Painted Rocks State Park is a public recreation area located at the southern end Painted Rocks Reservoir, 24 miles (39 km) south of Darby, Montana. The state park received its name from the green, yellow and orange lichens which cover the grey and black rock walls of the granite and rhyolite cliffs.[2] The park has Bortle scale class 1 skies which makes the state park a great place for astronomy as it is far away from light pollution.[5]
| Painted Rocks State Park | |
|---|---|
  Location in Montana | |
| Location | Ravalli County, Montana, United States |
| Nearest town | Darby, Montana |
| Coordinates | 45°40′53″N 114°18′03″W / 45.68139°N 114.30083°W[1] |
| Area | 23 acres (9.3 ha)[2] |
| Elevation | 4,754 ft (1,449 m)[1] |
| Designation | Montana state park |
| Established | 1963[3] |
| Visitors | 16,747 (in 2023)[4] |
| Administrator | Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks |
| Website | Painted Rocks State Park |
History
editThe reservoir is in the West Fork Valley of the Bitterroot Mountains, which was an important place for the Salish people.[2] The reservoir was created with the impoundment of the West Fork of the Bitterroot River in 1939.[6] The park was created in 1963.[3]
Wildlife
editThe park is home to elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, black bear, and moose. In the 1980s, bighorn mountain sheep and peregrine falcons were reintroduced to the area. The reservoir is a stopping ground for waterfowl during spring and autumn migrations. Residential birds include osprey, great blue heron, spotted sandpiper and bald eagles.[2]
Activities
editThe park offers outdoor activities such as bird watching, boating, camping, fishing, canoeing, hiking, photography, picnicking, swimming, and wildlife viewing.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b "Painted Rocks State Recreation Area". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ a b c d "Painted Rocks State Park". Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
- ^ a b "Park Origin by Date". Montana State Parks. 2014. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
- ^ Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (May 6, 2024). "2023 Montana State Parks Annual Visitation Report" (PDF). fwp.mt.gov. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ R, Mike (August 22, 2021). "State Park Bortle 1 Scale Information In The US". CosmosPNW. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
- ^ a b "Painted Rocks State Park (brochure)". Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
External links
edit- Painted Rocks State Park Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks