Madison Buffalo Jump State Park
Madison Buffalo Jump State Park – Three Forks, MT
9
JULY 2022
I stumbled upon Madison Buffalo Jump State Park on my way back from my July 2022 Glacier National Park hike. The Park is located in an area rich in Lewis and Clark history. I was killing time on my way back to Bozeman prior to my late-day flight to Indiana. Not long after I had left the Lewis and Clark Three Forks historic site, I saw a highway marker for Buffalo Jump. I knew a little bit about the Buffalo Jump history and had some time, so I decided to go check it out.
“As a history enthusiast, I could not miss a chance to check out this site. It is easy to access and provides a tasteful, informative, and simple glimpse into the past. The buffalo jump can be viewed directly from the parking area, but a short 1/4 mile hike will take you to a well-designed kiosk that provides information about the site.“ – Visitor Review
A brief history of the Madison Buffalo Jump site
Madison Buffalo Jump State Park is located seven miles south of the Interstate 90 interchange at Logan, Montana. The buffalo jump at Madison Buffalo Jump State Park was used by numerous Native American tribes for approximately 2000 years, dating as far back as 500 B.C. and ending around 1750 A.D. The indigenous peoples stampeded the herds of bison off the cliff without the aid of horses or guns. It is interesting to note that Europeans’ introduction of horses to North America ended the buffalo jumps. They used the bison for everything needed to sustain life. “Runners” wore buffalo, antelope, or wolf skins to lure the bison to the “pishkun” or cliff. The families of the runners would camp at the base of the cliff and process the bison.
Walk up to the interpretive kiosk – beware of rattlesnakes!
The parking lot for Madison Buffalo Jump State Park sits at the bottom of a hill. It is a short hike (quarter mile) uphill to the buffalo jump site and interpretive kiosk. The path to the kiosk is dirt and gravel. It is smooth, relatively wide, and well marked. You won’t get lost going up to the kiosk. The views of the Montana landscape surrounding the park from the trail are exceptional, and take your mind off the physical exertion. The area is known for its abundance of snakes. Rattlesnakes are common, and multiple signs warn you to keep an eye out for them. Numerous site reviews mentioned rattlesnake encounters so if you visit with pets or children, be especially careful. On the day I visited I didn’t see any snakes.
The Interpretive Kiosk
The interpretive kiosk sits at the summit of the climb up from the parking lot and at the base of the buffalo jump. There are seven different signs interpreting the site. To the left of the kiosk and looking north are: (1) Madison Buffalo Jump, and (2) A Successful Hunt. Looking east, toward the buffalo jump, are: (3) Landscape Scene Through Hunter’s Eyes, (4) Ingenius Hunters, and (5) Unearthing the Story. Looking south are: (6) The Real Work Begins, and (7) The Bounty of the Buffalo. I took my time and read each sign slowly as I absorbed the setting around me. It wasn’t difficult to imagine the scene at that site with each buffalo hunt. Excitement, enthusiasm, and adrenalin abounded. Life depended on what took place there.
Path up to the buffalo jump
A path goes past the kiosk and leads you down to the base of the buffalo jump. It then proceeds up to the runner’s plateau. I started to get short on time, and I wasn’t dressed for a long, exposed hike, so I skipped the plateau path. Unlike the well-marked path up from the parking lot, the path that goes up to the cliff and plateau is not marked at all and is difficult to follow. All the reviews I read from people who had taken the cliff path lost the trail and eventually turned around. If you decide to take it, be prepared for some off-trail adventure, rattlesnakes, and bushwacking (and take plenty of water).
Conclusion – Madison Buffalo Jump State Park
I would give the Madison Buffalo Jump State Park a three out of five-star rating. Even so, I recommend stopping by for a brief visit if you have the time. It’s a beautiful area, the views of the surrounding countryside are great, and the trails are easy to navigate (well, at least the trail to the kiosk). Though there isn’t a ton to see, the history is intriguing, even though it’s quite ancient. My visit left me with a bit of much-appreciated exercise and historical knowledge. It was well worth the time and effort to make the stop.
