Great place to spend the day and drive the trails. Extremely knowledgeable people working in the main center. Helpful and great gift shops!

This is a large territory set aside for bison in Montana, just 45 minutes or less north of Missoula. It is a bit off the beaten track, yet the drive is stunning, especially if you come from the west and are able to drive alongside the river. There is a per-car fee to drive through the range and hope you see bison. You might see them, you might not. If you do see them, it might be one or a 100. You might see them inside the range or near the road on your way in or out. All of the way of seeing them are exciting and supporting the effort to preserve this noble animal is worth it. read more

Wow! What an amazing place to experience the wildlife and see The Bison's roaming in fields and grazing with other herds. We also got to see some Antelope as well. Just a beautiful place to experience Montana's Wild side. read more

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The Bison Range was restored to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes in 2020. The Visitors Center details the US government's treatment of Native Americans. It is heartbreaking. Read more at bisonrange.org. The Bison Range is 18,766 acres of land in the center of the Flathead Indian Reservation. The self-guided tour is by car. There are two options. The West Loop and Prairie Drive takes about an hour and is through two way traffic and loops back. The second option, Red Sleep Mountain Drive is about two hours, is one way driving and then goes through a full loop of the range. You may be tempted to take the shorter loop, but take the two hour option. There is very steep driving on Red Sleep Mountain (up 2,000 feet in elevation) but the views are amazing! Drive at your own speed. When we came it was a glorious afternoon and the golden grass, the mountains, the forests, the view from High Point, was breathtaking. I was hoping to see just one bison during this tour, but reader, we saw so many. First we saw one solitary bison just grazing away on a hill. Then about a dozen by Elk Lane. Stop at High Point and take in the view -- this was all covered by Glacial Lake Missoula 13,000-18,000 years ago. We saw two different herds making their way up a mountain and as we crested the peak, we were surrounded by bison. If their tail is low they are calm. If the tail is high and twitching they are agitated. Oh I got a little nervous because they were looking at us. My heart was full. Bison are North America's largest land mammal and there are about 20,500 Plains bison in conservation herds and about 350 at Bison Range.To see them living their best life was a favorite part of our visit. A day pass was $20 for our car. Go to the website to see schedules and opening times. read more

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Call Ahead!!! Checked website, says open daily til 6pm. We had family in town and drove two hours, got there 3pm, gates locked and closed. Annoying when you drive that far. They took the time to put a note on their website they'd be closed thanksgiving day, so why couldn't they also say they'd be closing several hours early the day before? read more

I loved, loved the National Bison range! Although I was hoping to see more bison, we saw a few groups on the two hour drive path. I would highly recommend doing the two hour and not just the hour path. We got super lucky that we were almost to the trail end of our journey when this massive storm fell passed us and we had to stop cause the car was being POUNDED with large hail!! It was massive size hail and super raining and I've never been in such inclement weather. What an experience! The price was super inexpensive and worth going if you're in this area! read more

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This is an hour away from Missoula and is totally worth the drive!! It's so fascinating to see the bison up close and personal. It's my first time seeing them and it really was a sight to behold. When you get to the visitor center walk in to pay for a day pass ($10) and you can get a map of the park. Note that because this is not a national park you cannot use the America the Beautiful pass or any other annual pass as admission. The worker talked to me about the different options for routes, with one that takes about 45 minutes and the other scenic route that takes 2 hours (which also includes the 45 minute route). Beware that there's not much service at the park, at least not for AT&T. With the chances I will be back again and that I had time to spend I opted for the 2 hour drive. At the beginning it's a drive up and it gets very high with an open view of the water and the high dropoff so concentrate while driving. Pretty much the entire drive is going to be gravely and bumpy so be prepared for that. You'll be able to see bison all along the trail up here although when I went I was told the bison were on the other side of the park. There are a couple of short walks of 0.25 and 0.5 miles such as at High Point, which is the highest point in the park. As I went back town the mountain and drove down the wide open fields I saw more bison and other wildlife like deer. I even saw a bison walking across the road which was so fortunate! The total time really took about 2 hours exactly so they were pretty precise on the timing. This was really cool and I highly recommend this. You get great views of wildlife with mountains in the background for such a minimal cost. read more

