National Bison Range from Missoula

The National Bison Range, established in 1908 as one of America's first federal wildlife refuges, protects a free-roaming bison herd on 18,500 acres of native bunchgrass prairie in the Mission Valley of northwestern Montana, 50 miles north of Missoula on US-93. The refuge occupies gently rolling hills above the southern approaches to Flathead Lake, with panoramic views of the Mission Mountains to the east — one of Montana's most dramatic wilderness skylines. The primary visitor experience is the Prairie Drive, a 19-mile one-way gravel loop that climbs from valley floor through open grassland to a ridge-top viewpoint before descending back to the entrance. The drive takes 90 minutes to two hours depending on stops, and bison are frequently encountered at close range from the vehicle; federal regulations require remaining inside the car and maintaining a 50-foot buffer from all wildlife. Beyond bison, the refuge supports white-tailed and mule deer, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, elk, black bear, and over 200 bird species including western meadowlarks and ferruginous hawks. The visitor center at the refuge entrance has exhibits on bison conservation history and the near-extinction and recovery of the American bison from fewer than 1,000 animals at the turn of the 20th century. From Missoula, the drive north takes one hour on US-93 through the Flathead Indian Reservation, with Ronan as the closest town for fuel and food. The National Bison Range is now jointly administered by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes under a 2020 agreement returning management to tribal stewardship — a significant milestone in the history of the refuge and the broader movement toward Indigenous land management. Entrance is $10 per vehicle. The Prairie Drive is open daily from April through October; a shorter 5-mile loop operates during winter when the long loop closes.