Day 45 - Great Falls, Montana to Simms, Montana

Great Falls, Montana is where Lewis and Clark first encountered a grizzly bear. They mistakenly believed that they would behave similar to the timid black bears of the Appalachian mountain range. Lewis was shocked when he shot the grizzly several times and he just kept a  comin’. 

The grizzly bear population in this region is way up and the smoke from the forest fires is causing the bears and other wildlife to seek refuge at lower elevations. All of the locals here seem to have stories about grizzly bear encounters and universally recommend that I: travel with bear spray, not keep food anywhere near my tent, and not camp near rivers. I guess bear spray out here is another one of those things that you’d rather have and not need than need and not have!

I am camping alone in a small campground Tonight that is within view of the Blackfoot river. The owner told me I should be OK because the bears are all down by the river!  I will be sleeping with my bear spray next to me tonight!

Great Falls was also The residence of Charlie Russell, the famous artist Who captured the brief Wild West period in American history with great detail and accuracy before many cameras had found their way out to Montana.

Below is a photograph of a modern-day cowboy looking at a display in the magnificent CM Russell museum in Great Falls.

Tomorrow I will be crossing the continental divide, which should help take my mind off grizzly Bears!