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Painted Rocks State Park facts for kids

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Painted Rocks State Park
Painted Rocks State Park is located in Montana
Painted Rocks State Park
Painted Rocks State Park
Location in Montana
Location Ravalli County, Montana, United States
Nearest town Darby, Montana
Area 23 acres (9.3 ha)
Elevation 4,754 ft (1,449 m)
Designation Montana state park
Established 1963
Administrator Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Website Painted Rocks State Park

Painted Rocks State Park is a fun place for outdoor activities in Montana, USA. It's a public park found at the south end of the Painted Rocks Reservoir, about 24 miles (39 km) south of a town called Darby. The park gets its cool name from the colorful rocks you can see there. These rocks are covered in bright green, yellow, and orange lichens, which are like tiny plant-like growths. They make the grey and black granite and rhyolite cliffs look like they've been painted!

Park History

How the Park Started

Painted Rocks State Park is located in the beautiful West Fork Valley, part of the Bitterroot Mountains. This area was very important to the Salish people long ago.

The large lake you see today, called Painted Rocks Reservoir, was created in 1939. This happened when a dam was built across the West Fork of the Bitterroot River. Later, in 1963, this special area became a state park for everyone to enjoy.

Amazing Wildlife

Painted Rocks State Park is home to many different animals. If you visit, you might spot some of these creatures:

Birds of the Reservoir

The Painted Rocks Reservoir is a very important stop for many birds, especially during spring and autumn. This is when birds like waterfowl fly south for winter or north for summer. It's like a rest stop on their long journey!

Some birds live here all year round. These include:

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