Everyone in Montana Must Visit This Epic Natural Spring As Soon As Possible

Unless you live in the area, you might see Great Falls as just a place to pass through on your way to the Flathead National Forest or Glacier National Park. But Great Falls happens to be home to one of the largest freshwater springs in the country. If you’ve never seen Giant Springs in person, add it to your 2016 itinerary.

Giant Springs was discovered by the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1805.

On June 18, 1805, Clark and a small group of men came upon what he described as "the largest fountain or spring I ever saw, and doubt if it is not the largest in America known."

Clark wasn’t too far off.

The springs flow at a rate of about 156 million gallons of water per day. The water stays at a cool 54 degrees temperature year round.

The water from Giant Springs originates from melting snow on the Little Belt Mountains 60 miles away.

The water takes a whopping 25-50 years to travel underground before returning to the surface at the springs.

4. Giant Springs is at the beautiful Giant Spring State Park.

You can go on a nature walk, look for birds, visit the fish hatchery and visitor center, check out the waterfalls that make up Great Falls, and enjoy a peaceful picnic by the springs.

The springs are the headwaters of the 201 foot long Roe River.

The Roe River is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s shortest river.

It’s no wonder that Giant Springs is the most frequently visited Montana state park.

Over 300,000 people visit every year.

Have you been to this epic Montana natural spring?