Property Description
Sleeping Buffalo Hot Springs & Resort
A Place Worth Preserving
Some properties are built.
Others are discovered.
The offering at Sleeping Buffalo Hot Springs & Resort
has recently been expanded in a significant way. In addition to the historic
hot springs resort and its original acreage, the sellers have added an
adjoining 64-acre parcel, bringing the total offering to just under 100 acres.
Formerly operated as the Horizon Hills Golf Course, the
additional acreage introduces an entirely new dimension to the property. While
the golf course is no longer in operation, its infrastructure, access, and
location create a compelling opportunity for future development. The sellers
have included this land with the hope that a new owner will consider
subdividing and expanding the property’s long-term potential.
A preliminary concept prepared by the owners illustrates the
possibility of creating 50 or more residential lots, with existing roadway
access and multiple water sources already in place. Whether envisioned as a
residential neighborhood, vacation community, wellness village, or another
complementary development, the added acreage offers opportunities that are
rarely found alongside an established destination resort.
The result is an offering unlike any other in Montana; an
established, income-producing hot springs resort paired with nearly 100 acres
of land that provides meaningful room for future growth.
The story of Sleeping Buffalo Hot Springs began more than a
century ago on Montana’s northern prairie when an oil drilling crew searching
for one resource unexpectedly found another. Instead of oil, naturally heated
mineral water surged from deep beneath the earth. What could have been
dismissed as a failed drilling project became something far more meaningful
when local residents recognized the water’s potential. According to local
history, one family turned to the mineral waters in hopes of helping their
child who was suffering from polio. What began as an act of love and hope
eventually grew into a gathering place that would touch the lives of
generations to come.
Long before wellness retreats and destination resorts became
part of the modern vocabulary, people were coming to Sleeping Buffalo seeking
rest, restoration, recreation, and connection. Families returned year after
year. Children learned to swim in its waters. Hunters, fishermen, travelers,
and neighbors gathered here. Over the last century, Sleeping Buffalo has become
woven into the fabric of life across Montana’s Hi-Line and beyond.
Today, Sleeping Buffalo Hot Springs & Resort stands as
the only hot springs resort in northeastern Montana and one of the region’s
most recognized destinations. Located just off Highway 2 between Malta and
Saco, the property occupies a unique position within Montana’s vast northern
plains, offering visitors an experience that feels both deeply rooted in
history and remarkably removed from the demands of modern life.
At the center of Sleeping Buffalo’s past, present, and
future are the mineral waters that made its existence possible.
Fed by a 3,200-foot artesian well drilled in 2021, naturally
heated mineral water emerges from deep beneath the prairie at a consistent
temperature of 106 to 108 degrees. Rich in silica, calcium, magnesium,
sulfates, and other naturally occurring minerals, the water has drawn visitors
for generations. Unlike many commercial facilities, Sleeping Buffalo operates
entirely with a non-chlorinated, flow-through mineral water system. Fresh water
continuously enters the pools, providing a clean and natural experience that
reflects the property’s longstanding commitment to wellness and stewardship.
The hot springs complex has undergone extensive renovation
and modernization while preserving the spirit of the original destination.
Guests enjoy a 60-foot by 80-foot indoor mineral pool, a hot soaking pool, cold
plunge pool, sauna, and conference space designed to accommodate retreats,
gatherings, and special events. In 2025, the outdoor pool was completely
reimagined, resulting in a 128-foot by 60-foot swimming pool and outdoor hot
tub surrounded by expansive lounging areas. On cool Montana evenings, steam
rises from the water beneath a sky filled with stars, creating the kind of
experience guests remember long after they return home.
Over the past decade, the property has been thoughtfully
revitalized with the goal of creating a destination worthy of the generations
who have loved it.
Accommodations include five beautifully restored guest
cabins, three hotel-style guest rooms, and a 31-site RV park with full-service
hookups. The cabins combine rustic Montana character with modern comfort,
featuring log and stone construction, full kitchens, comfortable living spaces,
and generous outdoor areas designed for gathering with family and friends.
Guests can spend their days soaking in the mineral pools, exploring nearby
recreational opportunities, or simply enjoying the quiet solitude that has
become increasingly difficult to find anywhere else.
For generations, Sleeping Buffalo has served as a gathering
place for families, neighbors, travelers, hunters, and fishermen. Today, that
tradition continues at 54 Prime Steakhouse and the Buffalo Saloon, where the
simple pleasures of good food, conversation, and community remain an important
part of the Sleeping Buffalo experience.
