Things to Do
Start Here
The prairie is here for you and for all. No matter where your interests lie, there’s something on the prairie for everyone to enjoy and appreciate. From extended bike packing, canoe, or backpack trips to casual nights stargazing, sitting in the quiet reading or flying a kite on a windy day. Keep reading to explore how you can connect more deeply with the prairie.
Season Guide
The prairie has a season for everyone.
Apr – May
Spring
Sage grouse leks active at dawn. Wildflowers peak late April and May. Bison calves appear in May and June. Roads can be impassable when wet. Best months for birding and photography.
Jun – Aug
Summer
Enjoy long days with full access to the prairie during peak visitor season. Auto-touring, biking, camping, hiking, and floating the river are all on the table. The days get hot– take advantage of early mornings and late evenings for the best wildlife viewing. Sunset lingers; take it in and be patient for the night sky to show.
Sep – Oct
Fall
Elk rut peaks at the PN in September. Crowds thin. Temperatures drop fast at night. Best season to have the prairie largely to yourself. Hunting season opens — check FWP for current regulations.
Nov – Mar
Winter
Remote and raw. Many roads impassable when wet. Bison easier to spot against snow. The quiet is deeper. Not recommended without preparation and local knowledge. For adventurers who know what they’re doing.
What to Do
There’s no shortage of things to do here.
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Bison Viewing
Sun Prairie / Buffalo Camp (primary) · White Rock
A herd of several hundred bison moves across the Sun Prairie property. That sentence has not been true anywhere in this part of Montana for over a century until recently. View from your vehicle whenever possible. These bison act wild and will charge. Stay at least 100 yards away. Calves arrive May–June.
Sightings are never guaranteed.
Come for the landscape — treat a sighting as the bonus it is.
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Wildlife Viewing
All Properties · CMR National Wildlife Refuge · Upper Missouri Breaks
Pronghorn are the most reliably spotted large animal — faster than any carnivore, they rely on eyesight rather than cover for protection. Look for white rump patches. Mule deer ghost along coulees and draws at dawn and dusk. Coyotes work the prairie edges. Prairie dogs occupy active towns on several properties. Carnivores — mountain lions, grizzly bears, bobcats, badgers, swift fox — are less common but trail cameras confirm their presence.
A spotting scope or 10x binoculars transforms this experience. You’ll see things from the road that could take countless hours/miles on foot to find.
Spring
Summer
Fall
Birding
Mars Vista / Antelope Creek · Sun Prairie · CMR Refuge · Bowdoin NWR
Central Montana has more bird species per square mile than almost anywhere on the Great Plains. 300+ species recorded in project area. Prairie specialties: chestnut-collared and McCown’s longspurs, Sprague’s pipit, Baird’s sparrow, long-billed curlew, ferruginous hawk. Sage grouse leks active mid-March through May at dawn. Sharp-tailed grouse leks in spring. Bowdoin NWR (8 miles east of Malta): nesting colonies of American white pelicans, 230+ species, 15-mile auto route.
April and May are peak season.
Bring binoculars, a field guide, and patience. Get up before dawn.
Summer
Fall
Camping
Buffalo Camp (Sun Prairie) · Mars Vista / Antelope Creek · The PN Huts
Three styles: backcountry dispersed (no facilities, no fee), developed tent/RV at Antelope Creek and Buffalo Camp, and three fully equipped backcountry huts at the PN. Buffalo Camp: RV pads with non-potable water, tent sites, pit toilets. No electric hookups. Antelope Creek: paved approach, tipis available via Aaniiih Nakoda Tours, bathhouse. PN Huts: Lewis & Clark, Craighead, and Founders sleep 4–8 with basic kitchen equipment.
Reservations recommended for huts and RV pads at peak season. Dispersed camping requires no reservation — bring your own water.
Spring
Summer
Fall
Land Snorkeling
All Properties
Slow, close-to-ground exploration of prairie — the grassland equivalent of drifting over a coral reef. At ground level the prairie reveals itself as a different place: insect highways, grass architecture, soil crust biology, hidden mouse trails, shed rattlesnake skins. No equipment required. No trail. Walk off a two-track and look down. Travel + Leisure called it one of the most peaceful things you can do in the United States.
There is no wrong way to do this.
Get out of the vehicle, kneel down, look at what’s under your feet.
Spring
Summer
Fall
Hiking
All Properties · Little Rocky Mountains · CMR Refuge
No marked trail system on most American Prairie land — the land itself is the trail. Visitors walk ranch roads, two-tracks, and well-worn animal paths. GPS track or topo map and navigation skills recommended. The Little Rocky Mountains near Zortman features beautiful pine forests, gold rush history, and the opportunity to see lots of elk.
