Parks and Trails

Parks have been an important part of the Great Falls landscape since the very beginning. When Paris Gibson platted the new city he included ample open spaces for parks. Today the Park and Recreation Department maintains more than 50 parks. The City Park system has many beautiful locations that can be rented for weddings and other special occasions. The parks have varying amenities from simple open space to tennis courts, picnic shelters, the water park and the skate park.

Park and Recreation also maintains recreational trails. Some parks, like Gibson and Elk's Riverside, have walking paths which connect into the City's reknowned River's Edge Trail.

Park Facility Reservations | Special Activity Parks and Trails | Park Maintenance

Park Facility Reservations

Reservations are available for picnic shelters and open space areas at reasonable rental fees. For more information call 406-771-1265.

• Elk’s Riverside Park
  River Drive west of 10th Street Bridge
  shelter & restroom available
• Gibson Park
  1st Avenue North & Park Drive
  bandshell, restrooms available
• Lions Park
  10th Avenue South & 27th Street
  shelter, restrooms available
• Meadowlark Park
  Fox Farm Road & Park Garden Drive
• Montana Park
  Fox Farm Road & 18th Avenue Southwest
• North Kiwanis Park
  6th Avenue North & 25th Street
• Oddfellows Park
  River drive between Broadwater Bay & Warden Bridge
  shelter, restrooms available
• Riverview Park
  Smelter Avenue and 2nd Street Northwest
• West Kiwanis Park
  1st Avenue Northwest and 9th Street
  shelter, restrooms available
• West Bank Park
  West bank of the Missouri, north of the Central Avenue bridge
  shelter, restroom available

Special Activity Parks and Trails

• Electric City Water Park
• Riverside Rail Yard Skate Park
• River's Edge Trail
• South Shore and Mayhem Trails
• Warden Park Frisbee Golf Course

Park Maintenance

The City's Park and Recreation Department is responsible for maintaining and improving the heritage of parks and recreation facilities handed down from Paris Gibson and others. The Department manages more than 75 properties, including 1,200 acres of developed land in parcels ranging from small mini-parks to large urban parks and two municipal golf courses. The inventory of sites also includes about 310 acres of undeveloped parks like Wadsworth Park. Other facilities include the Community Recreation Center, Westside Community Center, Morony Natatorium Mitchell, Jaycee, and Water Tower Swimming Pools, Multi-Sports Softball Complex, Anaconda Hills Golf Course, and Eagle Falls Golf Club. Finally, the Department shares the responsibility for maintaining the River's Edge Trail.

Although the City of Great Falls also owns the baseball stadium (Centene Stadium) and associated facilities at Legion Park, the Great Falls Baseball Club operates it under a lease. More than 80,000 fans attend the Voyagers' games each summer. Legion Park is also the home of American Legion teams. There are at least six locations in the community where elementary schools are combined with parks to increase both recreational and educational opportunities.

Adopt a Park Program