Explore the Fort Belknap Reservation
Discover the breathtaking scenery of the Fort Belknap Reservation, where wide-open spaces and uncrowded landscapes invite you to connect with nature. Enjoy a safe and fun-filled experience for the whole family, with activities such as hiking, wildlife watching, cookouts, and stargazing under pristine Montana skies.
We proudly host several annual events, including the Milk River Indian Days (powwow), Little Peoples Creek Annual Celebration (powwow), Wasay Wakpa Wachi & Oshkaday (powwow & rodeo), and offer the unique opportunity to view the Snake Butte and Yellowstone buffalo herds. Our location also provides convenient access to national and tribally sponsored rodeo events.
For wildlife enthusiasts, we now offer designated bison viewing areas along Highway 66, featuring informative kiosk signage. You can view the Yellowstone bison herd as well as the Snake Butte herd, providing a rare chance to observe these majestic animals in their natural habitat, free from crowds and noise—an experience that state and national parks simply can’t match.
Stay and Experience More
Enhance your visit by staying in one of our Airbnb rentals or modern RV trailers. Online booking will be available soon, but for now, you can make reservations by contacting Pete Horse Capture at 406-301-0036 or 406-673-3002 or peter.horsecapture@fbcedc.org.
Guided Tours with Local Experts
Join George Horse Capture, Jr., our Tourism Director, and Peter Horse Capture, Tourism Assistant, for a guided exploration of the rich oral traditions and history of the Nakoda (Assiniboine) and Aaniiih (Gros-Ventre) peoples of the Fort Belknap Reservation. These one-of-a-kind tours offer a deep understanding of our heritage and the way of life on the reservation, leaving visitors with a meaningful connection to our culture.
Tour Information and Booking
Tour packages, times, and dates are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, with at least 48 hours’ notice required for all tours. For more information or to book a tour, please contact us:
Phone: 406-301-0036 or 406-301-3045
Email: fortbelknapcedc@gmail.com or Peter.horsecapture@fbcedc.org
We look forward to welcoming you to the Fort Belknap Reservation for an unforgettable experience!

Snake Butte Tour
A Landmark Along the Hi-Line
Snake Butte is situated about 10 miles south of Harlem, on the northern edge of the Fort Belknap Reservation. Those traveling through Harlem can catch a glimpse of Snake Butte, framed by the Little Rockies and Bear Paw Mountains to the south. While the Little Rockies lie 25 miles south of Snake Butte, the Bear Paws begin about 15 miles southwest. Part of the Bear Paw Mountains is visible in the right side of the image above. Snake Butte’s geology is intriguing, but the site also holds deep spiritual significance for the Nakoda (Assiniboine) and Aaniiih (Gros Ventre) and played a key role in one of Montana’s largest construction projects.
*Cultural & historical site, buffalo herd, rare bird species, walking trail, fishing & picnic sites

Mission Canyon in the Little Rockies Tour
Hidden Gem in the Little Rockies
Mission Canyon is lined with steep limestone cliffs, marked by numerous caves and natural bridges.
Located just outside of Hays, Montana, the Mission Canyon Natural Bridge is part of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, which is home to the Assiniboine (Nakoda) and Gros Ventre (Aaniiih) tribes and is the fourth largest reservation in Montana.
People’s Creek flows from the Little Rocky Mountains through Mission Canyon. Over countless years, the creek has shaped the landscape, creating impressive limestone walls, various caves, and the scenic Natural Bridge.

Sleeping Buffalo Rock Tour
Cultural & Historic Site
In 1922, a wildcatter, exploring for oil, encountered a tremendous flow of hot mineral water at 3200 feet and went broke trying to cap the flow. Legend has it that cowboys made use of the hot water for their Saturday night baths. A Saco rancher built a wooden tub around the water and soaked his polio-stricken son in the mineral water which is very similar to that of the Warm Spring, Georgia sanatorium made famous by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
In the early ‘30s, a joint partnership between the Soil Conservation Service and the Phillips County American Legion developed the complex with the help of Roosevelt’s Work Project Administration (WPA). Several permanent buildings of rock were erected, and the “Saco Health Plunge” became a prominent recreational facility.
Following a stoppage the previous year, a new well was drilled in 1958, and over 2500 visitors attended the grand opening of the “Malta Legion Health Plunge.” By now, everyone just called this favorite swimming place “The Plunge.” The following year, the disastrous West Yellowstone earthquake broke the well casing and another well had to be drilled.
The Sleeping Buffalo Recreation Association (SBRA) was formed in 1965, with Dennis Mahoney as President. The resort’s new name was in honor of a particular rock resembling a buffalo which signifies the staff of life for several Native American tribes, including the Chippewa, Cree, Assiniboine, and Sioux. This rock, which originally was part of a group of rocks that looked like a herd of buffalo from a distance, laid upon a ridge above Cree Crossing just a couple miles north of the resort. It was moved to the town of Malta, and later still too old U.S. Highway #2 south of the resort, where it was joined with the “Medicine Rock.” Today these ancient glacial boulders, which are listed on the National Record of Historic Places, are enshrined at the junction of Highway 2 and State Highway 243 and mark the entrance to the resort which is a short distance up the hill on the right. Nelson Reservoir and the Bureau of Reclamation Park on the left.
Reprinted from Sleeping Buffalo Resort brochure.

Bear Paw Battlefield Tour
Chief Joseph- Cultural & Historic Site
The Bear Paw Battlefield is the location of the final battle of the Nez Perce Flight of 1877. Following the breakout of war in Idaho, approximately 800 Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) spent a long and arduous summer fleeing U.S. Army troops first toward Crow allies and then toward refuge in Canada. After the skirmishes at Canyon Creek, the Nimiipuu arrived at C’aynnim Alikinwaaspa (Place of the Manure Fire, now known as the Bear Paw Battlefield), a mere forty miles short of the Canadian border. Following a five-day battle and siege, the Nimiipuu ceased fighting at Bear Paw on October 5th, 1877, in which Chief Joseph gave his immortal speech: "From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever."
Reprinted from the National Park Service webpage.

Red Whip Battlefield Tour
Historic Aaniiih Site "Battle of Bull Creek"
1909 – The Aaniiih (Gros Ventre) engaged a group of Crow and Lakota warriors south of the reservation. The site was named after Aaniiih (Gros Ventre) warrior, Red Whip, who killed twelve Lakota in the battle.