Montana National Parks

The vast cultural and natural landscape of Montana national parks tell the history of the Indian Wars of the 1800s and the struggle over clashing cultures and values, history of the cattle industry, and hundreds of historic structures. The spectacular glacial and mountain landscapes are protected and enjoyed by all through international cooperation. Watch your step and take a steamy walk through our nation’s first national park and keep your eyes and ears open to spot spectacular wildlife.

Visit These Montana National Parks:

Big Hole National Battlefield: On August 9, 1877 gun shots shattered a chilly dawn on a sleeping camp of Nez Perce. Colonel John Gibbon and 163 men of the 7th Infantry and 34 Bitterroot Volunteers had orders to stop the non-treaty Nez Perce and return them to Idaho. The nearly 800 Nez Perce men, women, and children had fled their native lands when being forced onto a smaller reservation.

Big Hole Weather

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area: At first glance, time seems to have stopped at Bighorn Canyon. The lake and the steep-sided canyons provide a peaceful setting for those seeking a break from the daily routine. The focus of the area is 71-mile-long Bighorn Lake, created by Yellowtail Dam near Fort Smith, Montana. Dedicated in 1968, the dam provides electric power, water for irrigation, flood control, and recreation. Boating, waterskiing, fishing, swimming, and sightseeing are main attractions.

Bighorn Canyon Weather

Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site: The exchange of buffalo robes and furs for trade goods cemented a complementary relationship between fur traders and Indian tribes centered at Fort Union. In the trade exchange, each culture brought something of value to the other.

Glacier National Park: Come and experience Glacier's pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains, and spectacular lakes. With over 700 miles of trails, Glacier is a hiker's paradise for adventurous visitors seeking wilderness and solitude. Relive the days of old through historic chalets, lodges, transportation, and stories of Native Americans. Explore Glacier National Park and discover what awaits you.

Glacier Weather

Grant Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site: Wide open spaces, the hard-working cowboy, his spirited cow pony, and vast herds of cattle are among the strongest symbols of the American West, especially in Montana. In 1972 Congress set aside Grant Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site as a working cattle ranch that preserves these symbols and commemorates the role of cattlemen in American history and the wealth attained by cattle barons.

Grant Kohrs Weather     Grant Kohrs Ratings

Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail: Between May 1804 and September 1806, 32 men, one woman, and a baby traveled from the plains of the Midwest to the shores of the Pacific Ocean. They called themselves the Corps of Discovery. In their search for a water route to the Pacific Ocean, they opened a window onto the west for the young United States.

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument: This area memorializes one of the last armed efforts of the Northern Plains Indians to preserve their way of life.  Here in 1876, 263 soldiers and attached personnel of the U.S. Army, including Lt. Col. George A. Custer, met death at the hands of several thousand Lakota and Cheyenne warriors.

Little Bighorn Weather

Nez Perce National Historical Park: Since time immemorial, the Nimiipuu or Nez Perce have lived among the rivers, canyons and prairies of the inland northwest. Despite the cataclysmic change of the past two centuries, the Nez Perce are still here. Join us in exploring the park's thirty-eight sites and experiencing the story of a people who are still part of this landscape.

Yellowstone National Park: Established in 1872, Yellowstone National Park is America's first national park. Located in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, it is home to a large variety of wildlife including grizzly bears, wolves, bison, and elk. Preserved within Yellowstone National Park are Old Faithful and a collection of the world's most extraordinary geysers and hot springs, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.