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to Cranbrook, BC
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State Capital: Helena Land Area: 145,392 sq. miles Montana Population: 1,023,579* Water Area: 1,746 sq. miles State Capital: Helena *2014 U.S. CensusLand Area: 145,392 sq.Total miles Estimate Area: 147,138 sq. miles Montana Population: 1,023,579* Water Area: 1,746 sq. miles Helena Land Area: 145,392 sq. miles *2014 U.S. Census Estimate State Capital:Total 147,138 milesand detailed information. Map provided for general information only. Consult the Official MontanaArea: Highway Map forsq. accurate Montana Population: 1,023,579* Water Area: 1,746 sq. miles *2014 U.S. Census Estimate Total Map provided for general information only. Consult the Official Montana Highway Map for accurate and detailed information. Area: 147,138 sq. miles
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Map provided for general information only. Consult the Official Montana Highway Map for accurate and detailed information.
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34 Miles to Plevna Bowman, ND Medicine Rocks
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to Sheridan, WY Wyola Decker
59 Miles
26.4 Miles to O Sheridan, S UT HWYE AS T
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Otter
34 Miles to Bowman, ND
Baker Ekalaka
Medicine Rocks State Park
Ekalaka Olive Broadus
Warrior Trail Highway
Olive Broadus Biddle
Warrior Trail Highway
Reservoir State Park
Birney Biddle
34 Miles to Bowman, ND
Baker
Ekalaka
Lame Deer
61 Miles to Dickinson, ND
Ismay
Rosebud
Pryor Fishtail
61 Miles to Dickinson, ND
Plevna
Medicine Rocks State Park
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Glendive
Official Home of the Evelyn Cameron Gallery
Glendive Makoshika 253 Official BIG SKY253 BACK State Park Home of the COUNTRY BYWAY Wibaux 61 Miles to Evelyn Glendive Dickinson, ND TerryOfficial Makoshika 253 Cameron Fallon Gallery State Park Home of the Wibaux Evelyn Makoshika 253 Cameron Terry BIG SKY BACK Fallon Gallery State Park COUNTRY BYWAY
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Miles City
Crane
Savage
TA SO UT H DA KO
Big Laurel Timber
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Fairview Crane
Savage Sidney
Lambert
Bloomfield
Brockway
BIG SKY BACK COUNTRY BYWAY
Sidney
WYOM ING
to Gillette, WYOM SO U T HWY EAS T M O N TA N A
Alzada
59 Miles Biddle to Gillette, 113 Miles toWY Mount Rushmore National Memorial ING 59 Miles to Gillette, WY
SOUTHEAST MAP SYMBOLS M O N TA NAND A OTHER FEATURES
Interstate Route State Boundary MAP SYMBOLS AND OTHER FEATURES Principal Highway Major Airport Interstate Route State Boundary CITY/ POPULATION HIGHWAYS MAP SYMBOLS AND OTHER FEATURES 50-1,000 Under 50 Other Highway Secondary Airport TOWN Principal Highway Interstate RouteMajor Airport State Boundary 1,000-2,500 Amtrak Line 50-1,000 Under 50 Other Highway Secondary Airport ROUTE MARKERS Principal Highway Major Airport 2,500-10,000 Amtrak Station 1,000-2,500 50-1,000 Amtrak Line Interstate Other Highway Secondary Airport ROUTE MARKERS 10,000-25,000 Montana State Park 2,500-10,000 Amtrak Station 1,000-2,500 U.S. Route Amtrak Line Interstate Point of Interest Over 25,000 ROUTE MARKERS 10,000-25,000 Montana State or Provincial RouteState Park Amtrak Station 2,500-10,000 U.S. Route Interstate State Capital Point of Interest Over 25,000 Other Route 10,000-25,000 Montana State Park State or Provincial Route U.S. Route State Capital Point of Interest Over 25,000 Other Route State or Provincial Route State Capital Other Route
Alzada 113 Miles to Mount Rushmore National Memorial Alzada 113 Miles to Mount Rushmore National Memorial
