GO PLACES! DO THINGS!

Along the ICE AGE FLOODS
NATIONAL GEOLOGIC TRAIL

The Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail covers some 16,000 square miles (41,440 km2) in present day Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. We have hand picked some of the best of the best places along the Trail and present them here for you enjoy and explore! Check back often, we will be adding new and wonderful destinations for your entire Family to enjoy!

MONTANA – IDAHO – WASHINGTON – OREGON

Montana - Places to GO and Things to DO

Bison Range

February 5, 2023

Bison Range The Bison Range was established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908 to conserve the American Bison. Since that time it has been managed as a wildlife refuge and native grassland. Today the management is done by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. The range is a small, low-rolling mountain connected to the Mission Mountain Range by a gradually descending spur. Range elevation varies from 2,585 feet (788 m) at headquarters to 4,885 feet (1,489 m) at High Point on Red Sleep Mountain, the highest point on the Range. Much of the Bison Range was once under prehistoric Glacial Lake Missoula. The upper part of the Range was above water. Red Sleep Mountain scenic drive leads to this high point, which has spectacular views across what was once the lake to the Mission Mountains on the other side. Other flood features are evident on Buffalo Prairie scenic drive. Old beach lines (strandlines) can be seen on north-facing slopes and some large erratics are located near the old corrals. There is a visitor center near the entrance which has a display and videos of Glacial Lake Missoula as well as information on the tribes of the Flathead Reservation and the abundant wildlife, including birds, bears and antelope. There is also a gift shop. Camas Prairie ripples and several other important features of Glacial Lake Missoula are in close proximity to this site, much of them are located on tribal lands. The entrance is off US 93 and MT 212 N about an hour north of Missoula. Bison Range58355 Bison Range Rd, Moiese, MT (406) 644-2661 bisonrange.org FEES – there is a fee for entrance, including the day use area, except for CSKT tribal members OPEN HOURSWinter Hours (Nov-April)Gate: 8am–6pmVisitors Center: 8am–5pm Red Sleep Drive: closed Buffalo Prairie Drive: 8am-6pm Summer Hours (May-Oct)Gate: 7am–8pmVisitors Center: 8am–7pm Red Sleep Drive: 8am–7pm Buffalo Prairie Drive:8am–8pm Restrictions: Vehicles over 30 feet long and those owing trailers as well as motorcycles, ATVs, and bicycles are not allowed on either drive. Visitors must remain inside vehicles at all times except for designated areas

Erratic in the Bitterroot

May 1, 2023

An 8 ton erratic left behind by Glacial Lake Missoula in the Bitterroot Valley on the property of a local rancher was relocated to serve as the focal point of an outdoor kiosk exhibit at the Ravalli County Museum at the former County Courthouse, 205 Bedford Street in Hamilton. Unlike their counterparts at other location along the National Geologic Trail, erratics in this part of the Ice Age Floods did not come from Canada nor did they travel as far, but the action of the floodwaters and iceberg rafts is equally evident despite more shallow waters. There are similar erratics found elsewhere in Bitterroot, on the campus of the University of Montana, and at the Bison Range. The outdoor display tells the same story as other locations on the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail but also includes information on two other National Park Service trails that pass through this area – the Nez Perce and the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trails. The museum has other indoor exhibits of historical interest and about Glacial Lake Missoula.

The Paradise Center

August 14, 2022

The Paradise Center Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail Paradise Center, formerly the Paradise Elementary School, is a community, visitors, and arts center in the old railroad community of the same name. Just below the confluence of the muddy Clark Fork and beautiful blue Flathead Rivers, 70 miles northwest of Missoula, the area was repeatedly inundated by Glacial Lake Missoula, leaving many visible features in the area such as gulch fills, kolks, and lake bottom sediment bluffs. It is on the route between the Camas Prairie Ripples and Eddy Narrows. Inside the school is a unique interactive 3-D topographical or relief map of the entire area covered by Glacial Lake Missoula and an extensive display of information about the Lake as well as other topics of interest to the area. Outside on the grounds is a playground and an outdoor walking loop with a dozen or so displays of interest such as the former railroad roundhouse. A model railroad set-up is also found inside the center. This area can easily be reached directly from the St. Regis exit from I-90 by following the Clark Fork River where flood waters turned sharply to the north, carving out the narrow valley along scenic route 135 to the junction with MT-200. Scour marks and displaced boulders are visible from the road, and it is especially lovely when the larch trees turn bright yellow in the fall. This route also takes you past the historic Quinn’s Hot Springs Resort. ANNOUNCEMENT: The Paradise Center hours are seasonal, generally Wednesday thru Saturday, 11am-3pm in the summer. Check the website at paradisecentermt.org or call 406-826-0500 Quick Facts Location:2 School House Hill Road Paradise, MT 59856 MANAGED BY:The Paradise Center

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Idaho - Places to GO and Things to DO

Museum of North Idaho

August 13, 2022

Museum of North Idaho IceAgeFloods National GeologicTrail “The Museum of North Idaho collects, preserves and interprets the history of the Coeur d’Alene Region. to foster appreciation of the area’s heritage.” In the 1960s, the North Idaho Hoo Hoo Club, an organization of loggers, lumbermen and foresters, first entertained the idea of establishing a museum. They incorporated on May 1, 1968 for a museum focusing on the history of the Coeur d’Alene Region (Kootenai, Benewah and part of Shoshone counties). Through the efforts of volunteers and community support, the Museum opened its doors on the North Idaho College campus on July 28, 1973. In 1979, they remodeled a City-owned building and relocated to its current location. Quick Facts Location: 115 Northwest Blvd, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814Phone: (208) 664-3448 The Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday from 11 am – 5 pm.

