FIRST PEOPLES BUFFALO JUMP STATE PARK
First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park and National Historic Landmark is an archaeological site with possibly the largest bison cliff jump in North America.
Native peoples used this site for at least a thousand years before Lewis and Clark passed through here. The bison jump site consists of a mile long sandstone cliff there are remnants of drive lines on top of the cliff and there are up to 18 ft. of compacted buffalo remains below the cliff. The park has an interpretive trail, picnic tables and a black-tailed prairie dog town to help the visitor better understand the epic history of hunting on the high plains.
In an effort to pay homage to the buffalo and the people who honor this mighty animal, First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park has a terrific on-site education Visitor Center. The 6,000 square foot center offers visitors buffalo culture exhibits, a storytelling circle, classroom, gallery and bookstore. An outdoor amphitheater and traditional games playing fields are featured outdoors.
For hundreds of years, Indians stampeded buffalo over the mile-long cliff. Now, the top of the jump provides expansive panoramic views of the Rocky Mountain Front, the Missouri River valley, and the buttes and grasslands that characterize this High Plains setting. Plan at least a two-hour stop in this day-use-only park.