Reviews of National Bison Range (Tourist Attraction)

58355 Bison Range Rd, Charlo, MT 59824, United States

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Here you will see all the information of people like you who are purchasing the products of National Bison Range (Tourist Attraction) near to the state of Montana.

Nowadays this business has a score of 4.8 over 5 and that score is based on 1213 reviews.

As you can see its rating is almost the best one, and it's based on a large number of feddbacks, so we may conclude that the rating is very accurate. If people have bothered to give their opinion when they are happy with the business, it works.

As you know, we do not usually bother to set tatings when these are good and we usually do it only if we have had a problem or incidence...

This Tourist Attraction is included in the category of Wildlife refuge.

Where is National Bison Range?

REVIEWS OF National Bison Range IN Montana

Cindy Doyle

Amazing! Get up close and personal with Bison right from your car window. Beautiful drive, lots of wildlife to view. Drive around as much as you like for the day. Can't believe it's only $5 day use fee. Make sure you drop a donation off in visitor center. I definitely got more than I expected to see. Highly recommend to anyone passing through Montana.

Jason L

What a great tour. I visited in early September and my hope was to see a few animals. I took the long route which is about 2 hours and started around 5 PM so it ended around 7 PM which is prime evening feeding time. Park closes at dark and you must arrive with enough time to complete the loop so make sure to check the website and leave enough time for at least 2 hours. I saw 3 Bears ( Mom & Cub + 1 more), lots of Bison, a massive herd of Elk including 5 monster bulls, nice Whitetail Buck and several Does, and quite a few antelope. The road is gravel and passable in a car, it might be bumpy but I saw several cars on the tour. Make sure to bring Binoculars if you have them. The animals specifically Bears at times can be a ways out, but easily seen with Binoculars. I saw a place outside the park advertising they rent Binoculars but I'm not sure of any details. The landscape allows for viewing long distances. I have a National Park Pass so cost was covered. There is a charge if you dont have a pass but I'm not sure how much. Enjoy the ride, roll slow and watch the animals appear. Choose an appropriate start time of the day, my guess is early morning or evening is better then middle of the day.

Steve Cisetti

We found this place just passing through. After talking to the staff in the visitor center, we took the shorter 2-way path because we couldn't afford the 2-hour full path. We actually got to the end of the short path in about 15 minutes (half of the full path). We could have easily done the long path in less than 2 hours. We did see one bison on the short path which was incredible. Wish we took the long path to hopefully see more.

Shall McHinther

If you love driving and love nature you will enjoy this visit. We saw a bison who was bedded down about 30 feet from us, a bear off in the distance, and tons of other bison, antelope and deer! We were satisfied with our visit here!!

Kristine Anderson

Didn't see many buffalo but the drive around the mountain was definitely a memorable experience.

Alicia E

Awesome view of animals. Up close and personal, loved every moment! Will return ASAP ❤

Sharon Chafin

What a fabulous experience driving thru the range, seeing many bison and driving up to the top for a wonderful view of the valley that was forged from a Glacier many years ago!

Amber Georgeou

A bunch of us came to the area on business and made sure to drive through the National Bison Range. Got in just before 6:30pm in late July so we got to drive the longer way through the park (gate closed at 7pm so we we're one of the past ones that night). There are beautiful lookouts here and plenty of opportunity to see bison. Some will be farther away others will be at the roadside. You are quite likely to see a bit more than bison while you're here too so a word of advice - If there is still time when you're reading this review, grab your binoculars now! You'll be glad you did for the animals which aren't right by the roadside. Enjoy and be safe.

Tammy Rogers

It is a very beautiful drive. Very fun to see the animals. I was surprised at how cheap it was to get in. I wish there was a gift shop on site. The one across the street was nice, but very limited on choices for kids.

Carol Vartian

A great place to see wildlife and be outdoors. The information area was very helpful. Great for all ages.

Marsha Hughes

We loved the place mainly because it isnt commercialized. Beautiful views!

Kimberly Perry

Absolutely amazing. Such beautiful terrain and wildlife around everywhere. Saw lots of Bison, a buck, a few Prong Horn, birds ...

