The best camping in First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park, MT

Take a trip back in time on the great plains where Native Americans once used strategic drive strategies to hunt buffalo. The day-use First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park features a long cliff where Indigenous peoples successfully drove buffalo for thousands of years, and below the cliff, nearly 20 feet of buffalo remains show the success of this hunting strategy. Today, a large visitor’s center shares the cultural heritage of the region with detailed descriptions of the archaeological site, storytelling circles, and a bookstore. The cliff itself offers amazing views of the plains and the Missouri River with distant mountains revealing the Rocky Mountain Front.

First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park is a day-use only park with no overnight camping, but visitors can find camping options nearby.

• Best for groups: Montana Country & Stone Farms offers tent and RV sites with unique stone barns available as vacation rentals.
• Best for country living: Stone Lodge Pastures sits on a tranquil farm with convenient access to the Missouri River, Great Falls, and First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park.
• Best for RVs: Wild Sky’s Homestead offers several RV sites on the Missouri River with acres of private space.

The park remains open year-round with day-use-only restrictions. From April 12 to September 12, park hours run from 8am to 6pm every day. Winter hours with Monday and Tuesday closures begin September 14 and continue through March 31. Summer and fall offer the best time to visit, as no snow restricts access to the Buffalo Jump during this time. Winter, meanwhile, is dependent on snow conditions and drifting snow—the area can be windy and snow can accumulate on the cliffs, restricting access.

1. First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park is a day-use only park, but the surrounding area has many private and public campgrounds.
2. The park is ADA accessible with developed facilities like flush and vault toilets.
3. Leashed pets are allowed in the park.
4. Take advantage of the visitor’s center’s interpretive displays and self-guided tour maps to learn about the history throughout the park.
5. Upland bird hunting and bowhunting for big game are allowed in the park. Be cautious of this during the fall months when hunters are present.