Great Divide Ski Area - Lewis and Clark Trail Experience

Information

Friday November 25th: 9:30am – 9pm Saturday and Sunday: 9:30am – 4pm December 2nd – December 18th Friday: 4pm – 9pm Saturday & Sunday: 9:30am – 4pm December 21st, 2022 through January 2nd, 2023 Weekdays: 10am – 4pm Friday Night: 4pm – 9pm Weekends: 9:30am – 4pm January 4th, 2023 – March 12th 2023 Closed Monday & Tuesday Wednesday – Thursday: 10am – 4pm Friday: 10am – 9pm Saturday in January: 10am – 9pm Saturdays in February & March: 10am – 4pm Sunday: 10am – 4pm March 15th – April 2nd, 2023 Closed Monday & Tuesday Weekdays: 10am – 4pm Weekends: 10am – 5pm

(406)-449-3746

Daily lift tickets- $64 for adults, $48 for military, $54 for college students, $48 for students, and $28 for children and seniors.

lat: 46.753073 long: -112.313478

While Montana is home to many ski areas, the Great Divide Ski Area is unique, because it allows skiers to ski near the Continental Divide! The ski area has been in operation since 1941. It features 1,500 acres of skiable land, with over 100 trails, ranging in intensity. New to skiing? The Great Divide also offers ski lessons! From experienced to unseasoned skiers, Great Divide has perfect trails for everyone!

The Great Divide Ski Area is home to stunning mountain views

The Great Divide Ski Area is home to stunning mountain views

The ski area has trails for skiers of every experience level

The ski area has trails for skiers of every experience level

Enjoy the opportunity to ski near the Continental Divide

Enjoy the opportunity to ski near the Continental Divide

Nearby Attractions

Mount Helena City Park

Mount Helena City Park

Mount Helena City Park, Helena, MT, USA
Distance: 16.53 mi (straight line)

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1906 Trail

1906 Trail

Mount Helena Trailhead, 87 Reeders Village Dr, Helena, MT 59601, USA
Distance: 16.94 mi (straight line)

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Lewis & Clark Interpretive Experience

Lewis & Clark Interpretive Experience

Lewis & Clark Interpretive Experience, West 14th Street, Helena, MT, USA
Distance: 16.98 mi (straight line)

LC Features Guided Tours

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Steffano’s Pizza and Sub Shoppe

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Steffano's Pizza & Sub Shoppe, North Last Chance Gulch, Helena, MT, USA
Distance: 17.10 mi (straight line)

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The Creperie

The Creperie

The Creperie, West 6th Avenue, Helena, MT, USA
Distance: 17.26 mi (straight line)

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Holter Museum of Art

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Holter Museum of Art, East Lawrence Street, Helena, MT, USA
Distance: 17.27 mi (straight line)

Galleries and Venues Museums and Interpretive Centers

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Lucca’s

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Lucca's, North Last Chance Gulch, Helena, MT, USA
Distance: 17.28 mi (straight line)

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Breweries & Brothels Tour – The Foundation for Montana History

Breweries & Brothels Tour – The Foundation for Montana History

101 Reeders Alley, Helena, MT, USA
Distance: 17.29 mi (straight line)

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Reeder’s Alley

Reeder’s Alley

Reeder's Alley, Reeders Alley, Helena, MT, USA
Distance: 17.29 mi (straight line)

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Parrot Confectionery

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Benny’s Bistro

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Old Fire Tower (The Guardian of the Gulch)

Old Fire Tower (The Guardian of the Gulch)

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Distance: 17.37 mi (straight line)

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Lewis & Clark Brewing Co.

Lewis & Clark Brewing Co.

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Distance: 17.40 mi (straight line)

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The Sanders Bed & Breakfast

The Sanders Bed & Breakfast

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The Carolina Bed & Breakfast

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The Myrna Loy

The Myrna Loy

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Shellie’s Country Cafe

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Gates of the Mountains Boat Tour

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Step Into History at the Lewis and Clark Interpret

Step Into History at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Sioux City, Iowa!!

Located along the Missouri River, the Sioux City Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center offers an in-depth look at the legendary Lewis and Clark Expedition and its impact on the region. This site is especially significant as it honors Sergeant Charles Floyd, the only member of the expedition to die during the journey. His passing in 1804 near present-day Sioux City remains an important chapter in expedition history.

During Lewis and Clark’s time, this area was an untamed wilderness of rolling prairies and towering cottonwood trees. Today, it is home to a modern interpretive center surrounded by beautiful riverfront landscapes, parks, and monuments, including the Sergeant Floyd Monument, a 100-foot obelisk marking his burial site.
Fun fact: The center features life-sized animatronic figures of Lewis, Clark, and Floyd, bringing history to life in an engaging way!

