Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
UNESCO World Heritage Site / Alberta Provincial Historic Site · Fort Macleod, Alberta
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed in 1981, on the edge of the foothills near Fort Macleod in southern Alberta. For roughly 6,000 years, Blackfoot peoples and their ancestors drove herds of bison along drive lanes to the top of a sandstone cliff, where the animals fell and were then butchered at the camp below. The deposits of bone at the base are metres deep. An interpretive centre is built into the cliff, with several levels of exhibits and Indigenous interpreters, and trails run along the clifftop and below to the kill site. The name comes from a story of a young man killed while watching the hunt from beneath the cliff. The site suits history lovers, families and anyone curious about Plains life, and it rewards a slow visit. It is windy and exposed, with little shade, and a car is needed. Allow two to three hours, wear a jacket and hat, and confirm the hours and programs.
Secondary Highway 785, Fort Macleod, Alberta, T0L 0Z0, Canada
The interpretive centre is generally open daily in summer with longer hours, and it may have shorter hours or closed days in winter - confirm before you drive, because the site is a long way from a large town. Cultural programs, guided walks and any demonstrations by Indigenous interpreters usually run in summer and on set days, and they may be cancelled for weather. The trails are open in daylight when snow-free, but icy or windy days can close the clifftop. Check road conditions on rural highways in winter. Last entry is typically an hour or so before closing. Admission and parking fees are set by the province and may change.
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