We are a Montana State Park developed in 1959. We offer a wide range of experiences such as water re
03/26/2026
This page will be discontinued April 1st and will no longer be updated. To continue to receive updates, announcements, and other information about Missouri Headwaters and Madison Buffalo Jump State Parks, please follow our official pages and sign up for our newsletter!
All future posts and communications will be shared through these channels. Thank you for being a part of our community and we look forward to staying connected! Our next newsletter will have information about volunteer days and special April Programs!
03/19/2026
This page will be discontinued April 1st and will no longer be updated. To continue to receive updates, announcements, and other information about Missouri Headwaters and Madison Buffalo Jump State Parks, please follow our official pages and sign up for our newsletter!
All future posts and communications will be shared through these channels. Thank you for being a part of our community and we look forward to staying connected!
02/18/2026
This page will be discontinued soon and will no longer be updated. To continue to receive updates, announcements, and other information about Missouri Headwaters and Madison Buffalo Jump State Parks, please follow our official pages and sign up for our newsletter!
All future posts and communications will be shared through these channels. Thank you for being a part of our community and we look forward to staying connected!
12/02/2025
Yesterday was one month till our First Day Hike! We hope to see you on January 1st at 10:30 at the Picnic area. We will have snacks, hot beverages and a fire to keep you warm. At 11:00 we will hike around Fort Rock, about 2 miles. Please bring your warm clothes and good boots!
10/30/2025
Tomorrow is the last day of National bat week!
Here’s a video to show everyone what’s inside the bat tote at Missouri Headwaters State Park.
Fun bat facts: We wouldn’t have tequila without bats they are the sole pollinator of agave plants.
🦇 bats eat around 1,200 mosquitoes in one hour!
🦇 baby bats are called pups!
10/28/2025
These came in just in time for National Bat week!!
New Missouri Headwaters State Park Bat pins!
We also got our new B.A.R.K. Ranger pins! They have the three rivers in the paw, so they are super unique and cute! We will add them to our gift shop soon, stop by and get one for $5.00.
10/27/2025
Happy National bat week!!
If you’re in our park and you see these boxes around, they are beautiful bat boxes that the Boyscouts made and several that we ordered and they helped us install! If you want to learn how to make a bat box stop by our office I have instructions on how to make one!
Don’t forget we also have an educational bat tote free to lend out, with amazing bat activities inside.
Let’s celebrate bats all the time and not just one week out of the year!
10/13/2025
One last exciting program for 2025 as long as we don’t get snowed out!
Beaver Full Moon walk and talk!
Nov. 5th 5:00-6:30
Please make sure to sign up for this walk.
To learn more please contact our office.
10/13/2025
Batley the stuffed bat is excited!!
National bat week is fast approaching! Did you know we have a bat educational tote you can lend out for free?
Now you can celebrate bats anytime of the year and not just Oct.24th-31st!
Contact our office to learn more.
09/21/2025
Here at Missouri Headwaters State Park we have this amazing old log cabin. It was built in 1917 by the Kessler family and was used as milk shed! We plan to add a historical sign about the history of this shed, and we made raised beds next to it. We will be planting the Three Sisters plants in it next spring!
I’m hoping though, that the community has connections and would like to help out!? I would love to find an old milk can to add to the shed if anyone would like to donate one or sell one for a good price? I’m also looking for connections for a local artist who might want to make an artistic cow for us? I will post some ideas I have!
Thanks in advance and hope to hear from you!
09/01/2025
Happy Labor Day from Missouri Headwaters State Park! We hope that you’re having a wonderful day and enjoying the outdoors. Our programs are done for the year, but we look forward to a busy season full of programs and events in 2026!
Stop by our office, we would love to see you!
05/20/2025
Our Bark Ranger Program was a bit slushy and soggy! I appreciate those who still came to the program! I hope your dogs enjoyed their Doggie bags filled with lots of goodies. All the pups that came passed the B.A.R.K ranger program and received a certificate with their paw print and signed by a ranger.
thanks for coming and remember:
B. Bag your pet's waste
A. Always have your dog on a leash while in the Park.
R. Respect Wildlife
K. Know the rules and safety issues before you go.
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The Missouri Headwaters State Park was established in 1959, just north of Three Forks, Montana. It is a great spot for a number of activities including: water recreation, bird watching, hiking, observation of a wide range of wildlife, and to experience important parts of the state’s and country’s history.
A designated Lewis and Clark site, the Corps of Discovery first visited the Missouri Headwaters during their expedition in July of 1805. At that time they named the three rivers that met to form the Missouri after President Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State James Madison, and Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. Along with the historic significance of Lewis and Clark’s expedition, there are many other sights and cultures encompassed by Missouri Headwaters State Park.
The Three Forks of the Missouri was a well-known and important region for many different tribes.The pictograph cave offers a look into the symbolism of Native American culture. Pioneer and settler graves also offer a look into what the area may have been like in the early days and the hardships they worked to overcome. Adjacent to the picnic grounds along the Gallatin River, the natural-roofed interpretive area houses panels which help paint a picture of the past while providing important details about the area’s history.
Park hours are sunrise to sunset. All visitors with dogs are required to have animals on leash, clean up after their pets, and properly dispose of pet waste in provided receptacles. We have 17 sites and a tipi available for primitive camping. 11 sites are reservable online while 6 sites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Potable water is available at the campground, but no water or electrical hook-ups are provided at individual campsites. All reservations must go through the Montana State Parks website or you can call 1-855-922-6768. Unfortunately, park staff cannot make or accept reservations.
The history is pervasive, the wildlife diverse, and the view from Fort Rock breathtaking. There’s always something new to be learned and experienced at Missouri Headwaters State Park. Come visit us!