Celebration Park – Home of Melon Gravel

July 10, 2026

17,000 years ago, a massive Ice Age lake – now called Lake Bonneville – filled a large portion of present-day Utah. As temperatures changed, the influx of ice melt caused the lake level to rise. In addition, the Bear River, once a tributary of the Snake, was diverted by volcanic activity back into Lake Bonneville. These factors ultimately led to the breaching of a sedimentary rock dam at Red Rocks Pass, Idaho. There was only one ice-age Bonneville Flood because Lake Bonneville broke through a rock dam, unlike the Missoula Floods whose glacial ice dam repeatedly dammed Glacial Lake Missoula, then broke and rebuilt. 1,100 cubic miles of Lake Bonneville water rushed through the Snake River Canyon, and it took only six weeks for Lake Bonneville to empty the equivalent volume of modern-day Lake Michigan. The Great Salt Lake we know today is a remnant of Lake Bonneville, but at one tenth the size, it is a mere puddle compared to what the lake used to be. The power of this catastrophic flood widened canyons as the force of the water pulled huge chunks of basalt off the cliffs and tumbled them around, smoothing their jagged edges along the way. As the canyon width narrowed, the force and velocity of the flood increased. Wherever the canyons widened, the flood lost force and velocity, the waters slowed and began dropping its bedload – in this case, giant tumbled basalt boulders instead of your typical river gravel. These flood-rounded boulders, named melon gravel due to their distinct shape, are scattered over vast areas of land. The rocks’ unique outlines and smooth surfaces caught the eye of Native American tribes in the area, who have used them as canvases for petroglyphs for thousands of years. Visitors can see the medium sized flood deposits just outside the visitor center, or hike upriver to see gigantic melon gravel the size of heavy-duty trucks. Celebration Park is located in the Snake River Canyon, approximately 23 miles south of Nampa, Idaho. It is home to an enormous melon gravel field deposited by the Bonneville Flood.

Clark Fork Ice Dam

August 12, 2022

Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail 12,000 to 17,000 years ago a 4000′ tall ice dam blocked the path of the Clark Fork River creating glacial Lake Missoula. At the end of the last ice age this ice dam failed, releasing more water than is held in modern day Lake Ontario and Lake Erie combined. 600 cubic miles of water rushed through this area and down Lake Pend Oreille destined for the Pacific Ocrean.One of the most intriguing questions about the catastrophic flooding is how the ice dam failed. Various mechanisms for glacial outburst floods have been proposed: Ice erosion by overflow water, subglacial failure by flotation, deformation of ice by water pressure, and erosion of subglacial tunnels by flowing water. One model suggests a self-dumping phenomenon. In this mechanism, floodwaters are released when the lake level reaches nine-tenths the height of the ice. At this depth the ice becomes buoyant, subglacial tunnels form and enlarge, and drainage occurs until hydrostatic pressure is decreased and the ice again seals the lake. The self-emptying model is used to explain the numerous cycles in the rhythmite deposits and to interpret each cycle as a separate flood. Even so, only the total collapse of the ice dam can explain the largest of the catastrophic foods. Sub-glacial tunneling and enlargement due to thermal erosion progressing to collapse have also been proposed, as well as catastrophic failure due to water pressure. All are dependent on the configuration of the ice dam and structure of the ice. Quick Facts Location:Clark Fork, Idaho

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Washington - Places to GO and Things to DO

The Reach Museum

August 12, 2022

The Reach Museum Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, Manhattan Project National Historical Park The REACH Museum shares the natural and human history of the Tri-Cities and the surrounding area. The museum takes its name from Hanford Reach, the longest free flowing (un-dammed), non-tidal section

Drumheller Channels National Natural Landmark

August 12, 2022

Drumheller Channels National Natural Landmark Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail The Drumheller Channels are unique because no single channel or major cataracts were formed. The Drumheller Channels are the most spectacular example in the Columbia Plateau of basalt “butte-and-basin” channeled scablands. This is an

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Oregon - Places to GO and Things to DO

Museum of Natural History, University of Oregon

April 23, 2024

Museum of Natural and Cultural History, University of Oregon The museum offers a variety of seasonal and year-round programs for science and culture enthusiasts of every age. Delve into Oregon’s story, from the archaeology of the First Americans to the dynamic cultures of today’s Tribes.

Crown Point National Natural Landmark

July 7, 2022

Crown Point National Natural Landmark Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail – Historic Columbia River Highway This spectacular viewpoint along the Historic Columbia River Highway 30 was the site of the 1916 dedication of a highway that was, for that time, an innovative European-style road

Hat Rock State Park

July 7, 2022

Hat Rock State Park Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail Hat Rock is an erosion remnant warn way by floods from glaciers which melted over ten thousand years ago. Lewis and Clark saw this monument on their expedition and

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GO PLACES! DO THINGS!

Along the ICE AGE FLOODS
NATIONAL GEOLOGIC TRAIL

MONTANA – IDAHO – WASHINGTON – OREGON

Montana - Places to GO and Things to DO

Bison Range

Erratic in the Bitterroot

The Paradise Center

Idaho - Places to GO and Things to DO

Museum of North Idaho

Clark Fork Ice Dam

Washington - Places to GO and Things to DO

The Reach Museum

Drumheller Channels National Natural Landmark

Oregon - Places to GO and Things to DO

Museum of Natural History, University of Oregon

Crown Point National Natural Landmark

Hat Rock State Park

MONTANA – IDAHO – WASHINGTON – OREGON

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GO PLACES! DO THINGS!

Along the ICE AGE FLOODS NATIONAL GEOLOGIC TRAIL

MONTANA – IDAHO – WASHINGTON – OREGON

MONTANA – IDAHO – WASHINGTON – OREGON

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Along the ICE AGE FLOODS
NATIONAL GEOLOGIC TRAIL