Alberton MT
607 Railroad Avenue
Alberton MT 59820
mailto:townofalberton@blackfoot.net
RECREATION
During the most recent ice age, until about 13,000 years ago, water backed up through most of the valleys of western Montana, creating a lake nearly 2,000 feet deep at the ice dam. In time, the ice dam was undermined by water leakage and the growing depth and pressure of the lake water. It eventually weakened and then failed catastrophically. The lake drained unlashing catastrophic floods. This process repeated itself dozens of times in 48 hours until the lake was emptied.
Float the river from Cinderella Mountain, when you are just outside of Alberton you can still see a vast bare sentinel of rock. As the lake drained down with the increasing turbulence coming out of the Missoula valley, Cinderella Mountain took the full force of the floodwaters. As the water slammed through the twisting river bends of the Alberton Gorge. This is where the floods took huge bites out of the mountainsides and tumbled rocks of all sizes downstream.
Alberton is known as the gateway to the Alberton Gorge which is favored by whitewater rafters, and avid anglers. With the Clark Fork river out it's back door, it is no wonder that in the warm weather you can see people fly fishing, rafting, tubing or kayaking, to enjoy a nice relaxing day. This town also has a city park that was named after one of the town's long time Mayors Hank Roat, with tennis courts and barbecue stands it makes it a nice place to stop and relax before going on your way. A new gazebo will soon be in the park and it will be big enough to schedule a wedding or use for family functions. The town also owns land on the mountain behind Alberton. You can enjoy a walk up the mountain for a beautiful view of the Alberton valley with remnants still visible of the lake.