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From what I was told, in 2020, the National Bison Range transitioned to the Bison Range and was returned to local tribal management from federal oversight. This change saw an entrance fee adjustment from $5 per person to $20 per vehicle. This is especially cost-effective for groups of more than four. My appreciation goes out to the previous administration for this transition. During our visit, which was post 1pm, the Bison Range had a fire restriction in place (Level 2), limiting exposure to potential wildfires. As a result, the longer two-hour drive trail was closed. Though I presume this decision was in the best interest of visitors' safety, it's worth noting for potential visitors. The smoky conditions might have obscured our views of the magnificent mountain ranges anyway. Nonetheless, our experience on the shorter trail was rewarding, with sightings of bison, a bull elk, and deer. Overall, we left contented. read more

CSKT Bison Range - Bison Range in Montana. - Kids Activities Near Me - Charlo, Montana

Even if you see little wildlife, the majestic scenery is worth it. If possible, don't visit between 11-4 on hot days as the bison tend to hide in order to stay cool. We only spotted one bison in the distance in the first nine sections, but scored on the last one: two bisons within 30 feet and an elk with gorgeous horns about 10 feet away. It's only $5 per vehicle, and free if you have a National Park Pass. read more

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We had a great time. Take the long route. Amazing views. Would definitely go back. I would bring binoculars and a better camera. read more

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So the US Govt has turned this back to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Having indigenous people reclaiming their heritage and opening such a special location is amazing! Went just before dusk and did the two hour loop. Saw bison, elk, pronghorn and deer. Wish I had had more days in the area to go back for a morning experience too. read more

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Great place to take the kids to view some wildlife. A very good variety of animals. Beautiful terrain and great spectating. read more

CSKT Bison Range - Kids Activities Near Me - Charlo, Montana

This place was so cool! You get to see bison and a beautiful panorama of the Montana as well. Their information center has a little museum inside, information on the area and a nice little gift shop! read more

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They claim that the Buffalo Prairie Drive hours are 7am - 8pm. But dont be fooled. A guy in his truck will start chasing you out of the property at 07:25 PM, and wont even let you take a picture once he is after you. You better be out by 07:45 PM, otherwise how will he get home early and enjoy his false sense of power? The visitor center even told us that its an hour long drive (30 mins each way), and that they close at 8 PM. We made sure that we make it to the end by 7.30, so that we are out of the gate by 8 PM, but who knew that we'll just be bullied out in reality. Looks like many other reviews talk of this "helpful" security guard (If he is a ranger, he needs a demotion). Overall its a nice place, but that one guy really ruined the whole thing. If you want to visit it, assume that it just closes at 7 PM. If you see a security guy behind you, you better drive fast and get the out. (Sorry for the angry review, but I am just very very bitter from the experience. I don't even post reviews usually, but this one ruined our anniversary) read more

I am not as enthusiastic about the National Bison Range as most of the other reviewers. I know that viewing wildlife is a matter of luck and can vary enormously from day to day depending on the weather and other factors but on our visit the bison were a long way from the road and were not clearly visible even with a pair of 8 power binoculars. We did see some deer, elk, and even a pronghorn fairly close to our vehicle. The staff in the visitor center were friendly and helpful and the gravel road was well maintained. The National Bison Range is certainly worth seeing if you are in the area but for myself I don't think it warrants a special trip. If you do go make sure you have binoculars. There are two loops one shorter and two way and a longer one way loop. We did not have a lot of time so we did the shorter of the two. I would suggest the longer if you have time. read more

Came here on the way to Kalispell, Montana. Since we didn't see any bison in Yellowstone we decided to come see them here. Its $5 dollars to be able to drive in the park, but you pay at the visitor center which you have to walk into. They don't provide a sticker of any sort so any unsavory character could technically just drive into the park for free and none would be the wiser.... the visitors center has a little museum which is cool and they provide you with a map of the park. There's only 2 spots you can officially and correctly get out of your vehicle and do some hiking. If you goto the right it's a 20 mile loop through mountains providing beautiful views of the Flat head mountains incthe distance. It's extremely steep but my Prius C was able to handle it, so I'm sure most vehicles can too. There's a bathroom about 5 miles into that one. And it takes a good 2 hours to drive at a leisurely pace. Or you take the path to the left and its about a 5 mile back and forth shorter trip of about an hour total. Allegedly theirs bisons, deers, bears and other wild animals in the park so you have to keep your eyes peeled for them. We saw a bison heard of about 30 out in the distance but couldn't drive to them which was a bummer. Then we saw a heard of deer as well some distance away. We also saw 2 bear cubs and its mother running down the hillside which was really cool. Then a bison that was roadside just chilling which was equally cool. I guess there's no telling what you see how close to your car you see them since the animals walk to and fro wherever and whenever they please. Got some great pictures. And now I can say I saw the animal that symbolizes the west (bison) up close and personal on my road trip. Im greatly satisfied with coming here. Granted some drivers drive faster than others do there's multiple turn outs to let people go by. Overall its a great setup here. If you don't see them at the national parks you definitely will see them here!!! read more

