Ask Julie Ridgeway
Just east of the expanding city of Great Falls, Montana, lies a picturesque setting of pastures and farmland, encompassing 20.08 acres that host a meticulously maintained 4,120-square-foot residence. This spacious abode offers comfort, while the expansive acres allow ample space for your pets or livestock to roam freely. Enclosed by barbed wire fencing, the property has a post and rail corral, an insulated attached garage, and a 24’ x 30’ workshop, providing storage for recreational vehicles and equipment. Embrace the tranquility of rural living while still enjoying the convenience of nearby urban amenities. Thoughtfully designed for convenience and versatility, the lower level of the home features a complete kitchen, laundry facilities, a dining area, and guest accommodations. Adorned with oak cabinets and trim, the residence is equipped with a central vacuum system, an on-demand water heater, a water softener, and underground sprinklers to maintain the lush greenery surrounding the property. On the main floor, you will find a laundry room, two living spaces, and a luxurious master suite with a private deck. This extraordinary property offers captivating views of the expansive horizon and the vast open sky, presenting an idyllic retreat for those seeking a harmonious blend of comfort and natural beauty.
Local Area
Great Falls, MT is located in the central part of the state and straddles the mighty Missouri River. The seat of Cascade County is referred to as the “Electric City” because of its numerous dams and power plants. Great Falls includes many recreational activities for you and your family to enjoy together such as the C. M. Russell Museum which displays famed artist Charlie Russell’s works and home. Get outside and enjoy the crystal-clear waters of Giant Springs State Park or float and fish the Missouri River. The city boasts the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. The center provides displays and exhibits that trace the explorers’ journey! Great Falls holds one of the most prestigious medical facilities in the state and offers an International Airport. Great Falls International Airport offers flights of Alaska, Allegiant, Delta, and United, with direct flights to Denver, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Seattle, and Chicago (seasonally). With too much to list, Great Falls awaits exploration, and you are sure to cherish the memories that you will make!
Many features make Belt, Montana a much-desired haven. For example, it attracts rugged competition from all over to participate in its annual rodeo and is still able to offer a small-town feel and experience. Belt is home to the famous Harvest Moon Brewery which combines Montana’s luscious grain with fresh and clean water from local streams and wells to make a variety of beers sought after by connoisseurs from all over. You can find ample history throughout the town or in the Belt Museum housed in the old town jail! In addition, Belt is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and claims Montana’s very first coal mine. Belt’s name comes from a nearby mountain, Belt Butte, which looks like it has a belt of rocks around it. The Highwood and Little Belt mountains provide areas for hiking, biking, camping, creek fishing, hunting, and recreating, and the Sluice Boxes State Park is nearby as well. Great Falls is a mere 23 miles away and has an International Airport and prestigious medical facilities for your convenience.
Area Attractions
Missouri River Fishing
Central Montana is excellent walleye country. The mighty Missouri River is the longest in North America flowing over 2,341 miles. Widow Coulee offers a public fishing site. The terrain surrounding this area is beautifully described as a painting with colors streaming through the cliffs along the river as they wind along the prairie. In this stretch of the Missouri River, game fish to hook include Catfish, Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, and Trout. A variety of methods can be used as well as a variety of bait.
Giant Springs State Park
The Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805 discovered Giant Springs State Park. The crystal-clear water originates in the Little Belt Mountains and takes twenty-six years to reach the springs! It is no wonder it is the most visited state park in Montana. The park sprawls out over 4,500 acres and is centered around the “Mighty Mo” (Missouri River). Many people utilize the park’s twenty miles of trail to bike, hike, walk, bird watch, or just enjoy the scenery. The park also features waterfalls for which Great Falls was named. Be sure to visit the fish hatchery while at the park. The monster trout raised here are quite a sight! Fishing is fantastic here. Once named the shortest river in the world, the Roe River flows out into the Missouri. This state park is one of Montana’s gems!
Little Belt Mountains
The Little Belt Mountains are a section of the rugged Rocky Mountains. They lie mostly in the Lewis and Clark National Forest. The unspoiled nature is used for logging and recreation. The mountains have been mined for silver since the 1880s and for sapphires since 1896. The famous Yogo sapphire is mined near Yogo Creek. The highest peak of the range is Big Baldy Mountain towering at 9,175 feet. Ponderosa pines and Douglas-firs predominantly fill the forest providing cover for black bear, elk, white-tailed, and mule deer. Rifle and archery hunting is excellent, and during the fall, hunter’s orange can be spotted trekking up the trails. The hum of motorized vehicles can often be heard as it is a popular sport here as well.
Highwood Mountains
In Chouteau County near Highwood, Belt Creek and Highwood Creek provide Brookie Trout fishing. The deep pools along the cliffs and rock formations are great for fly fishing or for catching bigger trout. The Highwood Mountains are a popular destination for camping, fishing, ATV-ing, horseback riding, hiking, and enjoying a fantastic scenic drive. There is a campground with maintained sites and a scenic mountain drive that takes you through several creek crossings, mountain meadows, and gorgeous forests until you reach Geyser, Montana. Wildlife is abundant as you drive past farm fields and ranches. It isn’t uncommon to meet a cattle drive! Moose, black bear, bald eagle, fox, coyote, white-tailed and mule deer, and mountain lion are some animals you can catch glimpses of.
Showdown Ski Area
Ski in the heart of Montana at Showdown Ski Area and the Silver Crest Nordic Trail System which consists of weekly groomed trails for cross-country skiing or snowshoeing. The Kings Hill Snowmobiling System is considered to be one of the finest in Montana and has over 200 miles of marked and groomed trails.
Hunting
Hunting is a Montana tradition. Central Montana still lives up to that tradition. Residents and nonresidents alike enjoy hunting a variety of big game animals and upland game birds. For non-residents, the permit application deadline for deer and elk hunting in Montana is April 1. All applications are submitted online. Antelope hunting license deadline is early June. The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks website has forms and more information about licenses. The property is located in Hunting District 413. The Highwood Mountains are excellent for elk hunting, but you must be drawn for a special tag. The grain fields that encompass this region supply food for antelope, white-tailed and mule deer, and game birds. The coulees are essential cover for game as they are going to and from the river for hydration and lush vegetation.
If you are a bow and arrow hunter, be sure to check archery requirements. A bow license, in addition to the proper hunting license, is required during Archery Only Season for any species or to archery hunt in an Arch-Equip only area or hunting district.
Upland game bird licenses, including a license for pheasants, may be purchased over the counter along with your conservation license. Hungarian Partridge and several varieties of grouse are common in Central Montana. Turkey licenses are also sold over the counter except for special spring and fall turkey hunts. Hunting for Montana migratory birds requires a Montana migratory bird license and a federal waterfowl stamp.
The Block Management program managed through Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks offers access to private land from 1,230 landowners and covers 7.4 million acres of land. There is no charge to hunt on Block Management land. A Hunters Access Guide is published each year giving details about the program, and it is usually available by August 15. Central Montana also has public land managed by the U. S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.
