Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Although this stretch of Montana isn't often among the state's primary tourist destin-
ations, there are many reasons why it should be (chief among them that the area is not a
tourist destination). The region is rich with natural beauty, culturally significant landmarks,
and history. Fort Benton, just east of Great Falls, is considered the birthplace of Montana
due to its origins as an important inland port, the westernmost stopping point for steamers
loaded with materials and pioneers traveling up the Missouri River. There are two major
buffalo jumps (butte-like geographical features that Native Americans used to hunt bison)
worth seeing, Egg Mountain with its significant dinosaur discoveries, the vast Bob Mar-
shall Wilderness, the placid Smith River, and outcroppings all along the Missouri River that
hold the lore of the fur-trapping era. Great Falls, the largest city in the region, is home to
the C. M. Russell Art Museum and some intriguing contemporary art as well as the Lewis
and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center. Smaller towns, including Choteau,
Lewistown, and White Sulphur Springs, have preserved their culture and history as they
have fought to maintain their populations in boom-and-bust economies, and each offers a
meaningful glimpse into Montana's agricultural life past and present. The Rocky Boy's and
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