Established in 2004 by American Prairie Foundation, American Prairie Reserve provides abundant wildlife watching, outstanding scenery and a true sense of the wide open. Thriving herds of elk, mule deer, whitetail deer, pronghorn, and the majestic American bison roam these grasslands. Resident and migrating birds fill the sky. Numerous Native American and homestead-era historical sites are preserved for your enjoyment and education. Stunning vistas provide a terrific backdrop for a long hike, bike ride or auto tour. We invite you to enjoy this inspirational landscape and learn more about our vision for creating a multi-million acre wildlife complex, open and accessible to current and future generations.

When to Go:

The prairie is worth a visit any time of year and can be explored via hiking, walking, mountain biking, horseback riding, or snowshoeing. It is a serene and peaceful place where one can enjoy a bit of solitude.

In the spring, bird watching is fantastic, and if you're an early riser, you could even see sage grouse carry out their complex courting ritual, called a lek. In the summer, you can fish and canoe on the Ft. Peck Reservoir or attend community events in local towns. Hunting is a popular sport in the fall, and winter is a great time to explore by snowshoe and cross-country skis.

What to See and Do:

Driving Tours: In addition to the many county roads and two tracks that cross American Prairie Reserve lands, roads 201, 321 and 844 in the Charles M. Russell Wildlife Refuge offer exciting tours. Be sure to take a high clearance four-wheel drive vehicle and don’t attempt these roads when they are wet or rain showers are imminent.

Hitting the Trail: Explore the vastness of the landscape, smell the sage and listen to the birds call. American Prairie Reserve provides great hiking and biking opportunities on its many roads and two-track trails.

Wildlife Watching: Rich wildlife watching opportunities abound. Watch distinctive prairie dog behavior in the many colonies or “towns” throughout the Reserve. Keep an eye out for deer, elk and pronghorn antelope across the landscape and hawks and eagles overhead.

Photography: From spectacular sunsets to distinctive wildlife behavior, the prairie offers the amateur or professional photographer a lot to work with. With patience, practice and perhaps a little good luck, you may stumble across a herd of elk, snap a picture of a burrowing owl on a prairie dog burrow or capture the characteristic look of a bellowing bison.

Human History Sites: Places of importance to America’s first peoples, lookouts used by Lewis & Clark as they traveled up the Missouri River and homesteaders’ sites like Prairie Union School all make up the fabric of the area’s human history.

Hunting: Most of American Prairie Foundation’s lands are part of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ Block Management program. Please contact the Region 6 field office at 406-228-3700 for maps and more details.

Points of Interest:

There are many points of interest on the Reserve in and surrounding Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge.

Prairie Union School: A one-room schoolhouse used from 1943-57 and reconstructed to its original appearance with input from area residents.

Prairie Dog Town: Prairie dogs are burrowing, colonial mammals, standing about 12 inches tall and weighing 1 to 3 pounds. Vibrant prairie dog colonies support a diverse array of wildlife including North America’s most endangered mammal, the black-footed ferret. Watch prairie dogs give their characteristic warning and territorial calls. Look out for visitors to the town, like burrowing owls and coyotes.

Indian Rock Cultural Site: One of many glacially-transported and since-carved boulders in the region, these petroglyphs depict hooves, bird tracks and directional indications. Oral history informs us of the important role these rocks played in the lives of Plains Indians as the location of spiritual rituals. As you visit, please keep in mind that this site continues to be a culturally and spiritually important site for Native peoples.

Stream Restoration Site: In 2007, the Box Elder Creek restoration project restored a half-mile segment of the creek, reconnecting the watershed with Telegraph Creek and enabling fish repopulation. Native riparian trees and shrubs were planted as part of efforts to restore ecological processes.

Bison: Tens of millions of bison roamed the continent’s grasslands until the late 1800s. In 2005 American Prairie Foundation, along with our partner World Wildlife Fund (WWF), reintroduced bison to the area. Since then our herd has grown as we bring in more animals from other herds and calves are born each spring. Our bison are currently located on the core reserve area.

Campground (Opening in 2010 – please call for details): Nestled into an oxbow of Telegraph Creek, sheltered by box elder and cottonwood trees and in close proximity to a variety of hiking and biking opportunities, the campground features 12 sites (4 tent and 8 camper) and provides water and bathroom facilities.

Buffalo Jump & Scenic Overlook: Used by North American Indians to kill plains bison by herding them off cliffs like this one, buffalo jumps enabled harvest of animals for food, fur, tools and hides.

Yurt Camp: Used by American Prairie Foundation for development and community education initiatives, Yurt Camp is made up of larger social and kitchen yurts and four small sleeping yurts. Originating in a similar landscape, the steppes of Central Asia, the yurts withstand the prairie’s extreme weather and leave a light environmental footprint as temporary housing on the Reserve.

Fourchette Bay Scenic Overlook: Located in the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, this site provides a stunning view of Fourchette Bay, an inlet of the Fort Peck Reservoir. With more shoreline than the California coast, the 134-mile long reservoir is the fifth-largest man-made lake in the U.S. and was one of the largest public works projects of the 1930s. From here you can also imagine the views Lewis & Clark saw after climbing out of the river bottoms on their journey up the Missouri.

Fourchette Bay Campground: Situated in the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, this primitive campground, outfitted with picnic tables, fire rings, vault toilets and shade shelter, is open to the public and provides river access for boating and fishing.

Where to Stay and Eat: There are few visitor facilities on the Reserve at the present time. Our first public campground will open in 2010 (please call for details) offering tent and camper sites, water access and toilets. The Fourchette Bay Campground in the Charles M. Russell Wildlife Refuge is open year round and offers river access for boating and fishing and proximity to the Reserve. The closest community with lodging and dining options is Malta, Montana. If you are coming from the south, Lewistown is another terrific option for travelers.

For more information on transportation, food and lodging, go to www.visitmt.com or contact the office below:

Missouri River Country Box 387, Wolf Point, MT 59201 406-653-1319, 800-653-1319 www.missouririver.visitmt.com