Rainbow Falls

Rainbow Falls is the second largest of the five cataracts which comprise the Great Falls of the Missouri River. The 44-foot tall falls are situated immediately below the Rainbow Dam, and are largely reduced in volume due to the diversion of the river for hydroelectric purposes. The crest length of the falls stretches just over 1,000 feet wide which makes Rainbow Falls the second widest waterfall in Montana after Crooked Falls found just downstream from Rainbow Falls. Some sources suggest that the Missouri River drops over 600 feet over the three mile run between Black Eagle Falls and Big Falls. Even taking into account the dam on top of Black Eagle Falls, the actual drop of the river to the bottom of Big Falls is just over 406 feet, and given that there are extensive stretches of flat water behind each of the dams, Great Falls should not be considered a collective series of waterfalls in the least.The waterfalls which make up Great Falls were discovered in 1805 by the Lewis and Clark expedition, and were immediately recognized as both a major impediment to travel further west using the Missouri River, as well as a major landmark. Rainbow Falls was originally known as Beautiful Cascade, and then Handsome Falls, Cascade Falls and finally Rainbow Falls.