Aric Reutlinger

Great drive through the park. Saw a brown bear, many bison, deer, and an elk!

Sam Kelsall

Saw 150 elk on one side of a hill and about 70 bison on the other side and a few prong horns. A native american couple had binoculars which the shared with all that stopped. Great stop

Alexander Leiva

Visited here about 2 months back and even though it was out of season you can see the Bison and get great pictures. It is a very well maintained park and even though the off road trail isnt paved you can still easily get around with a worry. (saw a lot of sedans on the trail)

Jason C

5 stars for the scenic drive and the jaw dropping view. NOT for the bison! Saw less than 15 bison. Rotten luck maybe? They were all scattered in groups of 2 or 3. Very disappointing. Expected to see a huge herd of 100 or more. Go early in the morning to avoid the crowds and to ensure you don't get stuck behind a slow moving car. Pack lunch and have lunch at the mile long hike at stop #6. It's only a short 20m hike up.

Menno Swartzentruber

Great place to go sight seeing and beautiful animals. Bisons, elk, bear, and deer.

Stefanie Dowdy

I did not drive through, only gathered for a family picnic. Great venue for it! Beautiful weather, watch out for game poop!

michael roth

Awesome place this time of year. Seen 4 black bears and 1 brown bear ,and 20 elk. Take the binos and do some flashing and you'll see alot.

Carolyn webb

Beauty abounds, whether it be scenery or wildlife. Never a disappointment to make that drive.

Chris Smith

Pretty, affordable $5/car, you can see animals but not really a huge mass of critters.

Md. Tarikul Islam Papon

It was a nice experience. The range is well maintained and you can see bison, antelope, deer etc.

Nick Burns

Great place to take the whole family rain or shine.

Michael Cassens

One of my favorite places on Earth. Today was an incredible day with close-ups with not only bison, but also a moose. Highly recommend you visit!

Rachel Shamp

What a wonderful experience! Such a fantastic time! Totally worth the trip!

Stephanie Watts

Always a great way to spend your day! Its super cheap costing only $5 per car. There is a day use area that is wonderful for picnics.

Vicki Marcum

What a great time. Will be going again

Jim Arnold

Good visitor center. Can take long or short route. Within 20 minutes saw elk, antelope and many bison with calf. So cool seeing the magnificent animals up close.

Nick Stevens

Funny place to bring the kids or even just a trip for adults. Lots of wildlife and great views. We seen bears antelope, elk, and deer. If you haven't been there and want to see some wildlife I highly recommend it.

R. McGill

This is a hidden Montana treasure. It was amazing seeing buffaloes, and various other wildlife just existing in the world.

David Harrison

Always a joy going here. You never know what animals you will see.. I have gotten closer to many different animals here than I ever will anywhere else. Also the park has a lot of history about the area and really gives you an idea about how it was during the ice age. If you are in the area this is a must see place to go!

Charles Honaker

I would recommend going in the morning or evening for maximum animal viewing. October is the best time of the year to see the big elk and bison.

Shannon Taggart

This was amazing! The roads were well maintained and you were able to see tons of Bison quite closely from the comfort of your car. You could spend 2-3 hours driving around.i was really impressed. Definitely worth the visit.

Kayla Brist

First time there and I was impressed. The person at the visitor center was friendly and nice as well

Taryn Molitor

We always love our time here! Even though today we didn't spot many animals until the other side of the drive--mule deer, bison with babies (so cute!), elk, Golden eagle, pronghorn--we had a fabulous time, and the weather was amazing. Road is already REALLY dusty, so just be aware! :)

Amber Pinkerton

LOVED this little scenic drive! Lots of bison up close. Beautiful views on the bigger loop. We had no idea what we were doing or where to go and the people working in the visitor center didn’t seem interested in helping, but we still figured it out and had a great time!

Judy Varns

Went just yesterday. Mid Aug 2019. Fantastic! Just sit in your vehicle and drive the 15 miles of wildlife viewing! We saw single and herds of bison. We viewed bears in fall activity eating as much as they could. Even close up! Saw an 8pt elk. What a beauty!! Saw many deer. Some coyotes. Easy driving. Even cars can do it.

Louis Richmond

Nice wildlife viewing make sure you take your time to see the bison.

