276:
333:
35:
306:
in 1805. Before that, the
Blackfeet people utilized the springs as an easy-to-access water source in the winter. The springs were mostly ignored by settlers until 1884 when the town of Great Falls was established and the springs became the place for Sunday recreational activities. In the mid-1970s
1632:
1677:
1617:
1447:
1742:
1642:
1637:
1572:
1442:
1467:
1762:
1562:
1552:
1547:
1532:
1457:
1597:
1607:
1587:
1527:
1712:
1612:
1592:
1542:
1522:
1502:
1767:
1692:
1662:
1652:
1602:
1507:
1492:
1487:
1482:
1727:
1717:
1667:
1657:
1622:
1567:
1747:
1722:
1647:
1627:
1512:
1497:
1477:
1472:
1422:
1752:
1737:
1732:
1687:
1452:
1432:
317:. The hatchery is a Montana state trout hatchery named Giant Springs Trout Hatchery and raises mostly Rainbow Trout. The spring serves as the headwaters of the 200-foot (61 m)-long
1757:
1702:
1672:
1582:
1577:
1557:
1537:
1517:
1427:
1707:
1697:
1462:
1437:
1682:
1117:
1860:
579:
1855:
528:
1405:
446:
1850:
655:
472:
698:
640:
787:
609:
230:
885:
792:
572:
1287:
935:
852:
817:
754:
721:
600:
1417:
1028:
837:
688:
1177:
1152:
777:
272:. Giant Springs has an average discharge of 242 cubic feet (6.9 m) of water per second or 150 million gallons per day.
827:
807:
772:
588:
1257:
857:
832:
812:
797:
565:
1375:
1317:
867:
822:
802:
703:
373:
244:
underlying 5 U.S. States and 3 Canadian
Provinces. The conduit between the mountains and the spring is the geological
1794:
1307:
968:
943:
842:
726:
632:
1008:
862:
782:
645:
310:
Today, some of the spring water is bottled annually for human consumption and some of the discharge is used for a
1840:
1222:
1217:
948:
920:
877:
1272:
1242:
847:
399:
322:
1845:
1297:
1172:
1122:
678:
988:
963:
617:
233:, the water takes about 3,000 years to travel underground before returning to the surface at the springs.
1835:
1395:
1252:
1069:
1352:
1192:
1182:
1162:
1097:
890:
225:. Its water has a constant temperature of 54 °F (12 °C) and originates from snowmelt in the
1332:
1302:
1262:
1232:
998:
659:
649:
622:
1247:
1132:
1018:
983:
915:
905:
900:
764:
746:
731:
450:
222:
256:
escapes to form Giant
Springs, some stays underground and continues flowing, joining sources from
1390:
1380:
1365:
1360:
1292:
1282:
1202:
1142:
958:
736:
713:
476:
144:
73:
1277:
1267:
1107:
1082:
1077:
993:
978:
953:
910:
895:
670:
1342:
1327:
1312:
1147:
1112:
973:
253:
226:
1370:
1322:
1227:
1212:
1197:
1187:
1157:
1003:
925:
346:
291:
218:
214:
140:
83:
424:
8:
1237:
1137:
1102:
1087:
1036:
1013:
303:
265:
1385:
1337:
1127:
249:
1810:
1207:
400:"Giant Springs Heritage State Park, a Montana State Park located near Great Falls"
1092:
299:
1046:
1041:
326:
295:
520:
515:
510:
1829:
557:
543:
530:
279:
257:
237:
53:
377:
501:
275:
261:
123:
318:
128:
314:
332:
34:
1060:
592:
245:
241:
148:
112:
63:
269:
321:, once listed as the shortest river in the world according to
311:
27:
Big Spring, Wonderful Spring, Roe River, North Fork Roe River
248:
found in parts of the northwest United States called the
236:
Giant
Springs is formed by an opening in a part of the
329:
which is near the spring and borders its state park.
268:
and other areas. The aquifer eventually surfaces in
475:. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Archived from
376:. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Archived from
307:the park was established as a Montana State Park.
252:. Although some of the underground water from the
1827:
587:
573:
229:, 60 miles (97 km) away. According to
1861:Tourist attractions in Great Falls, Montana
282:in show pond of Giant Springs Fish Hatchery
1856:Protected areas of Cascade County, Montana
580:
566:
331:
298:. Giant Springs was first described by
274:
1828:
368:
366:
364:
362:
561:
1851:Landforms of Cascade County, Montana
336:Roe River flowing from Giant Springs
200:242 cu ft/s (6.9 m/s)
714:National historic and scenic trails
417:
359:
290:, just downstream and northeast of
13:
14:
1872:
495:
427:. United States Geological Survey
302:during their exploration of the
286:The spring outlet is located in
33:
1029:National wild and scenic rivers
18:River in Montana, United States
473:"Giant Springs Trout Hatchery"
465:
439:
392:
323:Guinness Book of World Records
221:and is the central feature of
1:
352:
90:Physical characteristics
447:"Gushing Over Giant Springs"
325:. The river flows into the
168:0.04 mi (0.064 km)
160:3,314 ft (1,010 m)
156: • elevation
7:
656:Upper Missouri River Breaks
502:State of Montana: Official
340:
186: • location
136: • location
108: • location
10:
1877:
1178:Greycliff Prairie Dog Town
1153:First Peoples Buffalo Jump
641:Little Bighorn Battlefield
196: • average
1803:
1787:
1780:
1404:
1351:
1068:
1059:
1027:
934:
876:
765:National Wildlife Refuges
763:
745:
712:
689:National historical parks
687:
669:
631:
608:
599:
231:chlorofluorocarbon dating
204:
194:
184:
176:
172:
164:
154:
134:
122:
118:
106:
98:
94:
89:
79:
69:
59:
49:
44:
32:
23:
747:National recreation area
521:Youtube: Giant Springs 3
516:Youtube: Giant Springs 2
511:Youtube: Giant Springs 1
504:Giant Springs State Park
294:on the east bank of the
288:Giant Springs State Park
223:Giant Springs State Park
1203:Lewis and Clark Caverns
1841:State parks of Montana
1308:Tongue River Reservoir
969:Gates of the Mountains
732:Continental Divide NST
544:47.53417°N 111.23000°W
337:
283:
215:first magnitude spring
1633:Lower Stillwater Lake
1376:Lubrecht Experimental
737:Pacific Northwest NST
699:Grant–Kohrs Ranch NHS
335:
278:
254:Little Belt Mountains
227:Little Belt Mountains
1846:Great Falls, Montana
1678:North Swan Valley CE
1618:Kootenai/Woods Ranch
1448:Blackfoot-Clearwater
1223:Madison Buffalo Jump
1083:Anaconda Smoke Stack
886:Beaverhead–Deerlodge
671:National battlefield
549:47.53417; -111.23000
347:Spring (hydrosphere)
292:Great Falls, Montana
219:Great Falls, Montana
190:Giant Springs outlet
1273:Rosebud Battlefield
1243:Missouri Headwaters
936:National Wilderness
722:Lewis and Clark NHT
540: /
380:on January 14, 2010
1836:Springs of Montana
1743:Thompson-Fisher CE
1643:Madison-Wall Creek
1638:Madison-Bear Creek
1573:Gravelly-Blacktail
1298:Spring Meadow Lake
1173:Granite Ghost Town
1118:Chief Plenty Coups
1037:East Rosebud Creek
944:Absaroka–Beartooth
788:Charles M. Russell
691:and historic sites
633:National monuments
404:www.stateparks.com
338:
304:Louisiana Purchase
284:
266:Big Horn Mountains
1823:
1822:
1819:
1818:
1776:
1775:
1468:Buffalo Head Park
1338:Wild Horse Island
1055:
1054:
1009:Selway–Bitterroot
989:Mission Mountains
964:Cabinet Mountains
453:on April 30, 2015
425:"Madison Aquifer"
