Info on Indian Reservations (Plains, Browning: to rent, buy, live)

[g_massie]

I am planning a trip to Montana this september to fly fish and after that to explore. How do you go about visiting the reservations are their limits?? Im clueless right now.

[brokencrayola]

Visiting an Indian Reservation is no different than driving from one town to another. in fact you will likely pass through reservations on your way to your destination if you drive. You can see on maps what areas are considered reservation and what tribe. There are no official entrances etc.

[rickers]

On the Flathead Reservation where I live there is a fee for being on tribal property for purposes of recreation but not for passing through. You may swim and boat on the portion of Flathead Lake that is on the reservation without a permit. The compete rules are on the tribes website. Any one who is not a tribal member including white folks like me are allowed to rent, buy and live on the reservation. Here is the link to the Consolidated Salish And Kootenai tribes website.

http:CSKT

Look for the Quick links and click on the Non-Member Recreation Regulations link. It's a pdf file. A lot of other interesting stuff about the tribes who share this reservation is on their site also. Remember that you cant pick any flowers or remove any rocks at all on this reservation. You can pick huckleberries when in season though.

Here is a link to picasa photos of the Flathead Reservation. Enjoy your visit to this lovely place this summer !

Picasa Web Albums - Rick - Pictures of o...

[GEORGIAINMT]

I hope you enjoy your trip to Montana. I'm an Indian Education for All trainer and the best website I've seen that has overall good info & great links to other sites is the Montana OPI website. It is Montana Office of Public Instruction. There is a link near the top middle that says Indian Education. I hope this helps! Have a ball!
Georgia

[adkmtbob]

Visit Browning....The Blackfeet Reservation is a must see. You'll be amazed how poor America really is.

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by adkmtbob

Visit Browning....The Blackfeet Reservation is a must see. You'll be amazed how poor America really is.

Excellent advice! If you're going to be in northwestern Montana, you'll be going through Glacier Park, right? -- don't miss the opportunity to see a place of such magnificent beauty!

At the east entrance to Glacier Park is a town called St. Mary (well, "town" isn't really the right word; last I saw there was a lake, some windblown trees, and several horses, period). Route 89 right at that entrance will take you the short distance south and east into Browning.

At the edge of Browning, at the juncture of Rt. 89 and Rt. 2 is the Museum Of The Plains Indian, a fascinating, small museum which is quite fun to go through. Then you can drive slowly through the little town of Browning, and feel your dismay at the relentless poverty ...

[rickers]

Just a word of advice about going to Browning and I hope nobody from Browning jumps on me for this. Browning can be a very dangerous place for naive tourists. I have had run-ins with angry people there and all I did was try to drive through the town on the highway. Way too many people there seem to have more hatred for white people than other Native Americans in other areas. I live on the Flathead Reservation and I really don't want to go near the Blackfeet Res. Sorry to offend anyone in or from Browning but the truth often hurts !

[kabb36]

Originally Posted by rickers

On the Flathead Reservation where I live there is a fee for being on tribal property for purposes of recreation but not for passing through. You may swim and boat on the portion of Flathead Lake that is on the reservation without a permit. The compete rules are on the tribes website. Any one who is not a tribal member including white folks like me are allowed to rent, buy and live on the reservation. Here is the link to the Consolidated Salish And Kootenai tribes website.

http:CSKT

Look for the Quick links and click on the Non-Member Recreation Regulations link. It's a pdf file. A lot of other interesting stuff about the tribes who share this reservation is on their site also. Remember that you cant pick any flowers or remove any rocks at all on this reservation. You can pick huckleberries when in season though.

Here is a link to picasa photos of the Flathead Reservation. Enjoy your visit to this lovely place this summer !

Picasa Web Albums - Rick - Pictures of o...

Hi rickers, thanks for the photos. I have a question for you. I saw the motorcycle in your photo. Would my husband be able to ride his dirtbike on the reservation? Thanks.

[TypicalCalifornian]

People who belive poverty is about money and not values are likely to understand neither

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by kabb36

Would my husband be able to ride his dirtbike on the reservation?

Unless everything has changed very recently -- no. Bad idea if your husband is Caucasian. There's deep poverty and, as rickers noted, hatred on the Blackfeet Reservation and you can feel the hatred in the air, even from inside your car. The Blackfeet have a long history of broken treaties, being robbed of their land, and deprivation. If you go to Browning, you will notice there is nothing there but dust...

Driving through Browning inside a car, windows up, no stopping is the best way for a non-Native American to be there. Keep moving. Don't stop, don't get out, don't call out to anyone, don't have a loud radio on, don't drive a flashy/expensive vehicle; don't move your head to look around, just move your eyes. Try to be invisible.

What can hurt most is not knowing the truth, right?