View from Missouri River bottoms of Southwest bastion
Viewing Fort Union Trading Post from the Missouri River bottoms one can imagine how grandiose the site would appear to weary steamboat travelers. NPS Photo / Kris Baxter

Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site

National Historic Site · Montana · National Park Service

Between 1828 and 1867, Fort Union was the most important fur trade post on the Upper Missouri River. Here, the Assiniboine and six other Northern Plains Tribes exchanged buffalo robes and smaller furs for goods from around the world, including cloth, guns, blankets, and beads. A bastion of peaceful coexistence, the post annually traded over 25,000 buffalo robes and $100,000 in merchandise.

Plan your visit

Know before you go

Phone
7015729083
Official site
www.nps.gov
Managed by
National Park Service

Getting there

Directions on Google Maps →

What's here

Highlights: Archeology · Commerce · Trade · Forts · Native American Heritage · Reconstruction

Activities & features: Arts and Culture · Craft Demonstrations · Cultural Demonstrations · Guided Tours · Self-Guided Tours - Walking · Living History · Reenactments · Historic Weapons Demonstration · Junior Ranger Program · Park Film · Museum Exhibits · Shopping · Bookstore and Park Store · Gift Shop and Souvenirs

Photos

  • Candles illuminate the Bourgeois House porch at dusk
    NPS Photo / Kris Baxter
  • Courtyard of Fort Union Trading Post with Bourgeois House, Tipis and US Flag
    NPS Photo
  • View of Fort Union and the Missouri River looking south
    NPS Photo / Leif Halvorson
  • White canvas tipis in grassy area, Fort in background.
    NPS / EMILY SUNBLADE

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Sources: National Park Service · updated 2026-08-12