TA KO H DA KO TA UT SO UT H DA SO
Lake Elmo Canyon Creek GreycliffState Park Battlefield Nez Reed Point Perce NHP
253
Fairview
Lambert
Savage
253
Jordan Cohagen
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LEWIS AND CLARK HIGHWAY
Melstone
Hysham
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Sand Springs
LEWIS AND CLARK HIGHWAY
Mosby Melstone
LEWIS AND CLARK HIGHWAY
Harlowton
Big Timber
Mosby Cohagen
Winnett
Melstone
Harlowton
Sand Springs
Winnett
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ca tanford Grass Range Hobson
Circle
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Culbertson
Bainville Poplar
Lambert
Brusett Brockway
Jordan
Medicine Lake Culbertson
Fairview
Bloomfield Brockway
Circle Jordan
Froid
Sidney
Brusett Brusett
Plentywood
Poplar
Wolf Point
Zortman
Roy
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Two Dot
Hinsdale Saco Nashua Vandalia Wolf
Scobey
TA NO RT H DA KO
Landusky
Winifred
Judith Gap
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Fort Peck
Denton
Two Dot
FORT PECK INDIAN RESERVATION
Lustre
Glasgow
Zortman
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Roy
Marie
Vandalia
Saint Marie
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TA KO H DA KO TA RT NO RT H DA NO
elle
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FORT PECK Hinsdale I N D I A N R E S E R V A T I O N Saint Saco
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Landusky
INDIAN RESERVATION
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to Fortuna, ND to Fortuna, ND
Loring Chinook
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Turner
to Regina, SK Westby to Assiniboia, SK Whitetail Four Flaxville to Regina, SK Buttes Opheim to Assiniboia, SK Westby Four to Kildeer, SKWhitetail Scobey Plentywood Peerless Flaxville Buttes Westby Whitetail Four Scobey Plentywood Peerless Flaxville Buttes Medicine Lake Opheim FORT PECK
to Kildeer, SK
to Swift Current, SK Turner
CANADA
to Fortuna, ND
T RAL TA NA
to Regina, SK
to Assiniboia, SK
to Williston, ND to Williston, ND
M I S S O URI RI V E R CO UN T RY M I S S O U RI RI V E R to Kildeer, SK to Swift Current, SK CANADA C O UN T RY M I S S O U RI RI V E R
to Williston, ND
T RAL TA NA
OUT HERE, DISCOVERY IS WAITING.
WELCOME FROM THE BOARD CHAIR Welcome to the wide-open skies and vast plains of Southeast Montana! As a second-generation Montanan, I represent an area rich in history and natural beauty. This land hosted wealth in the presence of plentiful wildlife and native grasses long before Lewis and Clark camped on the banks of the Yellowstone River. We have hosted historic guests and residents from presidents to artists to authors of international fame. This land has witnessed early photographers who chronicled the lives of feast-or-famine homesteaders, railroad workers who opened the badlands for progress, and four generations of sheep and cattle ranchers who still use horses for daily work. Out here you will enjoy unlimited panoramic photo opportunities, unique local shops, sumptuous fine dining and good home-cooking as well as gracious people who take the time to stop and say hello. We have every imaginable outdoor activity for every season, including hiking, camping, biking, fossil and Montana agate hunting, and fishing galore. Enjoy a Crow or Northern Cheyenne powwow or seek elusive antelope, white-tailed and mule deer, waterfowl and upland birds. Our lifestyle is difficult to explain. It is, however, very easy to experience. Be curious! Come explore our scenic byways, watch an inspiring sunrise or study the nighttime skies—there’s plenty of splendor out here. Stay awhile, and let us share Southeast Montana with you.
