Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump World Heritage Site

At a glance

• Located on Secondary Highway 785—accessed via Highway 2 just north of Fort Macleod
• Check local weather—the facility closes for severe weather
• Plan on 2 – 4 hours at the site so you can best enjoy the Museum, outdoor trails and amenities.
• Parking for cars and RVs: Overnight parking is not allowed

The Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump visitor Information Centre is a stunning museum filled with vibrant and culturally accurate displays of more than 6,000 years of plains people's hunting culture. 

While the site was designated a National Historic Site in 1968 and a World Heritage Site in 1981, it wasn't until 1987 that the Museum and Interpretive Centre was ready. In 1990, the building received the Governor General's award for Architecture.

• 80-seat theatre displaying a 15-minute film-re-enactment of the buffalo hunt
• 5 levels of interactive and visual displays.

Guided School and Youth Programs

At "Napi's Creations" Gift Shop, you can grab yourself or a loved one a souvenir to remember your time at the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump. There's something for everyone in the shop.

After exploring the museum, you will find yourself at the top of the building, where you can take a short walk outside to a deck. The point looks out across the flat rolling plains of the prairies and the cliff of the Buffalo Jump, giving a sense of size and perspective for one's place in the natural world. The size of the Buffalo Jump is about half the size it used to be, which gives you a small idea of the scale of the buffalo hunt during its prime.

The Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump site is also home to two short hiking trails. The upper trail follows along the upper edge of the jump while the lower trail will take you near the bottom of the jump and up and around the whole cliffside.