← Montana guide · National Battlefield
Big Hole Battlefield · A day that begins with one good stop.
See your first dayWhy this place matters
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.
Read the full NPS story ↗
A flexible first day
These are ways to explore, not a timed itinerary. Check conditions before you set out.
Start at the visitor center before walking the battlefield.
Take time with Nez Perce perspectives and the 1877 events here.
Weather and trail conditions can affect access.
Find your bearings
Switch stops to see where this chapter sits in the wider state.
Outline: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 cartographic boundary files. Points show guide starting areas and NOAA stations.
NOAA 1991–2020 · monthly normals
These stations show two parts of the state; neither is a forecast or necessarily local to this site.
No monthly snowfall normal is published for this station. Choose the other station to compare snow.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | 23.7 | 26.8 | 34.5 | 42.7 | 51.6 | 57.6 | 64.9 | 63.7 | 54.3 | 41.6 | 31.4 | 24.1 |
Normal = 1991–2020 average at the named NOAA station. Snowfall is new snow over a month, not snow currently on the ground. A blank NOAA snow series is shown as unavailable, never as zero. See current NOAA snow depth ↗
Weather changes the trip
Weather and trail conditions can affect access. The graph above uses a named NOAA station; conditions at this place may differ with elevation and weather. Check the local NWS forecast ↗
Keep exploring Montana
Build a food or music evening in Missoula, Whitefish, or Billings between longer drives. See current events ↗
Make the trip yours
Tell WTDO your dates, where you start and how you travel. The first plan is free.
Plan this trip free