Dale Galland CHAIRPERSON, VISIT SOUTHEAST MONTANA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS 4
WELCOME
12 RECREATION 16 HISTORY 20 INDIAN NATIONS 24 WESTERN ADVENTURE 28 DINOSAUR ADVENTURE 32 HUNTING & FISHING 38 SUGGESTED ITINERARIES 44 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 48 DIRECTORY OF TOWNS 56 ONLINE PLANNING RESOURCES
815 S. 27th St. Billings, MT 59101
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ON THE COVER
Honoring 100 years in 2018, the annual Crow Fair Celebration Powwow & Rodeo will be held August 15 – 20. The Apsáalooke (or Crow) Tribe hosts parades, a four-day powwow, a rodeo and horse races at the “Tipi Capital of the World” in Crow Agency, near Hardin, Montana. Crow Fair is the largest tribal event in Montana and one of the largest in the nation, with more than 50,000 attending this epic celebration. Cover photo by Allen Russell
Any reproduction or reprint of this guide, or portion thereof, without written permission from Visit Southeast Montana is prohibited. Information subject to change without notification. To advertise in the next guide, please call 406.829.8200. Makoshika State Park, @gettingstamped 2
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Find distinctive treasures that are from the plains of Southeast Montana while visiting this unique store in a charming town. Prairie Unique offers a variety of gourmet food, candy, art, toys and special gifts, all made in Montana. Mural by Michael Jondavid Martin
EconoLodge • Miles City Hotel • Miles City Hotel & Suites Motel 6 • Sleep Inn & Suites • Super 8 • War Bonnet 114 SOUTH LOGAN AVENUE • TERRY, MT 406.635.5598 • PRAIRIEUNIQUE.COM
milescitychamber.com
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Step onto the dinosaur trail. Hike Makoshika State Park. Walk through history. Fish the Yellowstone. Shop unique artisan shops. Spend time making memories. Visit Glendive and Share the Local Experience. 808 N. Merrill Avenue Glendive, MT 59330 www.visitglendive.com 406.377.5601
STACEY BOWLDS
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SOUTHEAST MONTANA
WELCOME TO SOUTHEAST MONTANA “ I’M IN LOVE WITH MONTANA. FOR OTHER STATES I HAVE ADMIRATION, RESPECT, RECOGNITION, EVEN SOME AFFECTION. BUT WITH MONTANA IT IS LOVE. AND IT’S DIFFICULT TO ANALYZE LOVE WHEN YOU’RE IN IT.” — JOHN STEINBECK
Out here in Southeast Montana, we aren’t surprised by the words of John Steinbeck. Anybody who has lived here, visited here, or driven through here knows that with Montana, it is love. We know that when you visit Southeast Montana and drive our highways, dirt roads, scenic routes, and historic trails, you too will find it difficult to analyze the feelings you experience. There’s just something about it—that smile you get from passersby on the streets of our small towns; the chatter you overhear from the ranchers sitting at the next table in the local diner; the riot of color as the sun sets over the badlands in a sky that, though you know it sounds crazy, just looks bigger here than it does anywhere else. Then you begin to understand: You are in love with Montana. These experiences can be easy to miss. Our two major thoroughfares, Interstate 90 and Interstate 94, speed travelers through our part of the state efficiently and quickly, and many pass through without ever taking the time to experience the beauty and adventure this region offers. We encourage you not to make this mistake. Whether you would like to visit some of Montana’s most intimate small towns, or Billings—its largest—Southeast Montana offers experiences that can take your trip from memorable to unforgettable.
Photos – Top Left: Makoshika State Park, Nathan Satran Photography; Bottom Left: Camping in Rosebud County, Alexis Bonogofsky; Next Page: Kayaking in the Bighorn Canyon, Nathan Satran Photography
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BIGHORN CANYON IS A WONDERLAND OF EPIC OUTDOOR DISCOVERY + FUN
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OUT HERE BIG SKY MEETS BIG ADVENTURE IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE FASCINATING LANDSCAPE OF THE TERRY BADLANDS Andy Austin
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HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE We have organized this guide into six different general interests to help you find what you’d most like to experience in our area. Each section gives an overview of that particular area of interest and shows on a map the top five attractions for each. These sections are Recreation, Historic Adventure, Indian Nations, Western Adventure, Dinosaur Adventure and Hunting and Fishing. Look further into the guide for ideas on unique Southeast Montana experiences and hidden treasures off the beaten path in our region. If you are the type who loves Western movies, have always wanted to see a real powwow, and can’t get enough of those cable television specials on “how the West was won,” then you’ll want to focus your efforts on the Western Adventure, Indian Nations and Historic Adventure sections of this guide. The Western Adventure section will guide you to all of the rodeo and cowboy hot spots in Southeast Montana, including one of the best cowboy bars in the state. Turn to the section on Indian Nations to see how you can witness one of the largest powwow gatherings in the nation at Crow Fair.
