Skip to content
The Green Adventures
Find my parkMapGreat Smoky MountainsZionYellowstoneSee all: ParksCaliforniaAlaskaUtahSee all: By stateNational monumentsSeashores and lakeshoresAll 412 Park Service sitesSee all: All sitesWhich park should I visit?Pass calculatorCampground finderSee all: Trip toolsAnnual pass 2026International visitorsFree days 2026See all: Fees and passes

National Battlefield · Montana

Big Hole National Battlefield

National Battlefield in Montana. No entrance fee. 1 hikes listed.

By The Green Adventures · Updated · How we check

TypeNational Battlefield
StateMontana
Entrance feeNo entrance fee
CampgroundsNone
Nearest national parkYellowstone (170 mi)
Closest airportSMN (38 mi)
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. Photo: NPS Photo

Big Hole National Battlefield is a national battlefield run by the National Park Service in Montana.

In the park service’s words

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.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Things to do

  • Explore the Walking Trails: Explore the battlefield through 3 different trails: the Nez Perce camp trail (1.6 miles round trip with no elevation gain, the Howitzer capture site (0.8 miles round trip with 320ft elevation gain) and the Siege area trail (1.2 miles round trip with 50ft elevation gain). Allow approximately 2 hours to complete all 3 tr

Fees and hours

Entrance fee: No entrance fee.

Hours: Daily, Sunrise to Sunset. The grounds and trails at Big Hole National Battlefield are open daily from sunrise to sunset.

Getting there

Big Hole National Battlefield is located on Highway 43 ten miles west of the town of Wisdom in southwestern Montana. Bear Paw Battlefield is located on Route 240 sixteen miles south of the town of Chinook in north-central Montana.

Airport City Drive to the park Straight-line miles Type
Lemhi County Airport (SMN) Salmon, ID No road route 38 Regional
Bert Mooney Airport (BTM) Butte, MT No road route 59 Regional
Missoula Montana Airport (MSO) Missoula, MT No road route 90 Regional
Boise Air Terminal/Gowen Field (BOI) Boise, ID No road route 192 Large hub

Drive times run from the airport to Zion Canyon Visitor Center, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads at normal speeds; allow extra for traffic, stops and construction.

Miles are straight-line distances.

Visitor centers

  • Visitor Center at Big Hole National Battlefield: Mon Closed; Tue Closed; Wed 9:00AM - 5:00PM; Thu 9:00AM - 5:00PM; Fri 9:00AM - 5:00PM; Sat 9:00AM - 5:00PM; Sun 9:00AM - 5:00PM. The park's visitor center offers museum exhibits, a film, and a book sales area. The award winning film Weet'uciklitukt: There's No Turning Back, Battle at Big Hole provides an introduction to the Nez Perce Flight of 1877 and the battle that took place at this site. The film is shown throughout the day and is close-captioned. Audio and braille guides are available upon request. Please see exceptions to our standard operating hours below.

Weather

This region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. By definition, Wisdom is considered a subalpine climate.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Know before you go

Drones are banned at almost every park site, and you may not take rocks, plants or artifacts. Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet where they are allowed. Bring no firewood from home.

Nearby

The nearest national park is Yellowstone, about 170 miles away in a straight line.

Sources

Last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an entrance fee at Big Hole National Battlefield?

No entrance fee.

Where is Big Hole National Battlefield?

In Montana. The closest airport with scheduled flights is Lemhi County Airport, about 38 miles away.

More sites nearby

luminaries placed by Maryland Monument with dramatic orange red clouds BattlefieldsAntietam National Battlefield National Battlefield in Maryland. $20 per vehicle. 1 hikes listed. Recreation areasBighorn Canyon National Recreation Area National Recreation Area in Montana and Wyoming. No entrance fee. Two large trees and a flagpole flying an American flag overlooking a stone monument and cannons BattlefieldsBrices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site National Battlefield Site in Mississippi. No entrance fee. Kelley Cabin BattlefieldsChickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park National Military Park in Georgia and Tennessee. $10 per person. The sun is coming up on the battlefield in the direction that the Americans would have been facing. BattlefieldsCowpens National Battlefield National Battlefield in South Carolina. No entrance fee. 2 hikes listed. The View from the Upper River Battery BattlefieldsFort Donelson National Battlefield National Battlefield in Kentucky and Tennessee. No entrance fee. 2 hikes listed.