Russell Rogers

We were driving back from Glacier National Park and after striking out on seeing a wild bear at either Glacier or Yellowstone during our week-long vacation we decided to ask a local where to go so my nephew could see a bear in the wild. We were told to go to National Bison Range; and with that we were off. When we got to the visitors center we heard someone who just finished their journey talking to an associate about seeing the bears recently, plus the associates told us exactly where we should see the elusive creatures. Jackpot! Well... not exactly. We looked all over the place and couldn't find a single bear. We did see bison (including babies), some scattered deer-like animals, and maybe some elk from a distance. Outside of not seeing any bears, I don't think we were fully prepared for what we were getting into with this range. The location is HUGE and the drive (mostly single lane) winds up and down some pretty steep hills with not a guard rail to be seen. So if you're squeamish of heights or have poor brakes you should probably stay away. The amount of animals we saw on our trip were pretty small compared to the vastness of the park and there were many times that we'd stop on the road and scan a huge hillside for a few minutes to not see anything at all. After the slow meandering 2 hour drive through the park with barely anything seen I think we just started to mentally check out and try to make our way out of the park. The baby bison close to the beginning were cute and the large herd of bison at the end were neat, but they were only about 15 minutes of our long adventure. It just wasn't our lucky day I guess and while the inexpensive entrance fee was generous; I don't think we could say that our visit was very entertaining to spend 2 hours on; even if we saw a bear. FYI, Junior Ranger collectors. There are no badges here, but you can get a stamp for the book.

Timothy DeHaven

This is an amazing refuge to be able to see so many animals. We saw bison, elk, deer, and many more. The scenic drive is well worth the 5 dollars because you see more than just animals.

Leen Khatib

Man, that guy who saw 15 bisons was lucky. We only saw 6 on the longer drive. However, the trails are fun with breathtaking views. Make sure to do them all!

MERCY FLORES KILLINS

Went there June 26, 2019. Seen (1) grizzly bear , (24) bison and (7) antelope. Nice relaxing day with fantastic views! Highly recommended!

Haleigh Hodgson

It's peaceful, quiet, and there are a few hiking trails to visit. It's certainly a beautiful place to visit! I recommend on packing a lunch and drinks if you're to visit.

Dennis Milich

Always worth the trip. This time we saw a couple of bears - a smaller one was near the road so everyone in the area got good pictures. Also saw coyote, deer, elk, antelope and the highlight was a big crossing of bison. There must have been 80 including a bunch of calves. Awesome!!!

Sharon Neilson

Fantastic drive on the long loop! Saw a couple herds of whitetail deer, elk, antelope, bison and a variety of birds and insects. It was SO green (mid-May) with the snow-capped mission mountains in the background.

Molly Sullivan

Definitely worth your time and $5 (per vehicle). If you have a few hours, take the entire loop. The first leg climbs to offer awesome views of the surrounding area. Even if you don't see bison, it's worth the panoramic views. The best part of course is seeing the bison graze or wallowing in the dirt. They're incredible beasts and this was a great experience. We encountered lots of birds, a few deer, and about a dozen bison along the drive.

Roy Loftfield

Amazing opportunity to see bison and others in their native habitat. Even if they are elusive on the day you visit, the drive is pretty amazing just for it's views and terrain.

Sarah Still

Pretty amazing. First time here and I saw a grizzly bear within the first 10 minutes, a huge mule deer buck, and honestly probably 75-100 bison.

itsyaboinadia

Relaxing yet engaging drive-through. Saw bison, pronghorn antelope and deer. Fascinating information center.

Simeon

Had a great time seeing the wild life! You can see deer, possibly elk or antelope, and of course, the bison. It’s a nice place to go with the family if you want to see some wild life. I suggest going when it’s cooler so that the animals are out more. None the less, it’s been my second time going and it’s been just as fun.

Deri Wheeler

I've been there many times it's a nice little day trip when your looking to relax

Ashlin Lily

Love coming here and seeing all the wild life.

dianne reinhardt

The 2-hour loop was the way to go. That's where we saw the bisons up close. On the one-hour loop, they were all far away. It's a great thing to be able to watch them through all seasons.

