Situated along US Route 287 and Interstate 90, the city of Three Forks, Montana gets its name from being located at the point where the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin Rivers meet to form the historically significant Missouri River. This location means the area is a paradise for nature lovers, home to the Missouri Headwaters State Park and the Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park offering opportunities for camping, hiking, and many other outdoor recreation activities. For fans of art and history, there’s also the Bleu Horses and the Headwaters Heritage Museum in Three Forks.
Visit the Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park
The best known and first state park in the state of Montana, the Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park features one of the Northwest region’s most decorated limestone caverns. These fascinating caves are naturally air conditioned, electrically lighted for safe visits, and lined with helictites, columns, stalagmites, and stalactites. A self-guided, above ground nature trail offers a chance for visitors to gain a better understanding of the park’s natural surroundings. The Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park also contains visitor centers, picnic sites, camping cabins and tipi, a campground with forty campsites, and ten miles of trails for hiking.
25 Lewis & Clark Caverns Rd, Whitehall, MT 59759, Phone: 406-287-3541
Go hiking in Missouri Headwaters State Park
The Missouri Headwaters State Park is possibly the heart of Three Forks, Montana, the place where the Missouri River, North America’s longest river, begins. The park is home to the “Three Forks of the Missouri National Historic Landmark,” the site where William Clark and Meriwether Lewis landed in the year 1806. The state park features picnic areas, more than a dozen campsites, tipi rentals, interpretive displays of the natural and cultural history of the area, and hiking trails to various points of interest. Fishing, camping, hiking, cycling, picnicking, and river floating are all popular activities in the park.
1585 Trident Rd, Three Forks, MT 59752, Phone: 406-285-3610
Learn about the local history at the Headwaters Heritage Museum
Housed inside of a historic bank building dating back to 1910, the Headwaters Heritage Museum can be found in the heart of downtown Three Forks, Montana and the structure itself is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Opened in 1982 by the Three Forks Area Historical Society, the museum features an interesting and extensive variety of artifacts from the Missouri River Headwaters area of Montana. Highlights of the Headwaters Heritage Museum include a log cabin from Gallatin City, the largest brown trout caught in Montana, and perhaps the oldest American-made anvil. There is also a gift shop.
202 South Main St, Three Forks, MT 59752, Phone: 406-285-4778
Admire the Bleu Horses steel sculptures
Just a few minutes outside of the main part of Three Forks, visitors and local Montana residents alike may discover what looks like a group of horses on a hillside along US Highway 287. This unique herd of horses are actually a work of art created by Jim Dolan, a sculptor who uses perspective to tell the story behind his artwork and specializes in metal carvings. The Bleu Horses sculptures are made up of nearly forty horses crafted completely out of steel. These horses are spread out across the hillside in a very life-like way that makes travelers look twice.
10493 US-287, Three Forks, MT 59752
