Looking for something to do in the vicinity of Missoula and Flathead Lake? Get a promising look at wildlife with some breathtaking views by visiting the National Bison Range in Montana.
About the National Bison Range in Montana
Located on the Flathead Indian Reservation north of Missoula is the National Bison Range. Spanning an area of over 18,000 acres, it’s home to about 350 bison. After the bison were near-extinction, the refuge was started in the late 1800s when Native Americans brought bison over the Continental Divide. It was officially inaugurated as the National Bison Range in 1908.
Click here to learn more about the history of the National Bison Range and the conflict between the US government and Natives to the area
Visiting the National Bison Range in Montana
The National Bison Range is open daily throughout the year, weather permitting, from 7am-8pm. While the price is a considerate $10 per vehicle, the visitor’s center and newly-founded museum is free. Pay the fee at the visitor’s center to receive a map and information on driving through the park. Learn more about hours of operation and the rules to visiting the National Bison Range here.
A Self-Guided Tour of the National Bison Range
You can explore the National Bison Range by vehicle with the exception of a couple trails. The best route to take through the refuge is counter-clockwise.
Grassland and Nature Trails
While at the visitor’s center, take some time to explore on foot around the 1/4-mile Grassland Trail or the 1-mile Nature Trail.
West Loop
After taking a right out of the visitor’s center, the first road we come upon is the West Loop. This is a relatively flat land area and is open year-round even when the weather is bad.
Red Sleep Mountain Drive
And so begins our self-guided tour of the National Bison Range. Coming to the T in the road, we take a right onto the 19 mile-long one-way loop road that climbs over 2000 feet in elevation. The road begins to ascend almost instantly as it winds around expansive grasslands complete with native wildflowers. Keep your eyes peeled for the Grasshopper Sparrow who nest in the bunchgrasses here. Plants in this area are able to withstand the dry environment of which only sees around 13 inches of rain per year.
Next we cross Pauline Creek, a valuable source of water for the wildlife. Roll the windows down and soak in the tunes of the songbirds. If you’re lucky, you may get to witness black bears that search the vegetation for berries in the summer.
Soon enough, we emerge through a fenced area known as Elk Lane. At this point, various herds of bison begin to make an appearance. We continue on to the switchbacks that climb in elevation past Edge Habitat, evident by where the prairie meets the forest.
High Point
In the midst of the forested environment we reach High Point at 4700 feet. Consider hiking the short Bitterroot Trail or the 1-mile round trip High Point Trail which takes you to Red Sleep Mountain at over 4800 feet. Continue driving for incredible views of the Mission Mountains Tribal Wilderness Area. This vicinity contains over 93,000 acres and features mountain peaks rising over 10,000 feet.
Upon descending down Red Sleep Mountain, we meet a variety of grasslands along the aptly-named Antelope Ridge. Here we can witness animals like bison, elk and pronghorn.
We finally reach the end of the one-way Red Sleep Mountain Drive, meeting Prairie Drive. This portion of the road wraps us around Antelope Ridge, Alexander Basin and Mission Creek. Look out for the wallows which are shallow and round depressions in the ground where the bison roll to shed insects from their fur. Interestingly enough, the bison display dominance by forcing lower-ranked animals from the wallows.
As we complete our self-guided tour of the National Bison Range, we wind around Mission Creek lined with cottonwood and juniper trees and is home to a variety of birds like bald eagles and trumpeter swans.
As with all natural areas, be sure to abide by the “Leave No Trace” principles while visiting.
Read More: Leave No Trace: The 7 Rules of the Backcountry
Learn more about Leave No Trace on their website here.
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