Terry Lowe

It's like a safari in Montana. Drivable and plenty of wildlife to see and photograph.

Jessica Hinkle

We spent 4-5 hours here. It was spectacular!

Tammy Jeffers

Kind of disappointing. We saw very little wildlife but the scenery was beautiful

the write Side

Very cool. For five dollars you can drive through the range and see some bison and other wildlife up close. Gorgeous views of the area too. Give yourself about two hours. People, PLEASE stay in your car like it says. It is a wildlife refuge, not a petting zoo. The people that were getting out and running up to the animals to try to take pictures were putting themselves and the animals in danger. You're also scaring the animals away, which means you ruin it for all the people coming after you who now don't get to see the animals you scared away.

James Knight

We've been to Montana three times now the last time bringing our grandchildren never went to this Bison Range until this last time and I don't know how we could have missed this very educational the wild life viewing was great there were quite a few people when we went but it went smoothly you can choose from a drive from a 1 hour to a 2-hour viewing Trail to take or road to take love the educational center

Nick Huemmer

Highly recommended. There’s abundant wildlife besides the bison and it’s really special to see so many bison enjoying themselves in this habitat.

Henny Jansen

Nature at her best. My family and I take the 3 hour drive from home many times a year to visit and drive through the beautiful landscape. We saw 2 bears too!!

Boston Rattigan

Awesome! We took the mountain ride. Spent 4 hours. Saw bison deer elk antelope and a bear. Well worth it.

Kim Robinson

Took our grandsons there for the first time we love the Bison Range the picnic area is always clean and kids have a great time running around we got to see plenty of animals this time Bears included, it's a great place to take the family for the day

jason cardwell

To drive a beautiful park and see nature just walking around is amazing seeing bison,deer,antelope and birds but no bears on this trip. Thanks American.

Heather Gutierrez

Loved all 2 hours of the peaceful drive! We went early in the season so almost had the place to our self. Beautiful country and the Bison are impressive they still look like bison, not been bred with cow, from the look of them, where as Custer State Park in South Dakota the Bison have lost some of their size and look more "cowish"

Neil Watkins

This place is beautiful. You get to see bison, deer, elk, and pronghorn. And if your lucky, maybe a bear or hawk.

Anacaona Greer

It's awesome to drive 2 hours around the mountains and see a bunch of bisons.

Sara Frich

We had a great time. The views are incredible. Got a season pass for 15$

Andras Gruber

It's not the place to see bison herds. Drive on a dusty road near fences and private properties, and then turn around and drive back - you won't see much. Nice little park at the entrance.

Jami Townsend

This place was beyond perfect! We saw everything but a moose! Even a black bear! It was well worth the drive from Idaho! Will be back every year

Amanda Done

Take the longer loop and take your time. It's about 2 hours. There's a great picnic spot. And a visitor center. Different seasons offer different animals and greenery. Summertime is busy with tourists, of course, so a measure of patience is required. Went with 4yo and 2yo and everyone had a good time looking for animals and learning about the refuge.

Joe Alonso

My son and I drove around the range for a couple of hours we get to see a lot of Buffalo and different Wildlife birds birds of prey and dear. It was a great outing beautiful views I suggest to take both routes on the that goes to the right up the hills and the other one down the Lower Valley to the left. It's definitely worth the time to check it out.

Ever 1881

This place is awesome. The views alone are amazing even if some of the wildlife is hard to see in the distance. Completely worth it. Can be done safely and much faster than 2 and a half hours for sure.

Nicala Casas

Great adventure for our large group..didn't cost. Seen a ton of wild life including bison, elf, dear, sheep, fish, and some. Got close enough to touch most of the animals ..super cool

El Viejo Gonzalez

This location, Bison Range Rd Charlo MT had it all, a well established welcome and information center. It has a loop road that will take you an hour to two hours to navigate on some major elevation changes. There were Bison of course, elk, antelope, deer, black bear and even saw a rattlesnake.

