Multiple tepee poles and a river are silhouetted against a dawn sky.
Today tepee poles stand sentinel at the site of August 9th, 1877 dawn attack at the Big Hole. NPS Photo

Big Hole National Battlefield

National Historic Site · Montana · National Park Service

On August 9, 1877, gunshots shattered a chilly dawn on a sleeping camp of nımí·pu· (Nez Perce). By the time the smoke cleared on August 10, almost 90 nımí·pu· were dead, along with 31 soldiers and volunteers. Big Hole National Battlefield was created to honor all who were there.

Plan your visit

Know before you go

Phone
4066893155
Official site
www.nps.gov
Managed by
National Park Service

Getting there

Directions on Google Maps →

What's here

Highlights: Burial, Cemetery and Gravesite · Military · Infantry and Militia · US Army · Indigenous and Native Warrior · Battlefields · Monuments and Memorials · Native American Heritage · Tragic Events · Massacres · Wars and Conflicts · Tribal Conflicts · Indian and Frontier Wars · Westward Expansion · Trails

Activities & features: Arts and Culture · Cultural Demonstrations · Fishing · Freshwater Fishing · Food · Picnicking · Guided Tours · Self-Guided Tours - Walking · Hiking · Front-Country Hiking · Junior Ranger Program · Skiing · Cross-Country Skiing · Snowshoeing · Wildlife Watching · Birdwatching · Park Film · Museum Exhibits · Shopping · Bookstore and Park Store · Gift Shop and Souvenirs

Photos

  • Blue camas flowers dot a green field with tepee poles in the background.
    NPS Photo
  • a cannon overlooks a valley and distant mountains
    NPS Photo
  • A large squared-off granite monument standing in a forest clearing
    NPS Photo
  • Stone carving of a Nez Perce Warrior's head in full regalia.
    NPS Photo
  • Three large stone monuments and four interpretive signs overlook a series of low hills.
    NPS Photo

Nearby parks

Parks of Montana

Anaconda Smoke Stack State ParkLake Mary Ronan State ParkFrenchtown Pond State ParkLewis & Clark Caverns State ParkTravelers' Rest State ParkLittle Bighorn Battlefield National MonumentCamp Baker State ParkMilltown State ParkGranite Ghost Town State ParkPlacid Lake State ParkBig Arm State ParkSluice Boxes State ParkGreycliff Prairie Dog Town State ParkRosebud Battlefield State ParkSpring Meadow Lake State ParkGlacier National ParkGiant Springs State ParkBighorn Canyon National Recreation AreaBrush Lake State ParkFort Union Trading Post National Historic SiteCouncil Grove State ParkPainted Rocks State ParkWayfarers State ParkYellow Bay State ParkLogan State ParkWest Shore State ParkFort Owen State ParkBannack State ParkLone Pine State ParkJudith Landing State ParkTongue River Reservoir State ParkElkhorn State ParkBlack Sandy State ParkAckley Lake State ParkLes Mason State ParkChief Plenty Coups State ParkClark's Lookout State ParkLake Elmo State ParkMadison Buffalo Jump State ParkFirst Peoples Buffalo Jump State ParkSalmon Lake State ParkWild Horse Island State ParkSomers Beach State ParkTower Rock State ParkWhitefish Lake State ParkMakoshika State ParkGrant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic SiteThompson Falls State ParkFinley Point State ParkMissouri Headwaters State ParkPirogue Island State ParkEden Bridge State ParkPictograph Cave State ParkBeavertail Hill State ParkMedicine Rocks State ParkFish Creek State ParkThompson Chain-of-Lakes State ParkLost Creek State ParkCooney State ParkBeaverhead Rock State Park

61 parks mapped in Montana

You're looking at Big Hole National Battlefield — the gold marker.

Every dot is a park. Tap one to jump to it.

Browse all Montana parks →

Sources: National Park Service, Google Places · updated 2026-08-12