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Beautiful drive through the range and spotting these lovely creatures. There were other wildlife there so that was a sweet surprise. It is advise to not get out of the car or engage so take caution. Overall, I had a lot of fun though it did took a while driving around to find the herd. read more

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This is a great place to visit. Beautiful area to have a picnic with your family or friends. A short trail to hike if you are up for it. The scenic drive gives you ample opportunities for photographs. We went through in the late morning and saw plenty of wildlife. Bison, elk, deer, pronghorns, ducks, and other birds. Stop on the side of the road, but pullover so others can get by. The view is amazing soak it all in. If you have the time, do not rush through this range. Especially on a nice day this is a great way to just take it all in. read more

CSKT Bison Range - Kids Activities Near Me - Charlo, Montana

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Very cool, lots of different animals,I've seen bears every time I've been there,and only live about 6 miles from it.it it beautiful and interesting. read more

Visited there today and was very disappointed that 1/2 the loop closed at 1:30 pm. "It might have been noted on the FB page I was told." Say what? I'd check before you go and spend the $20 and drive way out of your way. We saw about 12 free standing bison at a far distance but a couple of large herds far off - probably on the back half of the loop. I'm glad we went but wish we had seen more. I'd call before and time your trip to any closures and also don't follow Google Maps address. It is incorrect. Use what is on their website. read more

Drove two hours to see nothing. Only one road was open and it was not worth the drive.

My husband and I drove through this range and thought it was marvelous. We saw 3 herds of bison, elk, deer, prong horn antelope and a couple of very interesting birds. Even if we hadn't seen all those animals the view was stunning. The top of the trip gave a wonderful view of an ancient glacial lake. The visitor center was small but had very good displays. I wish we would have perused the displays before we took the drive. It was well with the $10 entrance fee read more

CSKT Bison Range - View from the top of the drive - Kids Activities Near Me - Charlo, Montana

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Lots of wild animals, including elk, bear, deer, antílope, & of course Buffalo.. it'll take you a few hrs to go thru, or take the whole day. Picnic areas near the entrance, & it's beside a creek. Enjoy your day! read more

My mom and I had a wonderful experience yesterday at the National Bison Range. We stopped on our way from Spokane to Whitefish at about 6pm. Since we had been driving for most of the day, we opted for the shorter 60 minute trail. At first we were worried that we wouldn't see as much on the shorter drive, but it did not disappoint! Shortly into our drive we saw a giant bison sitting right next to the road and several more throughout the range. There were also deer, birds, and pretty wildflowers. The visitor center was already closed, which was a bit of a bummer. Overall, definitely worth it! read more

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On our way back home to Spokane from GNP we had planned 2 stops .. the first one was here. As we took the smaller route the Prairie drive which is just 5 miles due to shortage of time .. here the probability of seeing a herd of bison is rather weak so we were keeping our hopes really low .. never could have imagined that it would turn out to be such an experience. Just to share "The Bison Range" has 2 routes .. the longer one takes some 3-4 hours apparently and is recommended (19 miles) .. the other one is mere 5 miles and it is more luck based. But Lucky we were, and among the deers and birds and wild flowers we got up close with a herd of bisons. There were about 15 of 'em and just a few yards away .. from fully grown adults to younger ones. I have seen bisons earlier but not so close by .. To be honest, one could realise the real might of them only when they are so close. And then all of a sudden one of them rose up snorting .. may be the leader of the pack and looked right in our eyes .. Would have realised either our appreciation for him or maybe plain fear in our eyes that he decided to join the others and not charge at us. :D All in all, it was a lovely experience and if you haven't seen a herd so up close .. you must most definitely plan a little stop time here. PS - Annual National Park's pass works here so if you have one keep it :) read more