Robert Taylor

This is national Park you drive your car through the park. It about a 4 hour drive. You can see for miles from the mountain tops. You can see bision. Elk, deer, antalope and smaller animals. There I'd also a building with old items and mounted wild life.

monte kusler

Excellent Adventure! Casual drive. Saw Buffalo, bear, antelope,deer. No crowds. Good drive up from Missoula. Good history about Lake Missoula. and the ice dams that formed North Idaho and western Washington.

Dan Farkas

Pretty neat place to see bison up close. Not very busy at all. Go for the big loop. Its better.

Liz Fehrenbacher

Beautiful. Lots of Bison. Three different trails to take. Hiking is an option. We did the hour due to time constraints. Earlier outs good because the Bison are on the move.

S. Hamblin

Saw bears, many bison, golden eagles, a coyote. Take the long drive well worth the time.

Amanda Truitt

This was a very nice drive! We saw several animals. I definitely recommend it!

Joyce Wagner

Saw bison, elk, mule deer, antelope and white tailed deer. Took the 2 hour route. Well worth it.

Jill Jaeger

Lovely drive. Maintained road with lots of visible wildlife. The visitor center was nice and the worker was helpful. Pit toilets near the top. A few nice walking trails but near and bison are a threat always so respect the space.

Julie Mazelin

It was an excellent drive. Very beautiful views of the valley. Watched a young bear cub in a tree, saw herds of buffaloes and elk. We went around 6 in the evening and we took the high road.

Kristen Grove

What an awesome place. Plenty of animals too see.

Jared Janke

Absolutely fantastic. One Bison came within 10ft of the car. Spotted plenty of deer and a moose. Did the whole loop. Was nice drive. Few bison spotted on big loop but majority was on the short part.

Brotha Jay

Saw a ton of Bison and massive Bull Elk that were right on the road or crossing. To see them that close and to hear them bugle was amazing

Zack Hussain

"American Safari"... an expedition to observe Bisons in their natural habitat...and most of the time you have the whole Range to yourself because most of the people either don't go there or can't find their way to the Range...plan to go there as early as possible when wildlife is most active.

Jamal Dawud

Great views throughout our drive through journey! The visitors center is full of knowledge and detailed exhibits, with friendly helpful staff!! We saw Elk, Bison, a Brown Bear and the beautiful countryside on our tour!!! Explore your world, there is a lot to see...

Jenavieve Vachal

We saw so may different animals. I was fun to see all the land and animals. I go every year with my family. This year was the first year that we saw bears. I would go again some time soon.

cheryl rosolie

Lots of bison of course. Also saw elk, pronghorn, and deer. Did not see any bears but that is nature

Tony Ralston

Beautiful place. So nice to see the wild animals roaming free like it used to be.

James Nation

Amazing! Passed by on our way from Yellowstone and didn’t expect to be able to get such a close experience. So many bison to see.

Mary Beth Donaldson

This was an amazing place. We saw lots of animals. The scenery was gorgeous. We are so glad we stopped by and did this drive.

Brian Schumacher

I'll be back! Lots of wildlife in 17 miles. I saw Elk, Deer, Antelope, a Wolf and a lot of up close and personal Bison. I just missed a black bear " the party in Front of me proudly showed me the pics." There are hiking trails, restrooms at the entrance and at the summit. The visitors center staff are very freinldy and knowledgeable. I've got the layout now and I'll be spending hours shooting photos.

Ty Walsh

Nice little excursion away from the highway. It's accessible from both directions coming north and south. Be on the lookout for elk too. We saw a large one in the campground just relaxing. If you drive the main road, which is gravel, all the way to the end there's a coral and a barn. Check the website because they may have an event going on. Schools often take field trips to the National Bison Range.

ironman80us

Worth seeing. It's a very scenic drive through the park. The clerk at the visitor center was very helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable. I didn't see a ton of bison, but there were some right on the roadway.

Marilyn

Take binoculars!!! This drive is so worth it! If you want to see the most animals, its best to go early morning or evening. We saw deer, elk, bison, of course and a huge brown bear! One bull bison gave us a show by snorting, pawing the ground and then rolling back and forth on its side in the dust. We saw most of the animals after we came down from the summit...when it was getting dark! Plan on two or hours...rest rooms at the summit.