No maintained trails on most American Prairie land. This is cross-country walking. Navigation skills recommended.
Summer
Fall
Mountain Biking & Gravel Riding
Roads across American Prairie · Outside Magazine Prairie to Peak Loop · Lewistown
American Prairie’s network of ranch roads offers some of the most remote gravel riding in the American West. No traffic, no guardrails, no noise except wind and birds. Outside Magazine featured central Montana in their ‘Prairie to Peak Adventure Loop’ — a multi-day route combining prairie riding and mountain terrain near the Judith Mountains and Snowy Range. Lewistown has a 10-mile paved trail through town and access to surrounding gravel routes.
Fat or gravel tires suited to two-track roads better than road bikes.
Cell coverage limited — download maps before you go.
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Auto-Touring
All Properties · Charles M. Russell Auto Route · Missouri Breaks Backcountry Byway
Much of what American Prairie offers is best experienced from a vehicle — not because you can’t get out, but because the scale is so large that driving is the best way to understand it. The CMR Auto Tour is a self guided gravel road 19 miles long and takes about 2-3 hours to complete. You may see elk, pronghorn, mule deal, and prairie dogs. High clearance recommended. Impassable when wet.
The roads are part of the experience. Take your time.
Park the car and stand outside. Wind and silence come with the territory.
Summer
Fall
Floating, Canoeing, Kayaking
Upper Missouri Wild & Scenic River: Fort Benton → Judith Landing (88 mi) · Judith Landing → James Kipp (61 mi)
The Upper Missouri National Wild and Scenic River protect 149 miles of the Missouri River, which is the most historically significant river route in the American West. White Cliffs section (47 river miles, 3–4 days): same corridor Lewis and Clark described in May 1805. Sandstone formations up to 1,200 feet above river. Class I — no technical whitewater. Canoes and kayaks preferred. River use fee: $5/person/day. Contact BLM Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center, Fort Benton: 406-622-4000.
Outfitters in Fort Benton offer canoe rentals and vehicle shuttles.
Hole in the Wall Adventures (Winifred) offers shorter float packages.
Summer
Fall
Power Boating & Motorized Watercraft
Fort Peck Lake Launches · Upper Missouri River motorized sections
Fort Peck Lake: 245,000 surface acres, 1,600 miles of shoreline — more than the entire coast of California. Motorized boats welcome. Primary launches: Rock Creek Marina (full-service, near the town of Fort Peck), Hell Creek State Park (east shore), McGuire Creek, Fourchette Bay. On the Upper Missouri: motorized boats permitted on full corridor. Section below Judith Landing (river miles 88.5–149) has no motorized restrictions.
Fort Peck Lake: world-class walleye and northern pike fishing, genuine big-water feel in the middle of the prairie.
Fall
Hunting
Over 82,000 Block Mgmt Acres · Public land · Blue Ridge Special Mgmt Unit
American Prairie enrolls over 82,000 acres in Montana’s Block Management Program — one of the eight largest landowners enrolled in the state program by acreage. Block Management land open to public hunting during designated seasons, free of charge. Beyond Block Management, American Prairie’s open-access policy provides walk-in hunting access to thousands of acres of otherwise landlocked public BLM land. Species: pronghorn, deer, elk, upland birds, waterfowl, small game. Bison harvest drawing available annually — 90%+ of opportunities reserved for Montana residents.
No non-game shooting on American Prairie land — this includes prairie dogs, coyotes, and other non-game species. Other regulations set by Montana FWP.
Summer
Fall
Horseback Riding
All properties (no dedicated facilities) · Little Rocky Mountains · CMR Refuge
American Prairie land is open to horses and pack stock. No designated equestrian facilities but open ranch roads and cross-country terrain are well-suited. Little Rocky Mountains near Zortman: 40+ miles of BLM horse-legal trails through ponderosa pine. CMR National Wildlife Refuge allows horseback travel in many areas — genuine backcountry horse experience in wild breaks country. Outfitters in Malta and Lewistown area offer guided multi-day pack trips into the Missouri Breaks and Little Rockies.
Contact American Prairie in advance if planning a horse trip.
No corrals or tie facilities on-site. Pack-in, pack-out.
Spring
Summer
Fall
Kite Flying
Any Open Prairie — Mars Vista / Antelope Creek
The Northern Great Plains is one of the windiest consistently accessible landscapes in the country. No trees to snag a kite. No buildings. No power lines for miles. Just open sky and wind for approximately forever. A kite in the air above the prairie will be visible for a very long distance. Kites are perfect for the kids, but don’t sleep on opportunities for adults with a performance kite or parafoil. We include this partly because it’s true and partly because the best travel experiences include things no one told you to do.
The wind is persistent and powerful. A quality sport kite will outperform a cheap box kite on sustained prairie wind. Bring a stake and anchor.
