Driving Directions

Planes, trains, and automobiles can all get you to and around Montana, but you’ll need a personal vehicle to traverse the Reserve itself. There is commercial air travel into Billings, Bozeman, Great Falls and Lewistown. Amtrak serves Malta as well, but there are no rental car facilities in Malta.

Driving directions from Malta, MT:

- Head south out of Malta on Central Ave. - After crossing the canal and passing 12th Street, turn left onto Highway 364 (It is unmarked. If you pass Joe’s In & Out on your right, you have gone too far. In 3.8 miles the road will turn to gravel.

- In less than 0.1 of a mile you will come to a fork in the road.

- Bear right at the Y in the road to take Regina Road.

- Continue for 29.7 miles to a T-intersection. Turn left.

- In one mile you will pass First Creek Hall and a waste transfer station on your left. Continue for 5.5 miles until you reach a T-intersection. To your left will be a road to the “Holzhey Ranch” marked by a hay bale balanced on top of a scarecrow. Turn right.

- Follow signs for American Prairie Reserve Headquarters.

Driving directions from Lewistown, MT:

- Travel north on Highway 191 out of Lewistown.

- After approximately 40 miles the road will reach a T-intersection at “Bohemian Corner” (There will be a small gas station on your left).Turn left.

- Follow Highway 191 north through the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge. Roughly 21 miles after crossing the Missouri River you will come to DY Junction (at mile marker 109), which you will know by signs on your left to the town of Zortman. Turn right onto gravel road.

- The road will immediately fork. Bear left onto Dry Fork Road. - Follow Dry Fork Road for 26 miles to a T-intersection (there will be several trailers and a white building in front of you). Turn left.

- After 3.5 miles the road forks. Bear right.

- Continue for 12.7 miles to the next T-intersection. To your left will be a road to the “Holzhey Ranch” marked by a hay bale balanced on top of a scarecrow. Turn right.

- Follow signs for American Prairie Reserve Headquarters

See Plan Your Own Trip for links to local area attractions.

What to Pack

You'll need comfortable, casual clothes that layer easily, as weather is often unpredictable in Montana. It seems snow is possible any day of the year! The list below is just a guideline, so don't forget to check the weather before your trip!

• Warm jacket
• Raincoat or waterproof windbreaker
• Warm sweater or fleece
• Long underwear top and bottom
• Long pants
• Shirts
• Hiking boots
• Socks, one pair wool
• Sun hat or baseball cap
• Warm hat
• Gloves
• Binoculars
• Camera
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Chapstick
• Compass

It's a good idea to bring some emergency equipment any season of the year if you're planning on driving around the prairie. While we hope you won't need it, the following equipment would be a smart safety precaution:

• Sleeping bag
• Stove and pot (to heat water or melt snow)
• Water
• Food
• First Aid Kit

Weather

Weather in north central Montana can fluctuate dramatically from year to year and even from day to day. While the average temperature in Malta for July is 71°F, it can often be over 100°F in the summer. We encourage you to check weather reports (try multiple towns such as Malta, Lewistown, and Glasgow if you're heading to the open prairie, since no one weather station specifically covers our area), and we suggest that you be prepared for a variety of conditions.

Average temperature for Malta:

• Jan    11°F
• Feb    14°F
• Mar    27°F
• Apr     44°F
• May    55°F
• Jun     63°F
• Jul      71°F
• Aug    68°F
• Sep    57°F
• Oct     46°F
• Nov    30°F
• Dec    17°F

For more information, highs, lows, and precipitation averages, try www.weatherbase.com.

Road Conditions

Wet, unpaved roads in Phillips and Valley Counties can become impassable. The region is famous for its "gumbo."

"'What is 'gumbo'? ...The sediments of this [area] have a great deal of expandable clay in them, especially the shale - this particular type is called Bearpaw shale. All shales hold water and get very sticky and greasy when wet. It doesn't take much precipitation to create literally impassable situations on roads not covered with pavement, a heavy dose of gravel, or clinker.

Traction is impossible as vehicles slide in whatever direction the wet mess decides to take them, get bogged down in ever-deepening ruts, or the gumbo buildup on the tires halts all motion. Walking isn't any easier. If you are wearing boots with lug soles, you will gain height rapidly, all the while slipping and sliding.

The cure for a bad case of gumbo is good old sunshine and a dry wind. Just make certain you have a good book, food and water to keep you company if you get caught out in 'gumbo topography' when it begins to rain."

-- Rick and Susie Graetz