National Bison Range Montana - August 2014

Don't miss the amazing wildlife in the National Bison Range in Montana! 

It was a beautiful Sunday in Missoula, Montana.  The only problem was that we had just

hiked 12+ miles the previous day and our legs were literally shot.  We certainly didn't want to spend the entire day inside so we decided to take a road trip north towards Kalispell, Montana.

We headed out of Missoula heading north on 93.  We weren't 30 minutes en-route until we saw the sign for

A Bison relaxes by the side of the road

the Montana National Bison Range.  Why not?  We had no schedule - TripAdvisor reviews looked good - so we went to check it out.

The Montana Bison Range is a beautiful wide open area of land set aside by the government nearly a century ago.  There is a 20 mile smooth dirt road that you drive through the area.  For a gravel road, it is generally pretty smooth.  There were also very few people when we were there so it made for a nice drive.  There are a few small places to walk, but there is no hiking in the Montana National Bison Range and you are not

Expansive views in the National Bison
Range, Montana

supposed to get out of your car except at designated areas.  Surprisingly that even though the speed limit is 25, you are generally going to be moving slow as there is so much to see in the Bison Range. Along with the wildlife, the drive also offers you beautiful expansive views in all directions for almost the entire drive.

We saw tons of Bison.  A few of them even right up close sitting near the road.  Giant herds off in the distance, playing in the fields...it was quite the sight.  Then there were plenty of pronghorn antelope, deer and a couple of bighorn sheep.  The highlight of our trip to the Bison Range was without a doubt getting to see a mama black bear and her two cubs.  We sat and enjoyed

Sow black bear cruising in the Bison Range

watching the bear cubs for a good 15 minutes - climbing and playing up and down a seriously tall pine tree.  Just enjoying themselves.  After a while, the mother bear comes walking in from across the field.  While she appeared brown, based on her size and features she was most certainly a black bear.  We stayed in the car and she paid no attention to us as she walked closer.  She eventually strolled by and the cubs followed her off into the forest.  It was truly amazing to be able to watch these animals in the wild with the bears seemingly unaware of our presence even though we were within 50 yards the entire time.

If you're in the area, spending a couple hours in the National Bison Range in Montana is certainly time well spent.

Pronghorn antelope, National Bison Range, Montana

Bull Bison, close up and personal!

Another shot of the black bear from across the field