Alert: Stage 2 Fire Restrictions for Beaverhead County: Stage 2 fire restrictions have been enacted for Beaverhead County and apply to campfires and smoking. Campfires are not allowed at the battlefield and smoking in designated areas only.
National Battlefield
Big Hole
Today tepee poles stand sentinel at the site of August 9th, 1877 dawn attack at the Big Hole. NPS Photo
Overview
On August 9, 1877, gun shots shattered a chilly dawn on a sleeping camp of Nez Perce. By the time the smoke cleared on August 10, almost 90 Nez Perce were dead along with 31 soldiers and volunteers. Big Hole National Battlefield was created to honor all who were there.
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 trails.
Multiple tepee poles and a river are silhouetted against a dawn sky.Blue camas flowers dot a green field with tepee poles in the background.a cannon overlooks a valley and distant mountainscross country skis rest against a large granite monument on a snowy day.Stone carving of a Nez Perce Warrior's head in full regalia.Three large stone monuments and four interpretive signs overlook a series of low hills.
