Some places invite you in quietly—and stay with you long after you leave. The CSKT Bison Range is one of those places. Tucked against the Mission Mountains on the Flathead Indian Reservation, this 18,000-acre wildlife refuge offers wide-open grasslands and forested hillsides where visitors can spot bison, elk, deer, bears and countless bird species moving across the landscape. But the experience runs much deeper than wildlife viewing.
History Lives Here
The visitor center in Moiese tells the story of the Seli’š, Qlispé and Ksanka people—whose relationship with this land and with the buffalo stretches back since time immemorial. Their knowledge and cultural teachings continue to guide the way the refuge is cared for today. “With your experience here we try to incorporate our culture, language and values,” said Stephanie Gillin, Information and Education Program Manager for CSKT Natural Resources. Every drive, trail and overlook becomes an invitation to see the landscape through a tribal lens of respect, reciprocity and responsibility.
“With your experience here we try to
incorporate our culture, language and values
for your visit and what you'll be seeing”
Exploring the Bison Range
On the refuge itself, self-guided drives and walking trails highlight the diversity of its ecosystems. The Red Sleep Mountain Drive, open May through October, climbs in elevation to sweeping views and broad wildlife habitat, while the year-round Prairie Drive offers its own opportunities to see animals in wide-open grasslands. Interpretive signs throughout share insight into the Seli’š, Qlispé and Ksanka peoples’ relationship with this land and the animals that inhabit it. “It’s very inviting, it’s very calming, it’s very peaceful,” said Stephanie.
Buffalo: A Foundation of Tribal Life
Long before it was called the Bison Range, this land was home to the Seli’š, Qlispé and Ksanka people. “Our tribe…they were here historically. They were here before the Bison Range was formed,” Stephanie said. For thousands of years, the American bison—referred to as buffalo by many tribes—shaped cultural and spiritual traditions, providing food, shelter, tools and ceremony. As bison populations dwindled in the late 1800s due to westward expansion and overhunting, tribal members took extraordinary steps to protect and sustain them. Today, the CSKT Bison Range is home to roughly 350 head of bison and stands as both refuge and renewal, honoring generations of care and resilience.
“It's kind of off the beaten path so you kind of have to get off the beaten path to get here, but once you do, we have visitors who come back year after year. It's very inviting, it's very calming, it's very peaceful”
Strengthening Culture and Community
Restored to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes in 2020, the CSKT Bison Range reflects the return of a responsibility held for generations. Tribal stewardship guides the care of this place, strengthening cultural identity and creating meaningful opportunities to share history with visitors. “Having the Bison Range restored back has given us so much more knowledge about our history,” Stephanie noted. Here, restoration isn’t just ecological—it’s cultural, communal and deeply personal. Every visit offers a glimpse into the enduring connection between people, the land, and the wildlife that have long called it home.
