Bulk Aggregates near Great Falls, MT, 59404

Fast-draining loam needs a stable base

The USDA soil survey identifies the center-point soil as Tally loam on 2 to 8 percent slopes, and Tally makes up 90 percent of the mapped unit. For a driveway or patio, use a compacted angular base graded with the slope that interlocks better than a loose round-stone layer.^[1]

The soil is well drained and falls in Hydrologic Soil Group A, where water soaks in fast and runoff is low. Crusher Run or Road Base can provide an interlocking foundation, while Drain Rock suits a deliberately stone-lined drainage path where water needs a clear route.^[1]

Keep loam out of the aggregate layer

The top mineral layer is loam, and shrink-swell in the upper 100 cm is low at 1.5 percent. A geotextile beneath a driveway or patio base can keep loam from migrating into the crushed stone and preserve the stone layer's structure.^[1]

The mapped geology at the center point is sandstone in the Upper Kootenai Formation. For an imported driveway base, choose graded crushed aggregate for predictable compaction instead of basing the material choice on the mapped bedrock name.^[2]

Snow and freezes favor firm drainage

The center point stands at 3,390 feet, and the NOAA station at Great Falls Intl AP, MT, about 4 miles away, reports 14.8 inches of yearly precipitation and 66.1 inches of yearly snowfall. Grade base stone and drainage stone so snowmelt has a route away from the driveway or patio surface.^[3],[4]

At that NOAA station, the low reaches 32 F or colder on 168 days each year, with a median last spring freeze of May 19 and a median first fall freeze of September 24. A well-compacted crushed-stone base gives a firm layer beneath driveway gravel or patio material through freeze and thaw periods.^[4]

Material roles around detached homes

Census data count 11,810 housing units in this ZIP, with 78 percent detached single-family homes, compared with 65 percent across Great Falls. For a detached-home driveway, patio, or garden bed, use crushed base for support, Drain Rock where drainage is needed, and Top Soil or Shredded Mulch in planting areas.^[5]

The median home construction year is 1976 in this ZIP, compared with 1965 for Great Falls. When replacing exterior material beside an existing home, keep structural base aggregate separate from softer garden soil and mulch.^[5]

Montana DOT names Crushed Base Course Type "A," Section 301, in its Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction, 2025 Edition, effective June 25, 2026.^[6]