Bus to Great Falls

Great Falls sits on the Missouri River in north-central Montana, named for the five waterfalls on the Missouri that Lewis and Clark portaged around in 1805. It's a working agricultural and military city of around 60,000, the seat of Cascade County and the home of Malmstrom Air Force Base, with a downtown that has rebuilt steadily around the central historic Central Avenue, the C.M. Russell Museum and the river. The bus to Great Falls drops you in central downtown at the Great Falls Transit Center on 1st Avenue South, with the C.M. Russell Museum, Gibson Park along the Missouri and the central historic blocks reachable on foot or by short rideshare. People come for the C.M. Russell Museum (the central archive of the Western painter Charles Marion Russell, who lived in Great Falls), for the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, for the river and the surrounding Missouri portage history, for the access to Glacier National Park (about three hours northwest), and for an unhurried Montana plains weekend. A Great Falls bus ticket lands you a few blocks from the Missouri.

Greyhound stops in Great Falls

Great Falls has one Greyhound stop: the Great Falls Transit Center at 326 1st Avenue South, in the central downtown. Buses stop in the transit center; follow station instructions for the bus. As a full transit centre, the building has indoor seating, restrooms and the basic shelter you'd expect, plus connections to the local Great Falls Transit bus network out of the same building.

The location puts you within walking distance of the central historic blocks — the C.M. Russell Museum, the central restaurants and the historic Central Avenue commercial spine are all a short walk. The Missouri River and Gibson Park are a few blocks north. As a working transit centre, the station has a typical pace of activity through the day. Plan to arrive in good time so you can find your platform and get checked in.

If you're being met, the surrounding streets are familiar to rideshare drivers and there's space inside the building if the Montana weather isn't cooperating. The most useful first move after arrival is a walk to Central Avenue and the central historic blocks. Have your ticket ready on your phone or printed for boarding.

Getting around Great Falls after your bus to Great Falls arrives

Great Falls's central historic downtown is exceptionally compact. From the Great Falls Transit Center, the C.M. Russell Museum, the central restaurants, the historic Central Avenue commercial blocks and Gibson Park along the Missouri are within a comfortable walk.

The Great Falls Transit network — the local public-transport service — runs city buses across the metro from the same Transit Center where the Greyhound stop is. Useful routes connect downtown to the Holiday Village Mall on the south side, the Malmstrom AFB area on the east side, the Holiday Village shopping cluster and the surrounding suburbs. Service runs through the day on weekdays and is more limited on weekends. Rideshare runs reliably across the city and is the realistic option for evening trips and for the further attractions.

For the wider region — the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center on the north side of the city, the Giant Springs State Park along the Missouri, and onward to Helena or Glacier National Park — a rental car is the practical option. Cycling is also viable on the River's Edge Trail, the long shared-use path running along the Missouri through the city, with about 60 miles of paved and unpaved trail. The Missouri River and the surrounding 5 falls (Black Eagle, Rainbow, Crooked, Big Horseshoe and Great Falls) run east of central downtown — most are now altered by hydroelectric dams but the surrounding interpretive sites and walking access are working visits.

