The Giant Springs Heritage State Park

The Giant Springs Heritage State Park is an impressive site beginning with the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, which has as its centerpiece a life-size exhibit demonstrating the struggle of portaging the Great Falls of the Missouri and a 30-minute feature film about the experience. The Center’s lobby allows a panoramic view of the Missouri River below and leads out to the River’s Edge Trail that leads between the river and high, rocky bluffs to the outstanding feature of the park.

Clark was the first in the expedition to see the Giant Springs. On June 18, 1805, he wrote about this first encounter:

“we proceeded on up the river a little more than a mile to the largest fountain or Spring I ever Saw, and doubt if it is not the largest in America Known, this water boils up from under th rocks near the edge of the river and falls immediately into the river 8 feet and keeps its Colour for ½ a mile which is emencely Clear and of a bluish Cast.”

Each day 156 million gallons of water flow into the Roe River, which is one of the shortest rivers in the world at just 201 feet in length. The water of the springs is still crystal clear with verdant vegetation in the springs and down the river. Water bubbles up constantly and the springs’ temperature remains a constant 54 degrees.

Giant Springs with Missouri River behind

Our first glimpse of the Giant Springs was the water from the springs flowing over rocks and tumbling into the Roe River. The spring basin is probably about 15 to 18 feet across, and it has a deck over the edge making it possible to peer down into the springs to see the large bubbles rising and bursting at the surface and the lush vegetation within the basin. The Roe River is very short, but not so short that a walking bridge is impossible. A walk across the bridge provides wonderful views of the water tumbling down from the springs on one side and the water flowing into the Missouri on the other.

The park is a fantastic place to bike ride, jog, hike, or just enjoy the views. For me, it was a call to relax and experience peace.