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Great Falls
Location: Hwy I-15, which connects with I-90
and 1-94. Highways 87 and 89 also pass through
Great Falls; 143 miles to Glacier National Park;
273 miles to Yellowstone National Park; 240
miles to Billings; 327 miles to Calgary, Alberta.
Population: 59,350.Visitor Information Center: 15
Overlook Drive; Website: genuinemontana.com

Great Falls is built along the Missouri River, where
a drop of over 500 feet resulted in a series of rapids and
five breathtaking waterfalls. Lewis and Clark were the
first known white explorers to catch sight of the “great
falls” of the Missouri River; the party could hear the
roar of the falls from more than seven miles away.
The C.M. Russell Museum Complex houses the
work of Charles M. Russell, the legendary cowboy artist
who lived in Great Falls, as well as his original log cabin
studio and home. His artwork and illustrated letters
reveal intimate and humorous first-hand accounts of
early Montana life. Every March, Great Falls becomes
the “Western Art Capitol of the World” during the C.M.
Russell Art Auction.
Relive one of the most exciting chapters in our
nation’s history at the Lewis and Clark National Historic
Trail Interpretive Center overlooking the majestic
Missouri River, with hands-on exhibits, displays,
interactive presentations, and knowledgeable guides.
Ulm Pishkun State Park protects the sites of the
most heavily and longest used buffalo jumps in the
country. The Visitor Interpretive Center tells the story
of the importance of the buffalo to peoples of long ago
with magnificent murals. The history and culture of the
Northern Plains and its people also come alive in the
museum at the High Plains Heritage Center. Great Falls
is an exciting community with a variety of four season
recreational opportunities. Enjoy some of the best fly
fishing in North America. Water ski, reenact an historic
canoe trip, or go white-water rafting or kayaking. There
are five challenging and scenic golf courses. A paved
trail follows over 13 miles of the Missouri River, for
scenic biking, roller blading, and walking.

Shelby
Location: At the junction of Highway 2
Aerial view of the Missouri River in Montana and I-15 in northcentral Montana; 36 miles
south of the Canadian border. Population:
3500. Visitor Information: Shelby Area
days of contest dancing, games, a number of sports Choteau Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center,
events, and socializing. Comprising one of the largest Location: On Hwy 89 about 20 miles east of the 100 Montana Avenue, PO Box 865 Shelby,
gatherings of United States and Canadian tribes, the Montana 59474; Phone: (406) 434-7184;
celebration is an unforgettable experience. Rockies in the Rocky Mountain Front region. Email:
shelbycoc@3rivers.net; Website:
Located at the junction of Highways 2 and Choteau also has a small airport and is on the www.shelbymtchamber.org.
89, the Museum of the Plains Indian exhibits the Burlington Northern Railroad line. Population:
creative achievements of Native American artists and 1800; Teton County: 6400. Visitor Information: When the Great Northern Railroad was being
Choteau Chamber of Commerce Office; Phone:
craftspeople, with a permanent display presenting the built toward Marias Pass in 1891, the crew plunked
rich diversity of historic arts of the tribal peoples of (800) 823-3866. down a boxcar and called it a train station. General
the Northern Plains. One of the exhibit highlights is Dramatically situated on the Eastern Front of manager of the Montana-Central Railroad, Peter
the display of traditional costumes of the Northern Shelby is believed to have commented that the site
Plains people, presented in complete detail on life-size the Rockies, Choteau is surrounded by outstanding would never amount to much. He was wrong, as
outdoor recreational opportunities in the Lewis
figures. Other displays are devoted to numerous art Shelby has grown into a significant distribution trade
forms related to the social and ceremonial aspects of and Clark National Forest and the Bob Marshall center for 50 miles in every direction.
the tribal cultures of the region. Two special exhibition Wilderness. The town has a well preserved western By 1913, homesteaders flooded into the area,
flavor and an active fine arts community. Downtown
galleries are devoted to changing presentations but fell on drought-driven hard times, and a few
promoting the creative works of outstanding talented shopping includes gift stores, clothing, boutiques years later, left in droves. When geologist Gordon
and art galleries. Visitors will enjoy the Old Trail
contemporary Native Americans. Campbell discovered a massive oil field in 1921,
The Blackfeet Heritage Center and Art Gallery is Museum, specializing in the preservation of dinosaur new life returned to Shelby.
located across the street from the Museum of the Plains fossils. There are several taverns and restaurants Visit the Marias Museum of History and Art for
offering western hospitality at its finest.
Indian on Highway 2 in the former studio of prolific a look at area history, homesteading, and dinosaur
Experienced outfitters are available to provide
Browning sculptor Bob Scriver. The Center is also comfortable summer horse pack trips into the finds, and the Toole County Library to view an
the permanent home of a world-class dinosaur fossil. excellent Native artifact collection. Shelby is
An “absolutely exquisite specimen” discovered on the beautiful Bob Marshall and surrounding areas, as remembered for promoting and hosting the Jack
reservation in 1995, the 74-million-year-old baby T. well as winter hunts in some of the finest big game Dempsey-Tommy Gibbons World Heavyweight
wilderness areas in the country.
rex fossil is the smallest ever found. Championship prizefight held there on July 4, 1923.
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