Hidasta informants described a fall of water on the Missouri River near the mountains, so the Captains expected a short portage. Instead of one waterfall, Lewis happened upon a succession of five, and their hope for a short portage faded. Look upriver and see "upper pitch," now called Black Eagle Falls, the last in the series. The remaining four cascades are downriver - the "sublimely grand" Great Falls is 8 river miles and a 20-minute drive away.

A "great" Challenge
Standing atop a knoll, now called Smelter Hill, just upstream, Lewis determined the south shore offered the shortest, most level portage with the fewest ravine crossings. Following Clark's survey, the Corps pulled canoes and gear over 18 miles of unforgiving plains.

A "great" But Tamed, Resource
The 360 foot drop in this section of river offered a ready power source for the young community of Great Falls. Five dams now lasso the river and regulate its water levels and current.

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Show me all markers in:  Great Falls, MT  |  Cascade County  |  59405  |  Montana  |  United States of America

These Springs Have Witnessed...
Where Does the Water Come From?
The Smallest River Runs Through It
Black Eagle Falls
The Great Falls of the Missouri River
St. Ann's Cathedral
Cascade County Courthouse Historical
Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Depot
Explorers at the Portage
Formation of the Gorge and Falls

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