Spanning north-central Montana, this nonprofit has spent over two decades restoring prairie ecosystems, creating a landscape where bison roam freely, pronghorn race across open plains, and visitors can experience an untamed wilderness like no other.
American Prairie is a Montana-based nonprofit that’s been working for over 20 years to restore a prairie ecosystem in north-central Montana,” said Mike Kautz, Vice President of Public Access and Recreation. “We buy land near the Charles M. Russell Wildlife Refuge and the Missouri Breaks Monument, and then we manage it for wildlife habitat and for public access.”
Recreation plays a key role at American Prairie as one of the three main pillars of their mission—land, people, and wildlife. “Public access fits under the people part,” Kautz said. Their goal is not only to conserve the land but also to invite people into it, allowing visitors to witness firsthand the beauty and importance of grasslands.
“Grasslands are disappearing faster than any other ecosystem around the world, including rainforests and coral reefs,” Kautz said. “There are only four places left in the world where you have intact grassland as big as we have here in Montana.”
Their goal is simple yet ambitious: to create enough protected habitat to support the full spectrum of native grassland wildlife.
For visitors, the opportunity to experience this rare landscape is just as important as preserving it. “A lot of our visitor experience is just trying to give people access to that so they can see why grasslands are so special and so worth protecting,” Kautz said.
BY TAYLOR OWENS
American Prairie isn’t just a conservation project—it’s a vision of what the Great Plains once were and could be again.
“Unlike national parks with structured trails and visitor centers, American Prairie offers an open-ended adventure. “The visitor experience is very much a choose-your-own-adventure,” Kautz said. “There aren’t a lot of signs or pre-made itineraries. You look at the map, see where you’d like to go, and spend the day getting there.”
The landscape is vast, dynamic, and rarely flat. Whether you’re hiking through rolling plains, taking a scenic drive through the Missouri Breaks, adventuring through island mountain ranges, or biking past a herd of grazing bison, the landscape feels as wild and free as it did centuries ago.
“As Yellowstone and Glacier get more crowded, American Prairie remains vast, open, and uncrowded,” Kautz said. “It still offers that sense of exploration and solitude.”
For those seeking an overnight experience, American Prairie offers a range of accommodations that immerse visitors in the landscape. “We have three backcountry huts near Judith Landing, two campgrounds—including one near the Missouri River and another on a property with one of our conservation bison herds—plus a vast amount of dispersed camping on BLM land,” Kautz said.
The landscape is vast, dynamic, and rarely flat. Whether you’re hiking through rolling plains, taking a scenic drive through the Missouri Breaks, adventuring through island mountain ranges, or biking past a herd of grazing bison, the landscape feels as wild and free as it did centuries ago.
“As Yellowstone and Glacier get more crowded, American Prairie remains vast, open, and uncrowded,” Kautz said. “It still offers that sense of exploration and solitude.”
For those seeking an overnight experience, American Prairie offers a range of accommodations that immerse visitors in the landscape. “We have three backcountry huts near Judith Landing, two campgrounds—including one near the Missouri River and another on a property with one of our conservation bison herds—plus a vast amount of dispersed camping on BLM land,” Kautz said.
The huts function like Forest Service rental cabins, offering bunk rooms, a propane-powered kitchen, and solar lights. “They’re designed to be base camps for exploring the Missouri Breaks and the prairie,” he added.
Every season brings its own magic to the prairie. “Spring and fall are the best times to visit,” Kautz said. “Late May through June is spectacular—everything is green, migratory birds are arriving, and there are newborn calves among the ungulates.” In September, the cottonwoods along the river explode in golden hues, while elk bugle and spar for dominance on the Charles M. Russell Wildlife Refuge. And when night falls, the prairie reveals one of its greatest treasures: its skies. “We have some of the darkest skies anywhere in the lower 48—comparable to Mongolia,” Kautz said. “Night sky viewing is a popular activity.”
From wildlife watching to bikepacking, American Prairie offers countless ways to explore. Guided experiences are also available through partnerships with local guides, including Aaniiih Nakoda Tours who offer cultural and nature-based trips.
Every season brings its own magic to the prairie. “Spring and fall are the best times to visit,” Kautz said. “Late May through June is spectacular—everything is green, migratory birds are arriving, and there are newborn calves among the ungulates.” In September, the cottonwoods along the river explode in golden hues, while elk bugle and spar for dominance on the Charles M. Russell Wildlife Refuge. And when night falls, the prairie reveals one of its greatest treasures: its skies. “We have some of the darkest skies anywhere in the lower 48—comparable to Mongolia,” Kautz said. “Night sky viewing is a popular activity.”
From wildlife watching to bikepacking, American Prairie offers countless ways to explore. Guided experiences are also available through partnerships with local guides, including Aaniiih Nakoda Tours who offer cultural and nature-based trips.
“One of my favorite ways to experience American Prairie was a bikepacking trip across several of our properties,” he said. “We started before sunrise, rested in the shade during the heat of the day, and finished our rides in the evening. It was an incredible way to experience the vastness of the plains.”
“Traveling by bike, you get to see so much wildlife up close—riding through a herd of bison at sunrise or having pronghorn racing alongside you,” he added. “As Montana’s cities grow, it’s exciting to see a project like this protecting open space. American Prairie offers a rare opportunity to experience the Great Plains as they once were.”
“Traveling by bike, you get to see so much wildlife up close—riding through a herd of bison at sunrise or having pronghorn racing alongside you,” he added. “As Montana’s cities grow, it’s exciting to see a project like this protecting open space. American Prairie offers a rare opportunity to experience the Great Plains as they once were.”
