First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park

First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park, near the village of Ulm south-west of Great Falls, protects what may be the largest bison cliff jump in North America. The sandstone cliff, known as the Ulm Pishkun, runs for about a mile and stands 30 to 50 feet high. Below it, up to 18 feet of compacted bison bone and remains have built up over centuries of use.

Before horses reached the northern plains in the 1700s, hunters on foot used the lie of the land to drive herds toward the edge, where the animals fell and could be butchered for meat, hides, bone and sinew. Archaeological dating points to use from about 500 CE, with heavy use from around 900 CE, and Montana State Parks says Native peoples used the site for at least a thousand years before Lewis and Clark came up the Missouri. The park became a National Historic Landmark in 2015, and is one of only three protected buffalo jumps in Montana.

Start at the 6,000-square-foot visitor centre, which has exhibits on bison culture, a storytelling circle, a gallery and a bookstore. From there an interpretive trail leads along the base of the cliff, and a road and trail reach the top of the jump, where the view takes in the Rocky Mountain Front, the Missouri valley and the buttes around Great Falls. A black-tailed prairie dog town lies within the park's 1,481 acres, and there are outdoor fields used for traditional games.

The site is exposed, with no shade on top and little shelter from the wind, so carry water in summer and a warm layer the rest of the year. Montana State Parks suggests allowing at least two hours.

Since 16 September the park has been on winter hours: the visitor centre and the upper access area open Wednesday to Saturday 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday noon to 4 pm, and are closed Monday and Tuesday until summer hours return on 14 April 2027. The gates at the top of the jump can close in deep snow, so on a winter visit you may only reach the lower area.