Top things to do in Great Falls

• The C.M. Russell Museum, in the central historic downtown, with strong holdings in the Western paintings of Charles Marion Russell, the working studio reconstruction, original illustrated letters and a deep regional Western art collection. Russell lived in Great Falls and worked from the studio adjacent to the museum.
• The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center, on the north side of the city overlooking the Missouri, with strong galleries on the 1804-1806 expedition, the central Missouri portage around the Great Falls (which delayed the expedition for nearly a month) and the Native peoples of the upper Missouri.
• Gibson Park along the Missouri River in central downtown, with walking paths, the central park lawn, the Black Eagle Falls overlook and the park grounds.
• The River's Edge Trail, the long shared-use path running 60 miles along both banks of the Missouri through the city, useful for walking and cycling. The trail passes the historic Black Eagle Dam, Rainbow Falls and the surrounding Missouri portage sites.
• Giant Springs State Park, on the east side of the city along the Missouri, with the high-volume natural freshwater Giant Springs fed from the Madison aquifer. The spring feeds the Roe River, a short, working creek that runs into the Missouri a few yards from the spring head.
• The historic Central Avenue, the central downtown commercial spine with restored late-19th and early-20th-century brick commercial buildings, restaurants, antique shops and a steady year-round commercial life.
• The Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art, in the restored 1896 Romanesque sandstone building (originally the city's high school), with regional Western art exhibitions and a community arts space.
• The Children's Museum of Montana, in the central historic downtown, with hands-on exhibits useful for a rainy-day morning with kids.
• The Black Eagle Dam and the surrounding interpretive site, on the east side of the city along the Missouri, the working hydroelectric dam at the Black Eagle Falls site (one of the original five Great Falls of the Missouri).
• Malmstrom Air Force Base on the east side of Great Falls, the home of the 341st Missile Wing — Malmstrom maintains intercontinental ballistic missile silos across the surrounding north-central Montana plains. The base has visitor restrictions; check current visitor guidance before you go.
• Sluice Boxes State Park, about 30 miles south of Great Falls along Belt Creek, with hiking trails through the dramatic Belt Creek Canyon and the historic ghost-town remains.
• Square Butte, the prominent flat-topped landform east of Great Falls, the working geographical landmark and the subject of multiple Charles Russell paintings on display at the C.M. Russell Museum.
• Glacier National Park, about three hours northwest of Great Falls, the headline regional draw with Going-to-the-Sun Road (when open, typically late June through early October), Lake McDonald and the surrounding alpine country.

Best time to visit Great Falls

Late spring through early autumn is the long, generous window. From late May into June the prairie greens up after the long winter, the River's Edge Trail opens to a full season and the temperature sits in a pleasant range for walking. July and August are warm — afternoons in the 80s and into the 90s — but the long, dry Montana evenings cool off comfortably and the long days stretch out late.

September and October bring the Montana plains fall — colour through the cottonwoods along the Missouri, comfortable walking weather and the harvest of the surrounding agricultural country. Glacier National Park's Going-to-the-Sun Road typically stays open through late September or early October before snow closures.

Winter is real Montana cold. From December through February temperatures regularly drop into the teens and below, with serious sub-zero stretches and significant snow events. Daytime temperatures sit well below freezing for stretches — pack for it. The C.M. Russell Museum, the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, the Paris Gibson Square Museum and the long-running Central Avenue restaurants all stay full pace through the season. Outdoor activities pivot to cross-country skiing on the River's Edge Trail and ice-fishing on the surrounding lakes. The Chinook winds — the warm dry winds that descend the eastern slope of the Rockies — can briefly raise winter temperatures dramatically through Great Falls, sometimes by 30 or 40 degrees in a few hours.

The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center sits on a bluff overlooking the Missouri at the site where Meriwether Lewis first saw the Great Falls in June 1805 — a moment that would delay the Corps of Discovery for nearly a month while they portaged the boats and equipment around the falls. Stand at the overlook on a quiet weekday morning with the Missouri running below, the central plains stretching east toward the surrounding wheat country and the wind carrying the same kind of low rustle through the cottonwoods, and the Lewis and Clark account becomes legible in a more direct way than the indoor exhibits provide. The river and the country around it have changed less than you'd think. Use the search bar on this page to check schedules and book bus tickets to Great Falls when your dates are firm.

Planning Your Greyhound Bus Trip to Great Falls?

You're in the right place! Get all the details you need to arrange your bus journey to Great Falls! You can board the Greyhound at Great Falls Transit Center. You can easily find the location of the stop(s) on the map available on this page. Traveling to or departing from Great Falls can cost you as little as $52.73. If you're on the hunt for a cheap ticket to Great Falls, remember to book early. Traveling on weekdays or during non-peak hours can also lead you to some of the most budget-friendly fares available! With 7 destinations linked to Great Falls, Greyhound provides you with multiple options for planning your bus trip.

Why travel to Great Falls with Greyhound

When you choose Greyhound, you're promised a comfy seat and free Wi-Fi throughout your journey. Stay connected and entertained while we safely drive you to your destination! Enjoy a comfy bus trip to Great Falls with our onboard facilities like free Wi-Fi and power outlets. Choose your favorite seat while booking and travel with peace of mind rest easy knowing your ticket covers one carry-on and one checked bag.

How to book your bus ticket to Great Falls

Booking a ticket with Greyhound is a breeze: on this website or on the free Greyhound App, you can complete your booking in a few clicks. When purchasing your ticket to Great Falls online, you can choose between different secured online payment methods, such as credit and debit cards. Alternatively, you can pay in cash at a sales point.