Area state parks celebrating Earth Day with events
Two Great Falls area state parks will celebrate the 54th anniversary of Earth Day, including a sunset hike, and a free event for children and families filled with crafts and games celebrating nature.
Giant Springs State Park in Great Falls is hosting its first ever Early Earth Day Nature Celebration on Sunday, April 21, from 12-3 p.m. on the main grassy area west of the parking lot and visitor information booth. The free event will include stations where visitors will be able make do-it-yourself bird feeders and pipe cleaner flowerpots, and to participate in games like trash basketball and rake races.
All supplies and instruction will be provided and is intended to educate and entertain children and families on sustainable practices for naturebased recreation. The events are best suited for children with parental supervision.
This event is weather dependent and may be postponed or cancelled due to poor conditions. However, the weather forecast for Sunday afternoon looks promising. The National Weather Service predicts partly cloudy skies, light winds, and temperatures in the mid- to upper-50s.
For more information or updates about the event, call the park at 406-727-1212, or check the parks Facebook page www.facebook.com/GiantSpringsStatePark. Giant Spring State Park lies on the banks of the Missouri River at 4803 Giant Springs Road in Great Falls.
The weather looks even better the following day, Monday, April 22, when a ranger at First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park will guide a sunset hike. Scattered clouds, a light breeze, and temperatures in the low-60s should greet hikers for the three-mile, moder
ately difficult hike.
Native peoples used this site for at least a thousand years before Lewis and Clark passed through here. The bison jump site consists of a mile long sandstone cliff; there are remnants of drive lines on top of the cliff and there are up to 18 feet of compacted buffalo remains below the cliff.
For hundreds of years, Indians stampeded buffalo over the cliff, harvesting the meat and processing hides at its base. Now, the top of the jump provides expansive panoramic views of the Rocky Mountain Front, the Missouri River valley, and the buttes and grasslands that characterize this High Plains setting.
The hike begins at 6:30 p.m. at the visitor center and is expected to last two hours. A fee of $4 per hiker applies. Montana residents do not pay an entry fee to visit the park, but an $8 fee applies to non-resident vehicles.
For those that would like to hike independently in the park, the park gates will be open from 6-8:45 p.m. Bathrooms at the visitor center will be available, but the museum will be closed.
First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park is located 3.5 miles north of Ulm. For more information about this event contact the park at 406-866-2217 or follow the park on Facebook www.facebook.com/FirstPeoplesBuffaloJumpStatePark