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We are in Idaho for three months for a contract job and saw that the National Bison Range was fairly close by. I promise you, it's worth every mile of driving! It was definitely one of the best things we've ever done! If you have 2+ hours, do the Red Sleep Mountain Drive! They are closing for the season next week, but the spring/summer would be gorgeous!! The best $5 I've ever spent. We saw a large harem of elk, 20+ mule deer, over 100 bison, a few pronghorn, and hubby spotted 2 coyotes! It was absolutely amazing!!! read more

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Went to this bison range last year, did the long drive which was very beautiful and my 10 yr old daughter had a blast! Her eagle eye spotted a coyote who caught some kind of critter while we watched and a mother bear with a couple of cubs in the distance... Otherwise, pretty close up we saw some bison right by the side of the road in all their huge glory, saw a number of deer and a fawn pretty close up across the river, saw An elk munching on leaves by the side of the road with a huge set of antlers, saw native antelope (yes, the U.S. Does have a native antelope species which looks like it should be on a savanna in Africa), and golden eagles flying above. The visitor center was wonderful to us and The weather was perfect if a little warm.I highly recommend stopping by this place and taking the long car loop/tour if you can! read more

The National Bison Range is a majestic, meditative oasis. Far from the madding Yellowstone crowds, you can behold the bison in peace. There are two routes- the shorter route is about an hour. Since it's unpaved&steep, be prepared. Plan accordingly- in the summertime, you can be very close to these awe-inspiring creatures. When it's peak season at Grand Teton&Yellowstone, it's also peak season to see the bison. Herds of bison are a breathtaking sight. Depending on the time of year, one might also see antelope, bighorn sheep, and even bears. Interesting trivia- The all-American bison has its origins in Asia.... just like the ancestral redwood that was found in Hunan province, China. read more

Beautiful and well worth the time to see it! We drove the Red Sleep Mountain road in mid June, saw a herd of bison in the distance, several large males resting by the roadside, birds and even the Montana state Bitterroot flower in bloom along the namesake trail at the top. Better to leave plenty of extra time for photos, since the views are exceptional in all directions, to the Jocko River, Mission Creek, Bitterroot Mountains and great glacial plain. We took a couple hours for the 20 mile drive, which can be slowed by wildlife viewing, and we wished we had saved time to see the visitors center and more. This is one of those special places, carefully preserved for us and future generations, to savor and enjoy, and yet I think most Americans have never heard of it. Highly recommended. read more

I visited the National Bison Range in August of 2017. I've wanted to visit this place since I first read about it many months ago. First suggestion: Because it had been very hot and dry in this area, I thought getting there early would be a good thing. I checked online and the open hours were posted as 630am. I got there at 8:15am, and while the main gate was open, the visitor center was not, and the longer of the three roads, Red Sleep Mountain Drive (19 miles, up into the hills) was locked shut. I took the Prairie Road up and back, and saw just a few antelope, one deer, and two bison. I was disappointed to say the least. When I got back to the entrance, Red Sleep Mountain Road had been opened, and I decided to take that as well. I had already driven up and back on 9 miles of gravel road, and now began a 19 mile trek on the one-way gravel road. No turning back. Take my word for it. The Red Sleep Mountain Drive was the far better experience. I saw several bison, at least 15-20, Pronghorn Antelope, and some amazing views from two high points on the road. There are also a couple of short hikes at these points (Bitterroot Trail and High Point Trail) that are worth your time and personal oxygen deprivation to visit. If you're expecting to see vast herds of bison trundling across the prairie, you're about 150 years too late. There were a least few small herds and some lone bison resting near the road, and I was lucky enough to see 5-6 bison running across the hills. It's well worth the experience to go and visit the Range. If you have any national park passes, bring them with you. You can get in for a reduced fee or for free. Except for bathrooms at the visitors center and one other place on the longer drive, there are no other facilities - food, etc... They should sell T-shirts and hats. I would bought at least one to help support the range. read more

The reserve had beautiful wildflowers of several varieties all over the hillsides. We saw nothing on the west loop, 4 bison and 2 elk on the Red Sleep Mountain Drive, and just as we were leaving on Prairie Drive, saw a group of 30 bison that included 4 calves, fairly close to the road. We could have saved a lot of time just taking Prairie Drive but would have missed all of the beautiful flowers. read more

Great day. We went up today and had a great. Saw a bear, 3 mule deer buck, about 30 elk, whitetail and prong horn.

