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