Beaver Creek Park is the largest county park in the United States. Set aside by an act of Congress in 1916, this 10,000 acre parcel of land on the north slope of the Bears Paw Mountains was originally designated “Beaver Creek Playground” and entrusted to the City of Havre. (It is now under the stewardship of Hill County.) To this day, Havre and other nearby communities treasure this natural recreation site.
“It’s quiet and sometimes you can go for miles without seeing another person, unlike other parks that feel crowded,” explains Havre resident Heather Good. She and her husband, Preston, have taken their daughters to the park many times in recent months for picnics, playtime by the creek, and scenic drives.
The park (which is about one mile wide by seventeen miles long) is beautiful for visitors of all ages to explore. There are various landscapes and vegetation throughout, with numerous opportunities to view wildlife as well. Deer, beavers, foxes, and bobcats are among the animals living in the park. Bird watchers can be on the lookout for golden eagles and hawks. Fishermen will want to cast a line at one of the park’s bodies of water; Beaver Creek, Bear Paw Lake, and Lower Beaver Creek Lake are well stocked with walleye, northern pike, rainbow and brook trout, bass, and perch.
The park also contains plenty of campsites for visitors who’d like to take more than a day to explore all it has to offer.
Beaver Creek Park is located 10 miles south of Havre on Beaver Creek Road. For more information, call (406) 395-4565.