Havre, Montana: Things to Do, Underground Tours and the Bears Paw Mountains

Last updated: November 2026

Part of our Montana towns guide. Planning a Glacier trip along US 2? See the Glacier trip planner.

Disclosure: We may earn a commission if you use some links on this page, at no extra cost to you. See the note at the bottom about how this guide was made.

Havre is the largest community on Montana’s Hi-Line, the name for U.S. Highway 2 across the state’s northern edge (Visit Montana listing; Havre Area Chamber). It is the county seat of Hill County (Montana Association of Counties), sits at about 2,530 feet (USGS), and has three things travelers ask about most: an underground tour, a large county park in the Bears Paw Mountains, and a dinosaur museum on the Montana Dinosaur Trail. Nez Perce history is close too: Bear Paw Battlefield is about 38 road miles away.

Most of what’s below is seasonal or run by small organizations, and the sources we checked disagree on several hours. Where they do, we say so and give a phone number. Call before a long drive, especially from November through April.

Havre quick facts

A note on names: “Bear Paw” and “Bears Paw”

You will see both spellings. We use each the way the official source does:

• Bears Paw Mountains is the name in the U.S. Board on Geographic Names’ database (USGS GNIS lists the range as official, in Blaine County) (USGS GNIS, feature 767915). Beaver Creek Park and Visit Montana use it too.
• Bear Paw Battlefield is the National Park Service’s name for the battle site (NPS).

Things to do in and near Havre

Havre Beneath the Streets

This is a guided tour of rebuilt storefronts under downtown Havre. The venue describes it as a recreation of the town’s history: when fire destroyed most of Havre, business owners moved underground to keep operating until the town could be rebuilt. Displays include the Sporting Eagle saloon, a Chinese laundry, an opium den and a bordello (Havre Beneath the Streets). It is at 120 3rd Avenue, at the corner of 1st Street (US 2) (Visit Montana).

• Reservations: Central Montana Tourism’s listing says reservations are required, and the venue says to call (406) 265-8888 to book (Central Montana Tourism; Havre Beneath the Streets).
• Hours: The two tourism listings agree on the tour windows but not every detail. Central Montana lists summer daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m. with tours 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m., and winter Monday–Saturday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. with tours 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Visit Montana lists the same tour windows, adds that weekend and evening tours are by appointment, and does not mention the 9–5 and 10–4 building hours. Neither listing says which dates count as “winter,” so confirm by phone at (406) 265-8888. We are not quoting ticket prices because they change; the venue lists current rates.
• Nearby: Visit Montana lists a railroad museum at the same address, the Frank DeRosa Railroad Museum (Visit Montana, Havre). Visit Montana’s listing for the underground tour says the railroad museum charges no admission; call to confirm it is open.

H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum and Wahkpa Chu’gn Buffalo Jump

The Clack Museum, at 2 Fifth Avenue, is one of the 15 stops on the Montana Dinosaur Trail. It displays 75-million-year-old dinosaur eggs and embryos found in local exposures of the Judith River Formation, plus a skull cast of Stygimoloch (Montana Dinosaur Trail). Phone: (406) 265-4000. We could not find posted museum hours, so call.

The museum also manages Wahkpa Chu’gn, a bison-kill site that the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce dates to about 2,000 years ago. It lies behind Holiday Village Mall on US 2 West. Guided tours start from the site entrance (Havre Area Chamber).

• Hours conflict: the chamber page says tours run daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day with the last tour at noon, but the same page also lists Tuesday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. It adds that off-season tours may be possible, weather permitting, by calling (406) 265-4000. The site’s own web address (buffalojumphavre.com, listed by Visit Montana) showed an error page when we checked. Call (406) 265-4000 before you go.

More on the trail: the Montana Dinosaur Trail guide lists every stop. From Havre, the trail’s own pages put Chinook 22 miles east (about 30 minutes) and Rudyard 41 miles west (about 45 minutes) (Montana Dinosaur Trail).

Fort Assinniboine

Fort Assinniboine, about 6 miles south of town, was established in 1879, used as a military post through 1911, and today is the site of Montana State University’s Northern Agricultural Research Center. It is on the National Register of Historic Places (Fort Assinniboine).

• Status is unclear: The preservation group’s own site posted guided tours for summer 2026 (June 4 through Labor Day weekend, with reduced hours from August 20) and lists a Living History Day on June 5, 2027. The Havre chamber’s page for the fort says “Currently closed until further notice” and shows older hours. Visit Montana’s listing shows the same older weekday 9–5 schedule as the chamber, with a different phone number, (406) 265-4383. We found no 2027 tour schedule posted. Call (406) 399-5225 (the number on the fort’s own site) before assuming it is open.

