Kootenai Falls, Libby Montana:
Just outside of Libby we spotted a roadside sign pointing out a historic viewpoint. Since we had been on the road awhile at this point, it seemed like a great opportunity to take a closer look at the magnificent views around us.

Vast amounts of water from snow melt coming out of British Columbia caused the Libby Dam to need to release the excess resulting in the Kootenai River to run at flood stage during our visit. The day of our visit the river was running at 65,000 cfs and the falls were completely different from a normal day. The power of the water roaring over the falls was mesmerizing and hypnotic. A truly fantastic sight to behold.

From LibbyMT.com: "Downstream from Libby, the Kootenai River enters a canyon and flows over Kootenai Falls, one of the largest free-flowing waterfalls in the northwest. The falls and surrounding area are considered sacred to the Kootenai Indians whose ancestors inhabited the region. A forest trail leads from the highway parking lot down to the Swinging Bridge and makes a nice hike that is not too strenuous. Kootenai Falls was the setting for the filming of the movie, "River Wild"....The calm river suddenly gathers momentum surging first through China Rapids and then over Kootenai Falls, dropping 90 feet in less than a mile."