OK, hear me out. I'm giving this only three stars based on a few factors. If this is the first time you've ever seen bison close up, and ever seen a slightly mountainous landscape, this will probably be an incredible experience for you. However, there are so many other, better places to see Bison and other wildlife found here, I cannot rate it as a five star experience. This is based on an experience on a road trip "out west" where we visited North Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota, and all of the National Parks in those states. We had much better Bison experiences in Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Custer State Park, and especially the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. I'm talking, bigger herds and they got RIGHT next to the car. Now, obviously, everyone's experience will be different and there's no guarantee how close they will get or how big the herds will be when you're there. I'm guessing most people that come here are from out of town, visiting, on a road trip of some sort. If you can spare the time, you really should check out one of the places I mentioned above and you'll probably have a better experience overall. Yellowstone would be the closest at about 350 miles from here. Now, of course, Yellowstone is swarmed with crowds. That is one nice thing about this place is that its quiet and cheap. You can stop your car on the road for a while and no one will get mad. We saw so many bison on our trip overall, that they actually start getting annoying after a while when they are in the street and whatnot. When we came here we were on our way from Glacier to the Grand Tetons, so we couldn't take too long. We ended up going only on the shorter two-way road, which took an hour and a half, so that may have influenced what we saw or didn't see. But the bison we saw, for some reason were always lone. There were no big herds, just one or two here and there. We also saw many pronghorn and also whitetail deer, which are everywhere back out east. $5 per car is a good price, but the Interagency parks pass works here too which we used. I kind of wish we knew the whole thing was a dirt/gravel road, but I suppose there's nothing I could do about it and it worked out fine. The scenery is nice, but nothing too amazing. I wouldn't come here for the scenery alone. If you want some truly breathtaking scenery, I highly suggest driving two hours north and going to Glacier. Anyway, if you're around here and this is the only thing you have time for, by all means, you will enjoy it. However, if you're strapped for time visiting some of the other National Parks and things in the area, you may want to skip it. read more

CSKT Bison Range - Road winding through the range - Kids Activities Near Me - Charlo, Montana

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There's no bison. Also, main road in the range was closed so I'm not sure whether that's why there was no bison to see.

Hey my husband and I drove from Kalispell Montana To The National Bison Range To Show My Daughter Who Came From Washington State To Visit The Range.. We Got Up There And The Upper Area Was Closed!! We Were Not Happy About It.. No One Told Us!! It Should Be Posted!! Visitors Come From All Over The World To See It!! You can go the smaller loop to the left but it only goes down about 3 miles!! read more

The National Bison Range is unlike any place I've visited, and I can't recommend the experience highly enough. The scenic views from the winding two hour drive are worth the trip, but the plethora of wildlife makes it truly must-see. We saw lots of bison, a huge herd of big horn sheep, and plenty of antelope and deer. Maps are available at the visitor center, and those will tell you which animals you're most likely to see in each section of the range. Only $5 per vehicle! read more

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I meant to post this in September. This place is great. It costs $5 per vehicle and is great for the whole family. There is a nice little visitors center just as you enter. You then drive a nice one way road around the refuge. The Refuge is divided into 9 parts. Each part has a slightly different environment. We saw an amazing amount of wildlife including driving up to 5 ft away from a massive bison that was grazing on the side of the roadway. The read more

CSKT Bison Range - Kids Activities Near Me - Charlo, Montana

This place is amazing! We saw dozens of bison in all shapes and sizes. If you're anywhere near here it is worth your while to check out these big furry friends! BUFFALOS! read more

CSKT Bison Range - Tatanka - Kids Activities Near Me - Charlo, Montana

Wow this was great. The visitor center had some nice exhibits. The staff were wonderfully helpful. Our time was limited so we did the shorter loop. If you have time definitely go on the longer loop. read more

Lots to see, hilly dirt roads covered with snow so careful if not equipped with 4 wheel drive . Bring binoculars for sure, except for deer, elk and bison all up high near tree line not road. read more

CSKT Bison Range - Kids Activities Near Me - Charlo, Montana