Day 26 - Great Falls, Montana

At 10 a.m. our Motor Coach arrived at the RV park.  It was a beautiful Montana day. Our driver, Bob and tour guide, Don were ready to take us to the Charles Russell Museum.

C. M. Russell Museum Entrance

C. M. Russell Studio

C. M. Russell Home

Charles Russell is recognized today as a leading artist of the Old West.  At age 16, Russell set out from his home in St. Louis for Montana Territory, gaining experience as an apprentice hunter, trapper and cowboy, but never stopped sketching scenes.  In 1893 he devoted the rest of his life to making art.  He created unforgettable images of the “American frontier.”


On our way to the Museum, Don, our tour guide related the fact that on June 16, 1805 (207 years ago) Lewis and Clark were moving to the portage.  Sacagawea was very ill.  Lewis gave her sulfur water and in 24 hours she improved.  On July 16, 1805, Lewis killed his last bison (until his return trip in 1806).

After the Museum we had lunch at Golden Corral.  Later, on the way to Ulm, we passed Square Butte.  It rises 1,300 feet above the valley floor.  Facing North you can view the Lewis and Clark pass through the Continental Divide. Lewis also named many rivers and creeks in the area. 

Square Butte

In Ulm we visited the First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park.  It is the largest buffalo jump in the nation, as well as the best preserved in the Northwest.  The park guide told us about the buffalo jumps and how the buffalo were rounded up and jumped off the cliff.  In the 1850’s – 1860’s 60,000 buffalo roamed this area of Montana.  By 1880 they were all but extinct.

Buffalo heading for cliff

Display in Museum

View from top of Buffalo Jump

Pictograph depicting buffalo in this area 1850's - 1860's

A very informative day – returning to camp at 4 p.m.8

Submitted by Bob and Janet Brown #6