, children with legal guardian
Max. Number: 20
Difficulty Level: Easy/Moderate
Coordinators: Sarah Yoder & Bruce Pollington
Description: Experienced volunteers will lead you from bridge to bridge on an easy loop route on the River’s Edge Trail. You will cross the Missouri River at Central Avenue West bridge, stroll along the West Bank park, viewing the many waterfowl that hide among the rushes and islands as you head to the Ninth-Street Bridge. At this point, you will walk the other side of the river by the Dog Park and end up where you started, completing the circle back to Gibson Park. A great little hike to get a body in motion. Who knows? You may make this part of your daily walking routine.
Length: 2 miles
Elevation gain: 500 feet, (50 flights of stairs)
Meet: 8:45am, 9:45am, Gibson Park Bandshell to coordinate caravan
Travel Distance to Trailhead: 63 miles, one hour 10 minutes
Total Time: Four hours
Age limit: None, children with legal guardian
Max. Number: 20
Difficulty Level: Easy
Coordinators: TBD
Volunteers will take you to this gem of a waterfall, nestled in the Little Belt Mountains. We follow a pretty creek uphill to the major waterfall, where we will stop to enjoy it and eat our lunch. Then we will continue up a short, steep section to a smaller upper waterfall and continue along the creek for another half mile.
Elevation gain: minimal
Meet: 9:00am , departure 9:15 AM Gibson Park Bandshell
Total time: 2 hours
Travel Distance to Trailhead: about 5 miles
Age limit: N/A
Max. Number: 15
Difficulty Level: Advanced Beginner
Coordinators: Gerry Jennings and Jo Ann Wright
Description: This is an easy hike on hard-packed dirt trail along the River’s Edge Trail east of Rainbow Dam. Scenes along the Missouri are beautiful. You’ll see the new Rainbow generating station and prairie wildflowers.
Notes/Advisory: Bring sunscreen, water, snack, appropriate clothing and hat with brim. Wear hiking boots or sturdy walking shoes. No sandals please.
Length: 3 miles
Elevation gain: 500 feet (50 flights of stairs)
Meet: 9:15am, Gibson Park Bandshell to coordinate caravan
Total time: 3 hours
Travel Distance to Trailhead: 18 miles
Age limit: None, children with legal guardian
Max. Number:20
Difficulty level: Moderate
Coordinator:Alice Southworth
Follow the park’s loop trail with Park Ranger Alice Southworth for views of the famous buffalo jump. Tread where ancient bison hunters procured mass quantities of meat and hides. Learn how the First Peoples used native plants to survive on the prairie. Hike is good for active families. View the exhibits in the Visitors’ Center afterwards.
Length: 3.6 miles
Elevation gain: 500 feet (50 flights of stairs)
Meet: 9:15am, Gibson Park Bandshell to coordinate caravan
Total time: 4 Hours
Travel Distance to Trailhead: 17 miles
Age limit: 8 and above with legal guardian
Max. Number: 15
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Leaders: TBD
Sulphur Springs Trail is part of the Lewis & Clark Trail. It starts at a trailhead next to the Morony Dam (17 mile drive Northeast of Great Falls). Starting from the trailhead, it is a 1.8 mile hike to the Springs site. The terrain crosses through several small coulees. The trail follows the river through a rocky, native prairie landscape. This hike is a guided interpretive walk with topics ranging from native plants to the Lewis and Clark expedition.
On this hike you have to be in good physical shape; please bring insect repellent, hiking boots, backpack with about 3 liters of water, sunscreen, and high-energy snacks and food. We will hike at a moderate pace. The distance is 3.6 miles round trip, which we will cover in about three hours. We have a snack at the springs.
Hikers can expect great views and possibly wildlife, including rattlesnakes. Insect repellent is suggested, as there are ticks and mosquitoes: a true Lewis and Clark experience! The hike coordinators are Darian Kath and Ray Tetreault, both staff at the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center.
Length: 4 miles
Elevation gain: 1,500ft
Meet: 8:15am, Departure 8:30 Gibson Park Bandshell to coordinate caravan
Total time: 6- 7 hours
Travel Distance to Trailhead: 70 miles, 1.25 hours
Age limit: 16 and up in good shape, children with legal guardian
Max. Number: 12
Difficulty Level: Difficult for steepness
Coordinators: Camille Consolvo and Mike Dannells
Join Camille Consolvo and Mike Dannells for a hike on the CDT to the top of Rodgers Peak. The wildflowers should be out (and the ticks) but the views are worth it. The hike climbs moderately over two miles with views into the Bob Marshall and Holter Lake on a clear day and see where the plains meet the mountains. Minor stream crossings could be a bit muddy so waterproof or old boots help.
Notes/Advisory: This is grizzly bear country; please bring bear spray and be bear aware. This is an early season hike, so there may be sections of trail that are snow covered.
Length: Approximately 4 miles total
Elevation gain: 1600 feet, (160 flights of stairs)
Meet: 7:45am, Gibson Park Bandshell to coordinate caravan
Total time: 6 hours
Travel Distance to Trailhead: 85 miles, 1.75 hours, 3 miles on gravel road
Age limit: 8 and up in good shape; children with legal guardian
Max. Number: 13
Difficulty Level: Difficult
Coordinator: Travis Rixford and Jon Edwards
Note:Bear spray required
This is a great hike in the foothills of the Rocky Mountain Front that ends with a fantastic view of the plains. We will hike an established Forest Service trail that passes through remnants of an old wildfire and various segments of timbered forest. The area offers an abundance of wildflowers, birds and small and large mammals. Please be sure to bring good, preferably waterproof, hiking boots, backpack with three liters of water, sunscreen, and high energy snacks and food. The hike is rated as difficult based on elevation gain, so it is important that all hikers be in shape and used to walking over uneven terrain and have good ankle strength.
Notes/Advisory: This is grizzly bear country; please bring bear spray and be bear aware. This is an early season hike, so there may be sections of trail that are snow covered or muddy.
Length: 5 miles
Elevation gain: 1000 – 1200 ft. (120 flights of stairs)
Meet: 8:15am, Gibson Park Bandshell to coordinate caravan
Total time: 6 hours
Travel Distance to Trailhead: 35 miles, 50 minutes
Age limit: 8 and up in good shape; girls with a legal guardian
Max. Number: 15
Difficulty Level: Difficult for steepness and length
Coordinators: Mary Somerfeld
Note: High-clearance vehicles required.
Come climb Crown Butte to find 360-degree views of where the Rocky Mountain Front mountains meet the plains. This butte is a unique example of a laccolith with gorgeous shonkinite formations covered in lime-green lichen. Eagle catches and teepee rings can be found on the butte along with native Montana grasses and a Nature Conservancy plaque. If we are lucky, we will catch a glimpse of the mule deer herd that inhabits the valleys on the butte. High clearance vehicles required. Hike will be cancelled if it rains, due to gumbo roads. Remember, this is an all-women/girls hike.