Kootenai Falls

Kootenai Falls is a waterfall on the Kootenay 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.

Kootenai Falls
LocationLincoln County, Montana
United States
Coordinates48°27′20″N 115°45′48″W
TypePlunge
Total height17 metres (56 ft)[1]
Longest drop9 metres (30 ft)[1]
Average width258 metres (846.5 ft)[1]
WatercourseKootenay River
Average
flow rate		731 m3/s (25,820 cu ft/s)[1]

Description

The falls are considered a sacred site to the local Kootenai 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, David Thompson, a Canadian explorer and employee of the Northwest Company, travelled into the Kootenay River area and used the Kootenay River as a navigational guide through the area following Native Americans and game trails. He portaged around the falls, following cairns built by the Kootenai before continuing on upriver.[3]

Kootenai Falls Swinging Bridge
The Kootenai Falls Swinging Bridge

The Kootenai Falls Swinging Bridge, known to locals as just the Swinging Bridge, is a simple suspension footbridge that crosses the Kootenay River just downstream of Kootenai Falls. The bridge was constructed by the US Forest Service in order to facilitate firefighter access to the forested mountains just north of the river. 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. Shortly thereafter, a new footbridge was built atop a pair of concrete piers in order to overtake the historic flood stage of the river.

See Also

References
  1. "Kootenai Falls, Montana, United States - World Waterfall Database". www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  2. "MONTANA: KOOTENAI FALLS". Visit Montana. 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  3. "Kootenai Falls, Libby, Montana". www.libbymt.com. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
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