Completed in 2023, 54 Prime Steakhouse offers a full-service
dining experience featuring a commercial-grade kitchen, spacious dining areas,
and outdoor patio seating. Adjacent to the restaurant, the Buffalo Saloon
provides a welcoming atmosphere where guests can unwind after a day at the
pools, reconnect with friends, or simply enjoy the hospitality that has long
been part of the property’s character.
The property’s 30-foot by 96-foot greenhouse reflects a
philosophy that has guided Sleeping Buffalo’s revitalization over the past
decade: investing in the future while honoring what makes the property special.
Fresh produce grown on-site contributes to the dining experience, while
infrastructure improvements throughout the resort support its long-term
operation and continued enjoyment by future generations.
The offering also includes a substantial owner’s residence
measuring approximately 5,388 square feet. Thoughtfully constructed and
exceptionally maintained, the residence features four bedrooms, three
bathrooms, radiant floor heating, detailed custom woodwork, a heated garage,
and a concrete-encased walk-in gun safe. A separate 1,200-square-foot manager’s
residence provides additional housing flexibility for staff or management. Supporting
improvements include a 100-foot by 50-foot shop along with the mechanical
systems, utilities, and infrastructure necessary to support a resort of this
scale.
While Sleeping Buffalo has earned its reputation as one of
Montana’s most recognizable hot springs destinations, the addition of the
adjoining 64-acre former Horizon Hills Golf Course creates opportunities that
extend well beyond the resort itself.
The property’s proximity to the existing hot springs
facilities, combined with established access, existing utilities, and available
water sources, presents a rare opportunity to thoughtfully expand the
property’s future. A preliminary development concept prepared by the sellers
demonstrates the potential for 50 or more residential homesites, offering a
buyer the flexibility to create additional revenue streams while preserving the
character that has made Sleeping Buffalo a destination for generations.
Whether developed as residential lots, vacation homes,
wellness residences, or another complementary use, the acreage provides room
for the next owner to shape the property’s next chapter while building upon its
remarkable history.
Beyond the property itself, Sleeping Buffalo benefits from
one of the most desirable recreational locations in the region. Directly across
the road lies Nelson Reservoir, a 4,100-acre body of water renowned for
walleye, northern pike, perch fishing, boating, and year-round recreation. The
surrounding area offers exceptional opportunities for waterfowl hunting, upland
bird hunting, big game hunting, wildlife photography, and birdwatching. Nearby
Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge attracts visitors from around the world who
come to experience one of the Northern Great Plains’ most important wildlife
habitats.
Yet for all of the improvements, amenities, and
opportunities found here, the true value of Sleeping Buffalo cannot be measured
solely in buildings, acreage, or infrastructure.
It lives in the memories people carry with them.
It lives in the stories of families who returned year after
year.
It lives in the guests who learned to swim in these waters
as children and later returned with children and grandchildren of their own.
It lives in community gatherings, celebrations, reunions,
fishing trips, hunting camps, weddings, retreats, and countless ordinary days
that became unforgettable simply because they happened here.
For nearly one hundred years, Sleeping Buffalo Hot Springs
has been cared for by people who recognized that it was more than a business.
Each generation has added its own chapter while preserving what made the place
special in the first place.
The opportunity now exists for someone new to continue that
story.
For some, Sleeping Buffalo represents a hospitality
investment unlike any other in the region. For others, it represents an
opportunity to become the steward of a destination that has touched countless
lives and will continue serving guests, families, and communities for
generations to come. For many, it will simply be recognized for what it has
always been: a place where people gather, reconnect, and leave better than they
arrived.
Opportunities to steward places of this significance rarely
become available. Sleeping Buffalo Hot Springs & Resort offers a rare
combination of history, established hospitality operations, natural geothermal
resources, and nearly 100 acres of land with exceptional future development
potential. Whether your vision is to preserve a Montana landmark, expand an
already successful destination, or thoughtfully develop the adjoining acreage,
Sleeping Buffalo offers the opportunity to write the next chapter in one of
Montana’s most remarkable properties.
PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS:
| Natural Artesian Well | Indoor and Outdoor Pools | Extensively Remodeled | Commercial Property | Resort Property |
| Hot Springs Resort | Luxury Accommodations | Just Under 100+/- Acres | Investment & Income | |
| Bar and Steakhouse | RV Park-31 Hookups | Businesses for Sale | Restaurant & Bar |

















































