Kootenai Falls

Coordinates: 48°27′20″N 115°45′48″W / 48.4555015°N 115.763198°W / 48.4555015; -115.763198
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Kootenai Falls
Plunge
Total height17 metres (56 ft)[1]
Longest drop9 metres (30 ft)[1]
Average width258 metres (846.5 ft)[1]
WatercourseKootenai River
Average
flow rate		731 m3/s (25,820 cu ft/s)[1]

Kootenai Falls is a waterfall on the Kootenai River located in Lincoln County, Montana, just off U.S. Route 2. It is the largest undammed waterfall in the state and one of the largest waterfalls in the United States by flow rate. The falls is accessed by a foot trail from the parking area next to the highway.

Historically a sacred site to the local

US Forest Service's firefighting efforts. It has been rebuilt twice, most recently in 2019 to facilitate better safety for the increasing number of visitors. The bridge and falls have made appearances in movies such as The River Wild (1994) and The Revenant
(2015).

The area's ecology includes large animals such as bighorn sheep and American black bears, while the geology includes compressed, folded sandstone and shale dating back millions of years, with visible remnants of algae mats and water marks from when Montana was covered by water.

History

The falls are considered a sacred site to the Kutenai Tribe. They see the falls as the centre of the world and a place where tribal members can commune with the spiritual forces that give direction to the tribe and to individual members.[2][3]

In the early 1800s,

Northwest Company, travelled into the canyon and used the Kootenai River as a navigational guide through the area following Native Americans and game trails. He portaged around the falls, following cairns built by the Kutenai before continuing on upriver.[3]

Kootenai Falls Swinging Bridge

The Kootenai Falls Swinging Bridge in 2019

The Kootenai Falls Swinging Bridge, known to locals as just the Swinging Bridge, is a

US Forest Service to better facilitate firefighter access to the forested mountains just north of the river.[2]
The bridge is open to the public and offers visitors elevated views of Kootenai Falls.

The original footbridge was destroyed during a flood in 1948.[4] Shortly thereafter, a new footbridge was built atop a pair of concrete piers in order to overtake the historic flood stage of the river, and although the bridge was maintained and rehabilitated throughout the following decades, the bridge was rebuilt in 2019 due to its increasing popularity.[5][6] The new bridge cost between $500,000[6] and $600,000[4] and was completed two months ahead of schedule.[5]

Geology and ecology

The Kootenai River Gorge is composed of "

Sevier Orogeny 50 to 100 million years ago. The rock was deposited 1.5 billion years ago, when much of Montana was covered by water. Ancient ripple marks and large stromatolites (the remains of algae mats) are visible in the canyon."[7][8]

Bald eagles may be spotted in nearby cottonwood trees.[3] The nearby Wildlife Management Area is home to bighorn sheep, American black bears, moose, and many other animal species,[7] while the plant life is described as "very diverse [...] most coniferous trees common to the Northwest can be found."[9]

Popular culture and recreation

The Kootenai Falls and Swinging Bridge were featured in the 1994 movie The River Wild,[10] and the falls were featured in the 2015 movie The Revenant.[11]

The falls are sometimes used for whitewater kayaking, though most boats need to be portaged,[12][13] while the bridge is a popular tourist attraction.[6] Rainbow trout may be fished above the falls.[12] There is a picnic area nearby sponsored by the Libby chapter of Lions Clubs International.[3] There are trails suitable for hiking, biking, and horseback nearby, and hunting and wildlife viewing are possible depending on species.[9]

Gallery

  • View of the falls from downstream
  • View of the falls from downstream
  • Aerial shot of a kayaker in a red kayak on rapids
    Solo whitewater kayaker on the Kootenai Falls

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Kootenai Falls, Montana, United States - World Waterfall Database". www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  2. ^ a b "MONTANA: KOOTENAI FALLS". Visit Montana. 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Kootenai Falls, Libby, Montana". www.libbymt.com. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  4. ^ a b c "Swinging Bridge to be Replaced Next Year in 2019". U.S. Forest Service. 2018-07-03. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  5. ^ a b "Kootenai Falls Swinging Bridge". Morrison Maierle. 2019-11-08. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  6. ^ a b c "New swinging bridge will hold sway for years to come". AP NEWS. 2019-04-21. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  7. ^ a b Inbody, Kristen. "Kootenai Falls a treasure". Great Falls Tribune. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  8. ^ "Kootenai Falls and the Belt Supergroup" (PDF). Montana Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
  9. ^ a b "FWP :: Wildlife Management Area Detail". myfwp.mt.gov. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
  10. ^ "Recreational Opportunities in and around the City of Troy, Montana". www.cityoftroymontana.com. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  11. ^ "Oscar Force 'The Revenant' Shot Near Libby". Flathead Beacon. 2015-12-20. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  12. ^ a b James. "Guide to Fishing and Floating the Kootenai River in Northwest Montana". Big Sky Fishing.Com. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
  13. ^ "Kootenai Falls: Park and Huck". Outdoor Project. Retrieved 2020-12-20.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kootenai Falls.
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