Photos – Top Left: Chief Plenty Coups State Park, Montana State Parks; Bottom: Bighorn Canyon, Andy Austin; Next Page: Kempton Hotel, Andy Austin
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THE KEMPTON HOTEL IS MONTANA’S OLDEST CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING HOTEL IN TERRY 1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM
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Photos – Top Left: Medicine Rocks State Park, Chasing the Wild Outdoors Photography; Below: Horseback riding at the Double Spear Ranch, @gettingstamped
In the Historic Adventure section, you’ll learn about the most famous battle of the Plains Indian Wars, the Battle of the Little Bighorn, where Lt. Col. George A. Custer and his men were wiped out by Sioux and Northern Cheyenne warriors. If you are more of the outdoorsy type, are on your way to Yellowstone or Glacier National Park, and want to get out along the way to stretch your legs a bit, then the Recreation and Dinosaur Adventure sections are for you. Both will guide you to Southeast Montana’s most scenic and rugged destinations. Dinosaur Adventure is synonymous with the Montana Badlands. Flip to this section to learn about some prime spots to get a hike in where you’re most likely to spot a dinosaur fossil. You can also join a guided dinosaur dig and keep some of what you find! The Recreation section has all of the information you’ll need to find the wildlife in our area, and to camp, hike, fish, hunt, or even just sit and enjoy the fresh air and big sky. Finally, the Hunting and Fishing section will give you the information you need if your idea of a dream vacation is to bag a trophy pronghorn antelope or fish a blue-ribbon trout stream. Once you’ve made your decision to stop in Southeast Montana, you’ll find helpful resources in the back of this guide, including sample itineraries and a City Directory to help you know what to expect in each town you pass through. If you need more information, there is much more online at southeastmontana.com. We hope that you’ll take the time to explore all the sections of this guide and open your mind to all the possibilities that await you out here in Southeast Montana. 10
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BD– BAR & GRILL BD –
Hog ’n Jog Country Cafe
FALLON
Just like being at home. Real good homemade food! We are committed to serving quality and
I B B O N F RY , HOME OF THE R & BURGERS! M O N TA N A F I N G E R ST E A KS
flavorful foods! We prepare our entrées from scratch using local Prairie County and Montana goods! We believe in the “Farm to Table” philosophy and think serving locally produced food is good for the local economy and results in a superior plate of food.
OPEN TUESDAY-SUNDAY 11:00AM-CLOSE 510 N RAILWAY AVENUE FALLON, MT 59326 406-486-5400
316 Spring Street • Terry, MT 59349 • 406.635.4285
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RECREATION
FROM CANYONS TO BADLANDS AT BIGHORN CANYON, DISCOVER A 70-MILE LAKE STRETCHED THROUGH CANYON WALLS A THOUSAND FEET HIGH. AND, IN THE BADLANDS, FOSSILS ARE SO ABUNDANT YOU MIGHT WALK RIGHT OVER SOME WITHOUT EVEN NOTICING.
