Sluice Boxes

Sluice Boxes State Park encompasses 1,575 acres along Belt Creek in Cascade County, protecting a dramatic limestone canyon in the Little Belt Mountains south of Great Falls. The park preserves a scenic gorge carved through ancient rock formations.

The canyon and surrounding forests support mountain goats on the cliffs, mule deer, black bears, and mountain lions. The creek provides habitat for brown trout and rainbow trout. Dippers bob along the rocky stream, and raptors nest on the canyon walls.

Douglas fir and limber pine grow on the canyon slopes. Cottonwoods and willows line Belt Creek. The varied aspects create diverse plant communities from dry grasslands on south-facing slopes to lush forests on north-facing exposures.

Belt Creek has carved a spectacular canyon through Madison Limestone, exposing rock formations over 300 million years old. The narrow canyon walls tower above the creek. The park's name comes from mining-era wooden channels used to separate gold from gravel.

The mountain canyon setting produces cool summers and cold winters. Annual precipitation exceeds 20 inches in the higher elevations. The canyon provides shelter from wind but can trap cold air.

Gold miners worked Belt Creek in the 1880s, using sluice boxes to extract gold from gravel. The area later attracted visitors for its scenic canyon. An abandoned railroad grade now serves as a trail through the canyon.

Sluice Boxes State Park was established to preserve the scenic limestone canyon and provide recreation along Belt Creek in the Little Belt Mountains.

A trail following the old railroad grade runs through the canyon, requiring multiple creek crossings. Fishing for trout in Belt Creek is popular. The dramatic limestone canyon walls are the scenic highlight. Rock formations attract geology enthusiasts.

The park offers basic facilities and trail access. It is located about 20 miles south of Belt on Highway 89 in the Little Belt Mountains. Creek crossings may be difficult during high water.

The park protects the canyon's geological and ecological integrity. Trail management addresses erosion. The limestone canyon is a significant geological feature in the Little Belt Mountains.