250:Madison Limestone
208:
207:
1868:
1811:CSKT Bison Range
1795:American Prairie
1785:
1784:
1763:War Dance Island
1563:Garrity Mountain
1553:Fresno Tailwater
1548:Fresno Reservoir
1533:Fleecer Mountain
1458:Blue Eyed Nellie
1253:Parker Homestead
1066:
1065:
954:Bear Trap Canyon
949:Anaconda–Pintler
878:National Forests
606:
605:
582:
575:
568:
559:
558:
555:
554:
552:
551:
550:
545:
541:
538:
537:
536:
533:
489:
488:
486:
484:
479:on July 28, 2015
469:
463:
462:
460:
458:
449:. Archived from
443:
437:
436:
434:
432:
421:
415:
414:
412:
410:
396:
390:
389:
387:
385:
370:
197:
187:
109:
37:
21:
20:
1876:
1875:
1871:
1870:
1869:
1867:
1866:
1865:
1826:
1825:
1824:
1815:
1799:
1772:
1598:Isaac Homestead
1409:
1407:
1400:
1347:
1318:Travelers' Rest
1258:Pictograph Cave
1193:Lake Mary Ronan
1163:Frenchtown Pond
1123:Clark's Lookout
1098:Beavertail Hill
1093:Beaverhead Rock
1051:
1023:
930:
921:Lewis and Clark
872:
793:Creedman Coulee
759:
741:
708:
690:
683:
665:
627:
595:
589:Protected areas
586:
548:
546:
542:
539:
534:
531:
529:
527:
526:
498:
493:
492:
482:
480:
471:
470:
466:
456:
454:
445:
444:
440:
430:
428:
423:
422:
418:
408:
406:
398:
397:
393:
383:
381:
374:"Giant Springs"
372:
371:
360:
355:
343:
300:Lewis and Clark
238:Madison aquifer
195:
185:
157:
137:
107:
40:
28:
25:
19:
12:
11:
5:
1874:
1864:
1863:
1858:
1853:
1848:
1843:
1838:
1821:
1820:
1817:
1816:
1814:
1813:
1807:
1805:
1801:
1800:
1798:
1797:
1791:
1789:
1782:
1778:
1777:
1774:
1773:
1771:
1770:
1765:
1760:
1755:
1750:
1745:
1740:
1735:
1730:
1725:
1720:
1715:
1710:
1705:
1700:
1695:
1690:
1685:
1680:
1675:
1670:
1665:
1660:
1655:
1650:
1645:
1640:
1635:
1630:
1625:
1620:
1615:
1610:
1608:Kootenai/Falls
1605:
1600:
1595:
1590:
1588:Horseshoe Lake
1585:
1580:
1575:
1570:
1565:
1560:
1555:
1550:
1545:
1540:
1535:
1530:
1528:Flathead River
1525:
1520:
1515:
1510:
1505:
1500:
1495:
1490:
1485:
1480:
1475:
1470:
1465:
1460:
1455:
1450:
1445:
1440:
1435:
1430:
1425:
1420:
1414:
1412:
1402:
1401:
1399:
1398:
1396:Thompson River
1393:
1388:
1383:
1378:
1373:
1368:
1363:
1357:
1355:
1349:
1348:
1346:
1345:
1340:
1335:
1333:Whitefish Lake
1330:
1325:
1320:
1315:
1310:
1305:
1303:Thompson Falls
1300:
1295:
1290:
1285:
1280:
1275:
1270:
1265:
1263:Pirogue Island
1260:
1255:
1250:
1245:
1240:
1235:
1233:Medicine Rocks
1230:
1225:
1220:
1215:
1210:
1205:
1200:
1195:
1190:
1185:
1180:
1175:
1170:
1165:
1160:
1155:
1150:
1145:
1140:
1135:
1130:
1125:
1120:
1115:
1110:
1105:
1100:
1095:
1090:
1085:
1080:
1074:
1072:
1063:
1057:
1056:
1053:
1052:
1050:
1049:
1044:
1039:
1033:
1031:
1025:
1024:
1022:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1006:
1001:
999:Red Rock Lakes
996:
991:
986:
981:
976:
971:
966:
961:
956:
951:
946:
940:
938:
932:
931:
929:
928:
923:
918:
913:
908:
903:
898:
893:
888:
882:
880:
874:
873:
871:
870:
865:
860:
855:
853:Red Rock Lakes
850:
845:
840:
835:
830:
825:
820:
818:Lake Thibadeau
815:
810:
805:
800:
795:
790:
785:
780:
775:
769:
767:
761:
760:
758:
757:
755:Bighorn Canyon
751:
749:
743:
742:
740:
739:
734:
729:
724:
718:
716:
710:
709:
707:
706:
701:
695:
693:
685:
684:
682:
681:
675:
673:
667:
666:
664:
663:
653:
646:Pompeys Pillar
643:
637:
635:
629:
628:
626:
625:
620:
614:
612:
610:National parks
603:
597:
596:
585:
584:
577:
570:
562:
524:
523:
518:
513:
508:
497:
496:External links
494:
491:
490:
464:
438:
416:
391:
357:
356:
354:
351:
350:
349:
342:
339:
327:Missouri River
296:Missouri River
258:losing streams
206:
205:
202:
201:
198:
192:
191:
188:
182:
181:
178:
174:
173:
170:
169:
166:
162:
161:
158:
155:
152:
151:
145:Cascade County
138:
135:
132:
131:
126:
120:
119:
116:
115:
110:
104:
103:
100:
96:
95:
92:
91:
87:
86:
81:
77:
76:
74:Cascade County
71:
67:
66:
61:
57:
56:
51:
47:
46:
42:
41:
38:
30:
29:
26:
17:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1873:
1862:
1859:
1857:
1854:
1852:
1849:
1847:
1844:
1842:
1839:
1837:
1834:
1833:
1831:
1812:
1809:
1808:
1806:
1802:
1796:
1793:
1792:
1790:
1786:
1783:
1779:
1769:
1766:
1764:
1761:
1759:
1756:
1754:
1751:
1749:
1746:
1744:
1741:
1739:
1736:
1734:
1731:
1729:
1726:
1724:
1721:
1719:
1716:
1714:
1713:Seven Sisters
1711:
1709:
1706:
1704:
1701:
1699:
1696:
1694:
1691:
1689:
1686:
1684:
1681:
1679:
1676:
1674:
1671:
1669:
1666:
1664:
1661:
1659:
1656:
1654:
1651:
1649:
1646:
1644:
1641:
1639:
1636:
1634:
1631:
1629:
1626:
1624:
1621:
1619:
1616:
1614:
1613:Kootenai/West
1611:
1609:
1606:
1604:
1601:
1599:
1596:
1594:
1593:Howard Valley
1591:
1589:
1586:
1584:
1581:
1579:
1576:
1574:
1571:
1569:
1566:
1564:
1561:
1559:
1556:
1554:
1551:
1549:
1546:
1544:
1543:Freezout Lake
1541:
1539:
1536:
1534:
1531:
1529:
1526:
1524:
1523:Flathead Lake
1521:
1519:
1516:
1514:
1511:
1509:
1506:
1504:
1503:Dome Mountain
1501:
1499:
1496:
1494:
1491:
1489:
1486:
1484:
1481:
1479:
1476:
1474:
1471:
1469:
1466:
1464:
1461:
1459:
1456:
1454:
1451:
1449:
1446:
1444:
1441:
1439:
1436:
1434:
1431:
1429:
1426:
1424:
1421:
1419:
1418:Amelia Island
1416:
1415:
1413:
1411:
1403:
1397:
1394:
1392:
1389:
1387:
1384:
1382:
1379:
1377:
1374:
1372:
1369:
1367:
1364:
1362:
1359:
1358:
1356:
1354:
1353:State forests
1350:
1344:
1341:
1339:
1336:
1334:
1331:
1329:
1326:
1324:
1321:
1319:
1316:
1314:
1311:
1309:
1306:
1304:
1301:
1299:
1296:
1294:
1291:
1289:
1286:
1284:
1281:
1279:
1276:
1274:
1271:
1269:
1266:
1264:
1261:
1259:
1256:
1254:
1251:
1249:
1248:Painted Rocks
1246:
1244:
1241:
1239:
1236:
1234:
1231:
1229:
1226:
1224:
1221:
1219:
1216:
1214:
1211:
1209:
1206:
1204:
1201:
1199:
1196:
1194:
1191:
1189:
1186:
1184:
1181:
1179:
1176:
1174:
1171:
1169:
1168:Giant Springs
1166:
1164:
1161:
1159:
1156:
1154:
1151:
1149:
1146:
1144:
1141:
1139:
1136:
1134:
1133:Council Grove
1131:
1129:
1126:
1124:
1121:
1119:
1116:
1114:
1111:
1109:
1106:
1104:
1101:
1099:
1096:
1094:
1091:
1089:
1086:
1084:
1081:
1079:
1076:
1075:
1073:
1071:
1067:
1064:
1062:
1058:
1048:
1045:
1043:
1040:
1038:
1035:
1034:
1032:
1030:
1026:
1020:
1019:Welcome Creek
1017:
1015:
1012:
1010:
1007:
1005:
1002:
1000:
997:
995:
992:
990:
987:
985:
984:Medicine Lake
982:
980:
977:
975:
972:
970:
967:
965:
962:
960:
957:
955:
952:
950:
947:
945:
942:
941:
939:
937:
933:
927:
924:
922:
919:
917:
914:
912:
909:
907:
904:
902:
899:
897:
894:
892:
889:
887:
884:
883:
881:
879:
875:
869:
866:
864:
861:
859:
856:
854:
851:
849:
846:
844:
841:
839:
838:Medicine Lake
836:
834:
831:
829:
826:
824:
821:
819:
816:
814:
811:
809:
806:
804:
801:
799:
796:
794:
791:
789:
786:
784:
781:
779:
776:
774:
771:
770:
768:
766:
762:
756:
753:
752:
750:
748:
744:
738:
735:
733:
730:
728:
727:Nez Perce NHT
725:
723:
720:
719:
717:
715:
711:
705:
704:Nez Perce NHP
702:
700:
697:
696:
694:
692:
686:
680:
677:
676:
674:
672:
668:
661:
657:
654:
651:
647:
644:
642:
639:
638:
636:
634:
630:
624:
621:
619:
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1768:Warm Springs
1693:Robb-Ledford
1663:Mount Silcox
1653:Mount Haggin
1603:Judith River
1508:Ear Mountain
1493:Dodson Creek
1488:Canyon Ferry
1483:Canyon Creek
1293:Somers Beach
1283:Sluice Boxes
1167:
959:Bob Marshall
778:Black Coulee
525:
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481:. Retrieved
477:the original
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457:February 20,
455:. Retrieved
451:the original
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429:. Retrieved
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382:. Retrieved
378:the original
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1728:Smith River
1718:Silver Gate
1668:Nevada Lake
1658:Mount Jumbo
1623:Lake Helena
1568:Grant Marsh
1288:Smith River
1278:Salmon Lake
1268:Placid Lake
1108:Black Sandy
1078:Ackley Lake
1070:State parks
994:Rattlesnake
979:Lee Metcalf
828:Lee Metcalf
808:Hewitt Lake
773:Benton Lake
623:Yellowstone
547: /
535:111°13′48″W
409:December 4,
262:Black Hills
213:is a large
141:Great Falls
84:Great Falls
1830:Categories
1748:Three Mile
1723:Silver Run
1648:Milk River
1628:Lost Creek
1513:Elk Island
1498:Dodson Dam
1478:Calf Creek
1473:Bull River
1423:Aunt Molly
1408:Management
1391:Swan River
1381:Stillwater
1366:Coal Creek
1361:Clearwater
1343:Yellow Bay
1328:West Shore
1313:Tower Rock
1218:Lost Creek
1183:Hell Creek
1148:Fish Creek
1113:Brush Lake
974:Great Bear
891:Bitterroot
858:Swan River
833:Lost Trail
813:Lake Mason
798:Grass Lake
532:47°32′03″N
353:References
1788:Nonprofit
1753:Threemile
1738:Swan Lake
1733:Sun River
1688:Ray Kuhns
1453:Blackleaf
1433:Beartooth
1323:Wayfarers
1228:Makoshika
1213:Lone Pine
1198:Les Mason
1188:Lake Elmo
1158:Fort Owen
1004:Scapegoat
868:War Horse
823:Lamesteer
803:Hailstone
319:Roe River
240:, a vast
177:Discharge
129:Roe River
1758:Vandalia
1703:Roundhom
1673:Ninepipe
1583:Hinsdale
1578:Haymaker
1558:Gallatin
1538:Fox Lake
1518:F Island
1443:Big Lake
1428:Badlands
1406:Wildlife
1238:Milltown
1047:Missouri
1042:Flathead
916:Kootenai
906:Gallatin
901:Flathead
843:Ninepipe
679:Big Hole
341:See also
315:hatchery
70:District
45:Location
1708:Sanders
1698:Rookery
1463:Bowdoin
1438:Beckman
1371:Lincoln
1138:Elkhorn
1103:Big Arm
1088:Bannack
1014:UL Bend
863:UL Bend
783:Bowdoin
618:Glacier
601:Federal
593:Montana
506:website
260:in the
246:stratum
242:aquifer
149:Montana
113:Montana
64:Montana
50:Country
1804:Tribal
1143:Finley
1128:Cooney
911:Helena
896:Custer
483:May 5,
431:May 5,
384:May 5,
270:Canada
180:
165:Length
102:
99:Source
1781:Other
1683:Pablo
1410:Areas
1208:Logan
1061:State
848:Pablo
312:trout
124:Mouth
60:State
1386:Sula
926:Lolo
485:2012
459:2015
433:2012
411:2018
386:2012
80:City
660:BLM
650:BLM
591:of
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
