Sacred Heart Mission
Photo courtesy: John Ansotegui
Rest Area
Photo courtesy: MTOT
Visitor Center
Photo courtesy: Fort Belknap Visitor Center
Fort Belknap is agency headquarters for the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in the eastern half of Blaine County. The Gros Ventre and the Assiniboine, who were former enemies, have lived together on the reservation since it was set aside for them in 1887.
The combined reservation and additional tribal lands encompass 705,067 acres of the plains and grasslands of north-central Montana. Guided tours are available to Snake Butte, Mission Canyon, Bear Gulch and St. Paul's Mission. Snake Butte is the imposing wall of rock that looms over the 10,000-acre buffalo reserve. It has great cultural significance to the tribes, and petroglyphs and tipi rings can be found there. Every summer the Milk River Indian Days is held in Fort Belknap featuring a powwow with drummers, dancing, and music of Native American culture.
Watchable wildlife in the area include bison, deer, antelope, golden eagles, migratory waterfowl and upland birds. Visitors travel to several excellent wildlife viewing sites, including a large prairie dog town that is a site for the highly endangered black-footed ferret.
