Blackfoot River (Montana) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blackfoot River |
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The Blackfoot River two miles east of Lincoln, Montana.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Montana |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Continental Divide 47°2′6″N 112°21′34″W / 47.03500°N 112.35944°W |
| River mouth | Clark Fork 46°52′17″N 113°53′18″W / 46.87139°N 113.88833°W |
| Length | 120 km (75 mi) |
The Blackfoot River is a beautiful river in western Montana, USA. It gets its water from melting snow and underground springs. Sometimes, people call it the Big Blackfoot River to tell it apart from the smaller Little Blackfoot River.
The Blackfoot River starts in Lewis and Clark County. This is near the Continental Divide, which is like a big mountain ridge that separates which way rivers flow. The river flows west and eventually joins the Clark Fork River near the city of Missoula.
Contents
Fun Activities on the Blackfoot River
The Blackfoot River is very popular for outdoor fun. Many people come here to enjoy the water and nature.
Fishing for Trout
The river is famous for fly fishing. It's a fast, cold river with many deep spots. This makes it a perfect home for different kinds of trout, which are a type of fish. Anglers love to cast their lines here.
Boating and Floating
Besides fishing, the Blackfoot River is great for other water sports. You can go rafting with friends or family. Many people also enjoy canoeing or even floating down the river on inner tubes. It's a cool way to spend a hot day!
How the River Was Formed
The amazing canyon and valleys around the Blackfoot River were shaped by huge floods long ago. These were called the Missoula Floods.
The Missoula Floods
The Missoula Floods were giant floods that happened at the end of the last ice age. Imagine a huge lake, called Glacial Lake Missoula, suddenly breaking through its ice dam! This sent massive amounts of water rushing across the land, carving out the landscape we see today.
Past River Floods
The Blackfoot River and the Clark Fork also had a very big flood in 1908. This was a record flood for the area.
The Blackfoot River in Books and Movies
The Blackfoot River became even more famous because of a book and a movie.
A River Runs Through It
The river is a main part of the 1976 book A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean. This story is about family and fly fishing in Montana. Later, in 1992, a movie was made based on the book. It starred Brad Pitt and was directed by Robert Redford.
Public Access to the River
The Blackfoot River is a "Class I river" in Montana. This means that from a certain point (the Cedar Meadow fishing access site) all the way to where it meets the Clark Fork River, the public can use the river for fun activities like fishing and boating.
See also
In Spanish: Río Blackfoot para niños