Kristine Tappe

We saw 9 deer, 9+ antelope, 4 awesome bull elk, 3 black bear and 3 bison on the Prairie drive. Make sure you take binoculars!

Sara Borley

Always beautiful, you always get to see some diffrent kind of animal especially bison. And you get to see for miles little towns and scenery.

Mikel McGee

Nice spot to take the kids. Was 103 degrees this day.

Christopher Comer

Beautiful scenery and wildlife. Well worth the trip!

Aimee Gerold

Tons of wildlife early in the morning: bison, pronghorn, deer, and a cinnamon black bear when we went. Driving only -- the wildlife are pretty close! A couple of short trails to walk around, but be alert!

Will Seward

Small, but beautiful park. Great opportunity to see some animals!

kare more

This is close to our home so we visit frequently and make a donation each time. Bring your lunch and chill at the park too, you may get to hang with the elk

jim kotch

Great views. Tons of animals. One way road for most of the ride so its easier for driver to see animals.

Outdoor Adventure

Great place to visit, you can spend hours or days here. Take a camera and food and explore. All kinds of nature to see. One of the hidden gems of Montana and the whole west a must see and visit.

Celie Aylesworth

We saw a grizzly bear! He was a long way away, but still. .We also saw deer, an elk, and buffalo, of course. Fun day!

Sherri Jorge

A very cool place to visit if your in the area. We didn’t go far out of our way on our family road trip and we loved the long route! We saw two baby brown bears and several bison!

Stephen Smith

Very beautiful country to drive through. Go ahead and take about 2 hours of your day and do the main loop, it's worth it!!

Steven Smith

Well worth it. $5 per car. It was worth $5 a person. It is lots of time in the car, so get out and do the short 2 or 3 hikes when you get a chance.

Jessica Mueller

My fiancé & I keep coming back here! It is awesome and one of our favorite stops in Montana!

Mary Lee

Maybe not the most popular National Park but my family enjoyed the shorter drive (all packed gravel, down and back on the same road) and saw lots of bison, a couple elk and deer, and a few antelope. The bison were quite active so it was fun to watch! The drive would probably take 30 minutes if you didn't stop, but there were lots of animals to look at so it took longer.

Rob Bates

Been here lots of times through-out the years; this is the 1st Time seeing So Many BISON ,so much worth the trip this year ! ! ! "Please Take The 19 mile drive" plan time to spend 2 hours or more in park. if staying in Missoula is about a hour drive to the park.

Erik Hovland

If you want to see bison, this is your best chance. Stop by the visitors center and ask where the herd is that day. They will know almost exactly where. You might also catch sight of elk. Check this place out if you are close.

Michael DeYoung

Fantastic way to spend a day trip. The main drive through the park is about a 2 hours drive if you go slow and make stops to check out the wildlife. There are a couple areas you can get out and do short hikes as well and a rest stop about halfway through drive. There's a day spot for lunches and more, a walking trail with ponds and plants to check out. In the park you'll of coarse see Buffalo as well as many more wildlife (black bear, brown bear, antelope, deer, several species of bird, Chipmunks, etc) you may not see all of them on any individual trip but they all hang out in the park. My wife and I have made our way with our kids every year for 10+ years, and will continue to make the trip as I said before, it's a great way to spend a day!

Mary Richardson

Great natural park to see the wildlife in their habitat. Friendly staff. cCean bathrooms at the visitor center. We saw bison, antelope, ground squirrels, hawks, bear, and deer. Beautiful views of the nearby mountains and valleys as well.

Samantha Platkowski

Just a short trip from Kalispell, this park was well worth the trip. Lots of wildlife, beautiful vistas and a nice picnic area.

Dave Smith

So much to see and enjoy, take the time to drive the loop you won't be disappointed

Business Hours of National Bison Range in Montana

SUNDAY
6AM–9:30PM
MONDAY
(COLUMBUS DAY) 6AM–9:30PM HOURS MIGHT DIFFER
TUESDAY
6AM–9:30PM
WEDNESDAY
6AM–9:30PM
THURSDAY
6AM–9:30PM
FRIDAY
6AM–9:30PM
SATURDAY
6AM–9:30PM

PHONE & WEBPAGE

National Bison Range en Montana
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