Beaver Creek Park

Beaver Creek Park covers more than 10,000 acres along the north side of the Bears Paw Mountains south of Havre. The park’s site says it was established in 1916 and is the largest county park in the United States (Beaver Creek Park). The northern boundary is about 10 miles south of Havre on Highway 234, and the park office is roughly 20 miles south of town (Beaver Creek Park).

• Open year-round, with camping, fishing, picnicking, hiking and wildlife viewing. The park lists more than 100 rustic campgrounds and picnic areas, most first come, first served (Beaver Creek Park).
• A permit is required for all park use, including day use and hiking. The park sells day and annual permits online and at Havre vendors; see the park permit page for current types and rates. Park office: (406) 395-4565.
• Visit Montana’s listing describes a 3.5-mile Bear Paw Nature Trail with markers and interpretive panels (Visit Montana). Check the park office for winter road and facility conditions.

Bear Paw Battlefield (Nez Perce National Historical Park)

About 38 road miles from Havre by our route estimate, Bear Paw Battlefield is where the Nez Perce Flight of 1877 ended. The National Park Service says the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) ceased fighting here on October 5, 1877, after a five-day battle and siege, about 40 miles short of the Canadian border (NPS). Please read that page’s account for the history; we leave it in the Park Service’s words.

• Visiting: The battlefield is on Route 240, 16 miles south of Chinook, and is open sunrise to sunset daily year-round. There is no entrance fee. The NPS says the roads and a 1¼-mile self-guided trail are not plowed or shoveled in winter (NPS).
• Respect for the site: The NPS asks visitors to stay on the trails because the entire battlefield is treated as a sacred burial site, and to leave offerings at monuments undisturbed.
• Tours: The NPS says ranger staffing is limited and tours cannot be guaranteed; call (406) 357-3130 or the ranger at (406) 203-8259.
• In Chinook: The Blaine County Museum has an exhibit on the battle. Its site lists winter and spring 2026–2027 hours of Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., and summer 2027 (June 5–October 2) Monday–Saturday, closed on state holidays (Blaine County Museum). It is also a Dinosaur Trail stop (Montana Dinosaur Trail).

Self-guided and guided history walks

Visit Montana lists Havre Historic Tours and More, a guided walking tour business at 132 Third Street, with evening tours by reservation and a different theme each day of the week; its listing asks you to call before 4 p.m. to reserve, at (406) 399-5225 (Visit Montana). Because that listing can be out of date, confirm that tours are running.

Havre Festival Days

Havre holds its Festival Days each year in mid-September. The 2026 festival ran Sept. 18-20 (Central Montana Tourism). The Havre Area Chamber of Commerce keeps the festival’s page, including parade and vendor registration links, at havrechamber.com/festival-days. We have not seen next year’s dates, so check the chamber before planning around it. Below is a recap video of the 2026 weekend.

A hot springs detour: Sleeping Buffalo

The Hi-Line’s only hot springs resort, Sleeping Buffalo, is near Saco, off US 2 about 17 miles east of Malta (Visit Montana). By our estimate Malta is about 89 road miles from Havre, so this is a long day trip, roughly 105 to 115 road miles each way. We cover the water, hours, lodging and the fact that the resort is for sale in our Montana hot springs guide (see the section “Northeast Montana: Sleeping Buffalo on the Hi-Line”). Call ahead before driving out.

Getting to Havre

Drive. Havre is on US 2, about 122 road miles north of Great Falls International Airport (GTF) on US 87 (our routing estimate). If you are flying in and driving, you can compare rental cars at Great Falls airport (GTF).

Fly. Cape Air says it flies daily, year-round, between Billings Logan International Airport and Havre (Cape Air). Check Cape Air for schedules and fares.

Train. Amtrak’s Empire Builder stops in Havre; Visit Montana lists the station at 235 Main Street (Visit Montana, Amtrak; Visit Montana, Havre). We did not verify train times; check Amtrak before you plan around it.

Drive times from Havre

Routing estimates from downtown Havre in clear conditions. Winter weather and road work add time.

Estimates come from the public OSRM router using OpenStreetMap geocodes, checked November 2, 2026. Beaver Creek Park’s northern boundary is about 10 miles south of town and its office about 20 miles, per the park. Check MDT 511 for road conditions before winter drives.

For bigger-town services, see our Great Falls and Billings town pages. Glacier is the big draw along US 2. For timing and entrance details, see the Glacier trip planner and where to stay near Glacier.

Where to stay

We have no lodging partner link for Havre, so here is where to look instead. Visit Montana’s Havre page lists motels, hotels and campgrounds in and near town, including a Quality Inn, Super 8, AmericInn, and Siesta and Hi-Line motels (Visit Montana, Havre). Beaver Creek Park has campgrounds; see the park’s site. Montana charges an 8% lodging tax (Montana DOR).

