Among all the great things to do on a Montana vacation, you’ll find one of the most rewarding to be learning about the cultural history that our great state has held onto. This includes the history of tribes in Montana, such as the Northern Cheyenne.

Approximately 5,000 Northern Cheyenne, along with members of other tribes and with non-Native Americans, live on a reservation centered around Lame Deer, Montana.

The Northern Cheyenne Reservation is located southeastern Montana, where you’ll find a unique landscape, rugged and wild. The consists of 445,000 acres with the Tongue River to the east and the Crow Reservation to the west.

Things to see on the Northern Cheyenne reservation

Chief Two Moons Monument

This historic monument in Busby, Montana was built in 1936 in memory of Chief Two Moons, who participated in the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

Northern Cheyenne Gift Shop

The Cheyenne Chamber in Lame Deer hosts the tribal gift shop, showcasing Native American art and beadwork. An RV Park is also available for overnight stays. Call (406) 477-8844.

St. Labre Indian School and Museum

This school in Ashland, Montana was established in 1884 by the Franciscan Order. The visitor center, museum and Ten Bear Gallery are important showplaces of Cheyenne heritage. Call (406) 784-4500.

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One of the most interesting things you can do on a Montana vacation is take a cultural tour of Montana’s tribes, including those of the Flathead Reservation.

The Flathead Indian Reservation is shared by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes. The tribes are a combination of the Pend d’Oreille, the Salish, and the Kootenai.There about 4,500 that live on or near the Flathead reservation.

You’ll find the Flathead Reservation north of Interstate 90 between Missoula and Kalispell. Here you’ll see fertile valleys and towering mountain peaks of northwestern Montana’s Mission range surround the 1.2 million acres reservation.

Things to do and see on the Flathead Reservation

The Peoples Center in Pablo, Montana tells thousands of years of history for the Salish, Pend d’Oreille and the Kootenai that inhabited western Montana and the surrounding region through a museum, an exhibit gallery, tours, educational programs and a quality gift shop.  Call (406) 675-0160.

Flathead Lake State Park

Flathead Lake is one of the largest and most pristine bodies of water in the West. Interesting sightseeing opportunities here include Wild Horse Island and five other scenic state units on the reservation:  Big Arm, Finley Point, Yellow Bay, Wayfarers and West Shore. All units offer camping, fishing, boating and swimming except for Wild Horse Island. Call (406) 752-5501.

The National Bison Range/Pablo National Wildlife Refuge

Approximately 500 bison roam nearly 20,000 acres of natural grassland near Moiese, Montana. It’s a great place to see wildlife in general, and you’re likely to see elk, bighorn sheep, antelope her at any time of year. Call (406) 644-2211

Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge and State Wildlife Management Area

This area near Ronan, Montana is one of the state’s designated Wildlife Viewing sites. It is an exceptional wetland complex, excellent for birdwatching. (406) 644-2211

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Besides all the great skiing, hiking, fly fishing and mountain biking, Montana is known for its great western cultural tourism, and this is especially true when it comes to Native American cultural tours.

One of the great tribes to learn about in Montana are the Sioux, a tribe that can be found in Poplar, Montana, on the Fort Peck reservation near Fort Peck, Montana. The tribe is made up of about 10,000 members. They are originally from Canada, and came down into Montana in the early 1800s.

Officially the Sioux tribe is made up of the Lakota, Nakota and Dakota bands, who share common language and customs. A good time to visit is from July 30 to August 2, when the tribes hold the Wadopana Celebration, Montana’s longest-running powwow, where you can see dancing, tribal ceremonies, garb and much more in Wolf Point, Montana.

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Historical photo of Crow indians.

If you’re looking for a cultural tour of aboriginal peoples in the United States, Montana should certainly be high on you list of vacation spots. Among the Montana tribes you may want to see are the Crow.

The Crow reservation is located near the southeast corner of Montana, not to far from Billings, Yellowstone National Park and Red Lodge ski resort.

The Crow are considered to be the first of the eastern U.S. tribes to move into Montana, after Europeans displaced what had been a Great Lakes region tribe. They are believed to have entered Montana in the early 1600s.

Each year, the Crow hold a summer Native Days festival, where you can see tribal dances, games and clothing, learn about Crow traditions, and hear live music. For 2010 the festival takes place June 24 to 27.

On the map below, you’ll the Crow Agency to the east. Slightly to the northwest, you’ll see a push pin on Billings, Montana, where you can find great hotels and transportation. To the southwest, you’ll see Red Lodge ski resort. Continuing southwest, you’ll find the Cooke City and Gardiner, Montana entrances to Yellowstone.

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Crossing under the tunnel from Glacier National Park onto the Blackfeet Reservation.

Montana is an excellent place for people interested in cultural tours on their vacations, and Native American Indian tribes here offer up some of the most fascinating history and tradition you’ll find in the state.

You’ll find the Blackfeet tribe on the east side of Glacier National Park, in towns like East Glacier Park, Babb and Browning. The Blackfeet were one of the most powerful tribes to roam Montana, Alberta and British Columbia. They were also some of Glacier’s first tour guides, greeting vacationers arriving on the train in East Glacier Park.

The Blackfeet live in some of the most beautiful country in the world, with amazing regions of Glacier, such as Two Medicine, St. Mary’s and Many Glacier butting right up against the reservation in the form of dramatically glacier-carved peaks, before spreading out into the beautiful plains of eastern Montana.

The tribe holds North American Indian Days every summer, where you can see amazing tribal dancing, art, hear music and meet members of the tribe. Indian days take place from July 8 to 11 in 2010.

On the map below, you’ll see Browning, the tribal population center to the east, and East Glacier Park to the west. Cross the highway from East Glacier, and you enter into Glacier National Park.

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Flathead Lake

One of the most fascinating things about a Montana vacation, besides the amazing mountains, lakes, streams and wildlife, is the culture. And Montana’s rich Native American history is a not to miss part of any cultural tour of Montana.

The Kootenai are a fascinating tribe, with a long and rich history in Montana. Currently they share the Flathead Reservation with the Flathead and Pend d’Oreille tribes. This is a beautiful part of Montana, where you’ll find the Mission Mountains and the southern tip of Flathead Lake.

The Kootenai settled this area in the 1500s, and evidence shows they descended from prehistoric inhabitants of the area. Their pre-European range included Alberta, British Columbia and northwestern Montana.

There are about 1,500 living Kootenai Indians at this time.

On the map below, you’ll see the reservation, centered in Pablo, Montana. To the north is Flathead Lake and the town of Polson, Montana, where you’ll find great hotels and lodging. To the east you’ll see the Mission Mountains.

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