Montana. It’s a name that conjures up images of spectacular, unspoiled nature. Its mention brings to mind scenes of quiet mountain lakes, bugling elk, steaming geyser basins and roaring waterfalls. Nature truly is what Montana does best, and it is as enjoyable to us locals as it is to those of you who visit these majestic scenes. Southeast Montana is an essential part of this story. Here you can experience this spectacular, unspoiled nature in the valley of the untamed Yellowstone River as it flows unchecked toward its rendezvous with the Missouri River. Or from a rented pontoon boat on Bighorn Lake, as you gaze up at the towering 1,000-foot walls of Bighorn Canyon. Or how about watching the sunset paint the badlands with red and gold from your vantage point along a scenic drive at Makoshika State Park? Visit Montana’s mountains, see Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, but don’t forget that you will never get the full picture of Montana’s natural wonders unless you experience the badlands, canyons, rivers and prairies of Southeast Montana. We want to help you experience these places that locals have known about for generations, but that have only recently begun to be discovered by travelers through our area. Depending on where you are in Southeast Montana, you will experience very different types of recreational opportunities and scenery. If you are traveling Interstate 94 between Yellowstone National Park and the North Dakota border, you will be following the Yellowstone River Valley. Here you can watch as the endless prairie gives way to the steep ravines and colorful rocks of the badlands. Recreational opportunities abound along this route, including hiking and sightseeing at Makoshika State Park near Glendive and the Terry Badlands with its natural stone bridges.
Photos – Top Left: Bighorn Canyon, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development; Bottom Left: Capitol Rock, Kelly Wicks; Next Page: Makoshika State Park, Nathan Satran Photography 12
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MONTANA’S LARGEST STATE PARK FEATURES BADLAND FORMATIONS. TAKE EXIT 215 OFF I-94 NEAR GLENDIVE 1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM
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RECREATION
If you are driving west from Mount Rushmore toward the Little Bighorn Battlefield, you will find yourself on Highway 212. This highway, also known as the Warrior Trail, will lead you through the heart of the Wolf Mountains, home to many battlefields and sites sacred to the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. Thousands of acres of Custer Gallatin National Forest land lie between Broadus and Ashland, and are open to hiking, camping and other forms of recreation. If you really want to get away from it all, take Highway 7 between South Dakota and North Dakota. Here you’ll pass through Montana’s own small piece of the Black Hills. Hike out to see the famous Chalk Buttes south of Ekalaka, as rich in Native American history as in breathtaking vistas. North of Ekalaka is Medicine Rocks State Park, said by some to be Montana’s most unique campground. Its towering sandstone monuments once marked a wellused camping area for Native Americans and were considered to be places of “Big Medicine.”
BOATING Despite what you may have heard about eastern Montana, we are not all flatland and prairie. In fact, boating is very popular in this part of the state. Both the Tongue River Reservoir and Bighorn Canyon provide boating enthusiasts with plenty of beautiful scenery, clean, cool water, and, most importantly, space. If you are traveling crosscountry and don’t have a boat with you, rent one at Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area at Ok-A-Beh Marina near Fort Smith.
Inset Photos – 1. Makoshika State Park, Shutterstock; 2. Medicine Rocks State Park, Nathan Satran Photography; 3. Calypso Trail, Megan Richter; 4. Four Dances Natural Area, Visit Billings, Andy Austin; 5. Rock Hunting, Prairie Unique 14
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TOP 5 RECREATIONAL EXPERIENCES 1. MAKOSHIKA STATE PARK Badlands scenery, dinosaur digs, an 18hole disc golf course and over 11,000 acres of undeveloped hiking opportunities come together to make up Montana’s largest, and one of its most unique, state parks. Makoshika (Ma-ko-shi-ka) received its name from a Lakota Sioux phrase meaning “land of bad spirits.” Today the park is known for its breathtaking scenery and its wealth of dinosaur bones. It is not unusual to see ongoing dinosaur digs near the park. OUR FAVORITE TRAIL: Stretch your legs along the Cap Rock Trail, an easy 1-mile loop with unlimited possibilities for all-day off-trail exploration of unique sandstone hills, pinnacles, caprocks and even a natural bridge. To learn more about Makoshika, be sure to visit the Dinosaur Museum and Visitor Center, located at the entrance to the park. 406.377.6256, stateparks.mt.gov/makoshika
2. MEDICINE ROCKS STATE PARK AND CHALK BUTTES As its name implies, Medicine Rocks was a place of “Big Medicine,” where Native American hunting parties danced and prayed for a successful hunt. Teddy Roosevelt described Medicine Rocks “as fantastically beautiful a place as I have ever seen” when he visited in the 1800s as a young rancher. Weathering has given the soft sandstone rock formations a Swiss cheese look. OUR FAVORITE TRAIL: You can camp, picnic, watch for wildlife or go hiking on a short .75-mile trail. If you’re looking for a little longer hike, get off the beaten path and explore one of the high points of Southeast Montana with a trip to the Chalk Buttes. The white sandstone buttes rise seemingly out of nowhere on the prairie just 15 miles southwest of the town of Ekalaka. Climb 700 feet and walk the ridgeline with no set trails, but the opportunity for endless adventure.