More on the Hi-Line

Planning a longer drive along US 2? Our Hi-Line hub, which will collect our Hi-Line guides in one place, is still to come. For towns we have already written up, see the Montana towns guide.

Frequently asked questions

What county is Havre, Montana in?
Hill County. Havre is the county seat (USGS GNIS; Montana Association of Counties).

Is Havre Beneath the Streets open in winter?
Central Montana Tourism and Visit Montana both list winter tours, Monday through Saturday, starting at 10:30 a.m. and running to 2:30 p.m. Reservations are required, so call (406) 265-8888 (Central Montana Tourism; Visit Montana).

Do I need a permit for Beaver Creek Park?
Yes. The park says a permit is required for all park use (Beaver Creek Park).

Is Fort Assinniboine open to visitors?
It depends on the source. The fort’s own site posted tours for summer 2026 and a Living History Day on June 5, 2027, while the Havre chamber says it is closed until further notice. Call (406) 399-5225.

Can I take the train to Havre?
Amtrak’s Empire Builder serves Havre (HAV). Check Amtrak for current times (Visit Montana).

How far is Havre from Glacier National Park?
About 229 road miles to the West Entrance at West Glacier, roughly 4 hours 25 minutes, and about 192 miles to the St. Mary Entrance, roughly 3 hours 50 minutes (OSRM route estimates; the Going-to-the-Sun Road’s alpine section is seasonal, per the NPS).

How far is Havre from Bear Paw Battlefield?
About 38 road miles by our estimate. The NPS says the battlefield is 16 miles south of Chinook, and that the Havre Amtrak station is 38 miles from it (NPS).

Sources

• USGS GNIS Domestic Names, Montana (Havre 772203; Bears Paw Mountains 767915): https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/GeographicNames/DomesticNames/DomesticNames_MT_Text.zip
• USGS Elevation Point Query Service: https://epqs.nationalmap.gov/v1/docs
• Montana Association of Counties, county seats: https://www.mtcounties.org/counties/county-seats-corresponding-license-plate-numbers/
• Visit Montana, Havre: https://www.visitmt.com/places-to-go/cities-and-towns/havre ; Havre Beneath the Streets: https://visitmt.com/listing/havre-beneath-the-streets-9512 ; Beaver Creek Park: https://www.visitmt.com/listing/beaver-creek-park ; Fort Assinniboine: https://www.visitmt.com/listing/fort-assinniboine-historic-site-northern-agricultural-research-center ; Havre Historic Tours and More: https://www.visitmt.com/listing/havre-historic-tours-and-more ; Sleeping Buffalo: https://www.visitmt.com/listing/sleeping-buffalo-hot-springs ; Amtrak: https://visitmt.com/plan-your-trip/amtrak
• Havre Beneath the Streets: https://havrebeneaththestreets.com/ ; Central Montana Tourism listing: https://centralmontana.com/listings/havre-beneath-the-streets/
• H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum (Montana Dinosaur Trail): https://mtdinotrail.org/h-earl-clack-memorial-museum/ ; Blaine County Museum: https://mtdinotrail.org/blaine-county-museum/ and https://blainecountymuseum.com/
• Havre Area Chamber of Commerce: https://www.havrechamber.com/wahkpa-chugn-buffalo-jump ; https://www.havrechamber.com/fort-assinniboine
• Fort Assinniboine Preservation Association: https://fortassinniboine.org/
• Beaver Creek Park (Hill County): https://www.bcpark.org/ ; https://www.bcpark.org/park-permit
• NPS, Nez Perce National Historical Park, Bear Paw Battlefield: https://www.nps.gov/nepe/planyourvisit/visit-bear-paw-battlefield.htm
• Cape Air, Montana routes: https://www.capeair.com/where_we_fly/Montana/montana.html
• NPS Glacier Directions: https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/directions.htm
• Montana Department of Revenue, lodging facility tax: https://revenue.mt.gov/taxes/miscellaneous/lodging-facility
• Havre Festival Days: https://centralmontana.com/events/havre-festival-days/ ; https://havrechamber.com/festival-days ; video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEIS3O1cJx8 (Mandy’s Adventures, uploaded Sept. 25, 2026)
• Drive times: OSRM public router with OpenStreetMap/Nominatim geocodes, Nov. 2, 2026

Cole Bennett edits MontanaHelp, a research-driven guide to moving to and living in Montana. Articles cite official and public sources and are updated as rules and data change. AI tools help research and draft them; a person runs the editorial process and spot-checks one article per batch before it’s published.

AI tools helped research and draft this article. A person runs MontanaHelp’s editorial process and spot-checks one article per batch before it’s published.

This guide is general travel information, not professional advice. Hours, tour schedules and access change; confirm with each venue before you travel. We do not quote ticket or permit prices.