Summer
Fall
Stargazing
Buffalo Camp at Sun Prairie · The PN · Mars Vista / Antelope Creek · Zortman Overlook
The American Prairie region sits in one of the darkest sky corridors in the continental United States. Milky Way visible with naked eye June through October on clear nights. Galactic core clearest July and August. At Buffalo Camp, horizon in every direction unobstructed — genuine full-sky viewing. Arrive at sunset, let eyes adjust 20–30 minutes before serious sky observation.
New moon periods offer best conditions. Nearest light pollution: Lewistown (50+ miles) & Malta (60+ miles), minimal impact on viewing.
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Finding Deep Quiet
Sun Prairie · The PN · Any two-track road 10+ miles from paved highway
The Northern Great Plains is one of the quietest places in the country. Quiet Parks International has designated American Prairie as a Wilderness Quiet Park alongside Glacier National Park, Boundary Waters, and only a handful of other sites worldwide. Quiet here means no traffic, no aircraft (mostly), no mechanical equipment, no construction. What remains: wind in the grass, meadowlarks, distant elk bugling in fall, and — occasionally — genuine silence that makes you notice your own heartbeat. WBUR broadcast a recording of the American Prairie soundscape in 2024, calling it what the country sounded like before industrial settlement.
This sounds like nothing. It is something.
Go with intention, not just an absence of plans.
Spring
Summer
Fall
Historic Tours & Lewis and Clark Country
Upper Missouri River Corridor · Fort Benton · Judith Landing State Park · Bear Paw Battlefield
American Prairie land overlaps one of the most historically significant river corridors in North America. Lewis and Clark passed through in May 1805, recording in their journals that the landscape was unlike anything in their experience. Fort Benton (3 hrs west via US-87): Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument starting point. Judith Landing State Park (new in 2025): historic confluence of Missouri and Judith rivers, six historic structures. Karl Bodmer’s 1833 paintings made at sites visible from the river. Bear Paw Battlefield (north of Havre): Chief Joseph’s 1877 surrender. 1.25-mile interpretive trail.
Pick up the BLM ‘Boater’s Guide to the Upper Missouri’ for mile-by-mile Lewis and Clark journal references.
Towns Around the Prairie
The prairie doesn’t exist in isolation. Central Montana has several small towns worth slowing down for — stop in for a homestyle meal, meet the folks who know the land, and support the local businesses that keep the prairie running.
Lewistown
The geographic center of Montana and heartbeat of the region. The National Discovery Center is here. There are multiple historic districts to explore, you can trout fish in Big Spring Creek, the Chokecherry Festival happens every September, and the Charlie Russel Chew Choo dinner train should be on everyone’s Montana bucket list. Lewistown is the jumping-off point for most prairie trips.
Malta
The gateway for the northern route across the prairie via Highway 2. The Great Plains Dinosaur Museum is excellent and you won’t want to skip out on a beer and burger at Blue Ridge Brewing Company. Bowdoin NWR is eight miles east and is one of the best birding sites on the prairie. Amtrak’s Empire Builder stops here daily.
Winifred
50 miles north of Lewistown en route to the PN. Hole in the Wall Adventures operates river floats and powerboat trips from here. Last chance to grab food, fuel, or groceries before landing at the PN.
Big Sandy
Located on Highway 87 roughly 40 miles north of where the Missouri meets the PN. Your last check in to the north with services before heading to the PN.
Fort Benton
Located 42 miles north of Great Falls on Highway 87, this historic and beautiful town is a perfect gateway to the Upper Missouri River Breaks from monument’s Western edge. Here, you’ll find the Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center, as well as the Grand Union Hotel, which has been operating since the 1880s.
Zortman
A small gold rush town in the Little Rocky Mountains about 45 miles southwest of Malta. Nearby access to BLM lands and welcomed outpost in the middle of the prairie.
Glasgow
The eastern gateway to the prairie. Features a regional airport (Cape Air), Amtrak stop, fuel and grocery options. Fort Peck Lake 18 miles south. Fort Peck Summer Theatre features live professional productions on summer weekends. The Montana Audubon Society hosts its annual Bird Festival out of Glasgow every June.
Winnett
The county seat of Petroleum County and least populous county in Montana. It’s the closest town to Crooked Creek and the southern edge of the CMR Refuge. The Winnett Bar is known for great steaks and burgers. War Horse National Wildlife Refuge offers birding and fishing largely unknown outside the region.
Havre
Located on Highway 2 on the northern edge of American Prairie’s operating area. ‘Havre Beneath the Streets’ is a must see if you’re passing through town. Havre has it and is a great staging point for Anchor, Bullwhacker, Cow Creek North and northern CMR access.
