By editor
Toole County, North of Great Falls
Rising abruptly from the rolling plains near the Canadian border, the Kevin Rim is a steep, sandstone escarpment that stretches for nearly twenty miles. It is a landscape of wind and rock, austere and commanding. For raptors, these sheer cliffs provide the two essential requirements for life on the plains: secure nesting sites protected from ground predators, and powerful updrafts for hunting.
The Rim is recognized as an Important Bird Area primarily for its dense concentration of nesting Ferruginous Hawks. These massive, regal birds, with their striking white underparts and rusty shoulders, soar out over the prairie to hunt Richardson's ground squirrels. They share the cliffs with Prairie Falcons, which nest in the small potholes and crevices of the sandstone, and Golden Eagles, which patrol the ridgeline with heavy, deliberate wingbeats. To walk the top of the rim in early summer is to look down on the backs of soaring raptors.
Visitor Access
The Kevin Rim is a mix of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) property and private ranch land. Access requires careful navigation using detailed land ownership maps, as there are no developed trails or facilities. Birders typically drive the rough, unpaved county roads that approach the rim and use spotting scopes to scan the cliffs from a distance. High-clearance vehicles are necessary, and travel is not recommended after rain. Respecting private property boundaries is critical here.