Fort Owen State Park

Fort Owen State Park is a former fur trading post and settlement in the Stevensville area that now operates as a historic site with preserved ruins. The grounds retain the remaining barracks structure made of adobe bricks, which dates from the 1840s and represents the fort's original construction.

Major John Owen purchased this location in 1850 from Catholic missionaries and transformed it into a regional fur trading center. The site then became central to early European-American settlement across the Montana territory.

This site served as a meeting point where traders and American Indian tribes exchanged goods and ideas during the region's formative years. Visitors can sense how commercial activity shaped early community life here.

The park grounds are walkable and easy to navigate from the parking area to the main building. Wear sturdy shoes when visiting, as the terrain can be uneven and muddy after rain.

The original complex was much larger and featured corner towers and elevated walkways, of which only the barracks structure remains visible today. These missing sections reveal how much of the site was dismantled or lost over the decades.

Location: Ravalli County

Inception: 1937

Website: https://fwp.mt.gov/stateparks/fort-owen

GPS coordinates: 46.51950,-114.09700

Latest update: December 12, 2025 16:43