CSKT Bison Range

The bison here trace in part to animals gathered and protected in the 1800s by Native families in the Flathead country, when the great herds were being wiped out across the plains. That effort helped keep the species from vanishing, and animals from those early conservation herds seeded refuges across the West.

In 1908 the federal government established the National Bison Range on nearly 19,000 acres inside the Flathead Reservation, taking the land without the tribes' consent and excluding tribal members from managing the very herd their ancestors had helped save. For more than two decades the CSKT worked to reclaim it.

That work succeeded in 2020, when Congress restored the range to the tribes as part of the Montana Water Rights Protection Act. The lands were placed back in trust for the CSKT, and by 2022 the tribes had assumed full ownership and management. It stands as one of the most significant returns of a wildlife refuge to a Native nation in the country.

The heart of a visit is a self-guided auto tour. The centerpiece is the Red Sleep Mountain Drive, a steep, narrow, one-way gravel road that climbs high above the valley and forms a long loop with the Prairie Drive, offering wide views of the Mission Mountains and the herds below. A shorter, gentler loop stays open when the mountain road is closed.

Beyond the roughly several hundred bison, the range shelters pronghorn, elk, white-tailed and mule deer, bighorn sheep, black bears, coyotes, and a rich bird life across its grasslands and creek bottoms. Spring calving and the autumn rut are especially good times to watch the herd.

Because the bison are genuinely wild, visitors stay in their vehicles on the tour roads. The reward for slow, quiet driving is the sight of a landscape working as it should, a prairie ecosystem cared for by the people who belong to it.

The full mountain drive generally runs in the warmer months and closes for winter and mud, while the shorter loop and the visitor area operate year-round; conditions can change, so it is worth checking before you go. Early morning and evening bring out the wildlife and the best light on the Missions.

The range sits in the Mission Valley on the Flathead Reservation, easy to fold into a drive between Missoula and Flathead Lake. Nearby, the National Bison Range's old neighbor refuges and the Ninepipe wetlands add more birding, and the Mission Mountains rise wild and glaciered to the east.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The CSKT Bison Range, in the Mission Valley of western Montana, is a beautiful wildlife refuge, home to a herd of American bison, that is owned and managed by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Long a place of importance, the range protects rolling grasslands and hills where bison roam along with elk, deer, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, and abundant birds, and a scenic drive and trails let visitors experience the herd and the landscape. The return of the range to the stewardship of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes reflects the deep and enduring relationship between the tribes and the bison. A meaningful place of wildlife and heritage, it moves and delights visitors. With its bison and tribal stewardship, the CSKT Bison Range offers a special destination in Montana.

The CSKT Bison Range is owned and managed by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, whose homelands include this landscape and whose relationship with the bison stretches back through generations. The bison holds deep cultural and spiritual significance for the tribes, and the return of the range to their stewardship marked a meaningful restoration of that connection. Visiting with awareness and respect for the tribes' stewardship and the significance of the bison honors the place. Understanding this heritage enriches a visit to the CSKT Bison Range in Montana.

You can drive the scenic route through the range to view the bison herd and the landscape, watch for elk, deer, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, and abundant birds, walk designated trails, and learn about the bison and the stewardship of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes at the visitor facilities. The bison herd, the wildlife viewing, the scenic drive, and the tribal heritage are the draws, offering a meaningful and beautiful experience. Seeing the bison on their grasslands is unforgettable. With its wildlife and heritage, the CSKT Bison Range offers a rewarding visit in Montana.

Bison are large, powerful wild animals, so staying in your vehicle where required, keeping a safe distance, and never approaching them are essential for your safety and theirs, as are respecting all rules and staying on designated routes and trails. Some roads may follow seasonal schedules and can be steep or narrow, so cautious driving and checking current access before you go are wise. Visiting respectfully honors the tribes' stewardship of this special place. Keeping your distance from the bison and respecting the rules ensure a safe, meaningful visit to the CSKT Bison Range in Montana.

The CSKT Bison Range is in the Mission Valley of western Montana, within reach of the Mission Mountains, Flathead Lake to the north, the towns of the Flathead Reservation, and the routes toward Missoula to the south and Glacier country to the north. That makes the CSKT Bison Range a special stop to combine with Flathead Lake and the other attractions of western Montana on a visit to the state.