Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 26 on a pre-selected outcropping or a crack in the wall as the bodies of the frenzied herd soared over him and plummeted to the ground below. Despite their athleticism and skill, na- tive runners did not always reach their intended safety point. Many of the falling bison died upon impact, while others were dispatched by hunters waiting at the base of the cliff. Native peoples also generally constructed wooden corrals made of tightly-woven branches and twigs to contain surviv- ing members of the herd until the hunters reached them. Much of the butchering and processing was handled by women. They hacked thousands of pounds of meat into chunks and moved them to campsites either on their backs or with a dog travois, then got to work cooking, preserving, and converting the bison into essential tools and supplies. Native peoples burned the remaining carcasses before de- parting the area for the season. STEP BACK IN TIME Present-day Montana is home to approximately 300 buffa- lo jump sites. Many of the jumps were utilized for thousands of years up until the 18th century, when European settlers and explorers introduced horses to the area and altered hunting practices forever. Three of those sacred sites are now protected and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. FIRST PEOPLES BUFFALO JUMP STATE PARK This mile-long sandstone cliff, lo- cated near Great Falls, is believed to be the largest buffalo jump site in North America. The cliff drop rang- es between 30 and 50 feet, and an estimated 18 feet of bison bones are still com- pacted at its base. The archeological site is part of a 1,481-acre park and is accessible via a 3.5-mile hike. Take in stunning panoram- ic views of the Missouri River Valley, the Rocky Mountain Front, the Highwood Mountains, the Big Belt Mountains, and the Little Belt Mountains from the top. Visitors have the opportunity to see pictographs, remnants of drive lines and sweat lodges, and a black-tailed prairie dog town. This site also features a 6,000-square-foot visitor center filled with educational exhibits, traditional games, a story- telling circle, and a bookstore. First People's Buffalo Jump State Park, located at 432 Ulm- Vaughn Road, is a 20-minute drive from Great Falls and less than three miles northwest of Ulm. WAHKPA CHU'GN BUFFALO JUMP This site sits a short distance from the Bear Paw Mountains along the Milk River in north-central Mon- tana. It was named in honor of the Assini- boine term for "Milk River." Some consider it to be the best preserved and most extensive bison hunting ground bone deposit in the region. The mass kill site is the first jump to ever be interpreted for the public. In features a 20-foot wall of bison bones preserved exactly as archeologists uncovered them, as well as the rem- nants of a wooden bison corral. Roasting pits and stone boil- ing pits are also features of the one-hour guided tours at this site. Visitors can try their hand at throwing the traditional at- latl, which was used by the Besant peoples when they hunted the area. Wahkpa Chu'gn Buffalo Jump is located on the west end of Havre, just behind the Holiday Village Shopping Center. MADISON BUFFALO JUMP The 638-acre Madison Buffalo Jump Park features a spec- tacular, semicircular limestone cliff with views of the Madi- son River Valley from the plateau. Scattered arrowheads and bison bones remain buried at the base of the jump, and arche- ologists have uncovered tipi rings indicating the site was once home to an extensive village. The park has opportunities for hiking, photography, wildlife viewing, and much more. Madison Buffalo Jump is located approximately 13 miles southeast of Three Forks and seven miles south of Logan. WAHKPA CHU'GN BUFFALO JUMP

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