Visitors can explore interactive exhibits, historical reenactments, and educational programs. The nearby riverfront trails and parks offer a perfect place for walking, biking, and reflecting on the expedition’s journey. Whether you're a history enthusiast or just looking for a fun day out, the Sioux City Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center is a must-visit!

All photos credited to Cait Clark

Step Into History at Fort Belle Fontaine! Establi

Step Into History at Fort Belle Fontaine!

Established in 1805, Fort Belle Fontaine was the first U.S. military post west of the Mississippi River and played a key role for the Lewis and Clark Expedition. After completing their journey, the Corps of Discovery stopped here to report their findings, marking a historic moment in America’s westward expansion.

Today, Fort Belle Fontaine Park occupies the same scenic area that was once home to the fort. While the original structures are no longer standing due to natural shifts in the Missouri River’s path, visitors can still see remnants of stonework from later military installations and enjoy trails, woodlands, and views of the river. The name “Belle Fontaine” means “beautiful fountain” in French, referring to the natural springs that were once a key resource for the fort.

Fun fact: Fort Belle Fontaine was a vital outpost, not only for Lewis and Clark, but also for trade and interaction with Native American nations.

Visitors can enjoy hiking, birdwatching, and picnicking in this peaceful, historic setting. Whether you're a nature lover or history buff, Fort Belle Fontaine offers a unique glimpse into the past!

Have you visited this historic site? Share your thoughts below!

Photos courtesy of the U. S. National Park Service and Explore St. Louis

Established in 1818 by the North West Company, For

Established in 1818 by the North West Company, Fort Nez Perce was near the mouth the Walla Walla River. It is in this area that the Lewis and Clark Expedition camped April 29, 1806 in their third night with Chief Yellepet.

The current red #22 navigation marker on a tall piling sits on the spot where Ft Nez Perce was located, and is visible from the Wallula Junction area on Hwy 730 mile marker 5 and is 4/10 mile north of the mouth of the Walla Walla River. From here the Expedition headed northeast on the Overland Trail.

https://lewis-clark.org/day-by-day/29-apr-1806/

April 23, 1806 - the Expedition woke up at their c

April 23, 1806 - the Expedition woke up at their campsite which is behind John Day Lock and Dam but Charbonneau was missing his two horses, and so they were delayed, and one was given up as lost.

During the day they walked on loose sand for twelve miles and were happy to stop and make their next camp at Rock Creek.

Here Charbonneau made arrangements for another horse, as Clark wrote:

"Shabono made a bargin with one of the Indian men going with us, for a horse for Which he gave his Shirt. and two of the leather Sutes of his wife."

https://lewis-clark.org/day-by-day/23-apr-1806/

Mystery on the Trail! What Do YOU Think? From the

Mystery on the Trail! What Do YOU Think?

From the National Park Service (https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/artillery-sounds-heard-by-lewis-and-clark.htm)

There are a great many mysteries throughout the Lewis and Clark story, but one that still causes people to scratch their heads took place in the area around the Great Falls of the Missouri in early July 1805.

Lewis wrote: “since our arrival at the falls we have repeatedly witnessed a nois which proceeds from a direction a little to the N. of West as loud and resembling precisely the discharge of a piece of ordinance of 6 pounds at the distance of three miles.” And Clark, added in his notes, “…a rumbling like Cannon at a great distance is heard to the west of us; the Cause we Can’t account.” Trappers and settlers in later years would confirm hearing a similar sound in the area.

Lewis first thought it was water-related – perhaps large pools emptying into a cavern somewhere in the nearby mountains. But there were times when the sound was heard in quick succession.

Some scientists have attempted to explain the phenomenon as coronal mass ejections from the sun striking our atmosphere, or gas erupting from inside the earth. And other ideas have included large bubbles of bio-gas billowing from lake bottoms, rumblings from seismic tremors, or perhaps Bigfoot sending communications via Morse-code-like sounds.

The Great Falls area isn’t the only spot that has reported these types of sounds. Seneca Lake, New York, has the “Seneca guns.” Native peoples reported hearing similar noises in the Black Hills of South Dakota. And several locations in New Hampshire and Connecticut have heard the same sounds.

Have you ever heard these types of sounds? What do you think is the cause?

Photo: Olaf Seltzer, Lewis and Clark with Sacajawea at the Great Falls of the Missouri 1804 1927, oil on canvas, 11 x 15 ¾ in. - Gilcrease Museum