3. CALYPSO TRAIL Terry, Montana is a quaint small town rich with history. Famed 19th-century photographer Evelyn Cameron even called Terry home, and her work can still be seen at the Evelyn Cameron Heritage and the Evelyn Cameron Gallery both in downtown Terry. OUR FAVORITE TRAIL: After visiting the museum, head out of town to the Calypso Trail, a 5.5-mile primitive road leading to impressive arches, bridges, flat tabletops, pinnacles, spires and scoria escarpments. At the end of the road, stretch your legs to get a firsthand look at these amazing structures as you hike and scramble your way to 360-degree vantage points.
Call 1.800.346.1876 to learn more about hiking in Southeast Montana.
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There’s nothing like experiencing Montana on foot, up close and personal. This part of the state is full of hiking opportunities, from badlands to alpine lakes to 1,000-foot-high canyon walls. You don’t need special equipment or reservations—just a good pair of shoes, a bottle of water and a spirit of adventure.
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One of the easiest ways to experience Southeast Montana’s spectacular, unspoiled nature is from your vehicle. There are several scenic routes winding through our region, ranging from wellmaintained two-lane roads to bumpy, “high-clearance-vehicle-only” dirt roads. Sturgis Rapid
City The best scenic drives in Southeast Minutes from downtown Billings is Wall Upton Montana wind through our badland the Four Dances Natural Area, also 25 areas. Along Interstate 94, just north known asWorland Sacrifice Cliffs. Standing Custer Newcastle of the town of Terry, is a scenic drive atop the sandstone cliffs yields that showcases the badlands scenery spectacular views looking down Hot Springs in that area and provides exceptional on the Yellowstone River and the views of the Yellowstone River. After south hills. taking the exit toward Terry, follow OUR FAVORITE TRAIL: Four Dances Trail is a 2.6-mile loop located Ten Mile Road as it crosses over the near Billings, Montana. The trail is rated as moderate and primarily Casper Yellowstone River and then turn west used for hiking. onto Scenic Drive Road. The road winds its way for 6 miles into the badlands among beautiful formations 5. ROCK HUNTING and neighborhood wildlife. One of the lesser-known activities available in Southeast Montana is Another great scenic drive is in rock hunting along the Yellowstone Makoshika State Park near Glendive. River. Experienced rock hounds can The paved road that leads to the park find a variety of agates ranging in entrance winds its way up onto a color from blue to red to even black badlands plateau, offering stunning or brown. Yellowstone River agates, which were formed millions of overlooks of the entire park. At the end years ago by volcanic eruptions in what is now Yellowstone National of the road is an outdoor amphitheater, Park, are treasured by rock hunters nationwide due to their coloration which hosts a variety of events and hardness. If agates don’t catch your interest, be sure to watch for throughout the summer. Check with the pieces of petrified wood, which also line the shores of the Yellowstone Glendive Chamber of Commerce to ask River. Though agates and petrified wood can be found anywhere when these events are taking place. along the river, the best spots for rock hunting are between the towns of Forsyth and Glendive, right out here in Southeast Montana. Anyone As you travel through Montana, be can start rock hunting by just stopping at one of the many fishing sure to take back roads and state access sites along the river, but for beginners it’s always best to get highways whenever possible. You’ll some expert advice. Visit the Billings Gem and Mineral Club’s website find beautiful scenery and interesting to learn more. billingsgemclub.com small towns that are easily missed if 385
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The Terry Badlands are designated a federal Wilderness Study Area.
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HISTORY
A JOURNEY THROUGH HISTORY FROM THE MEADOWS AT LITTLE BIGHORN BATTLEFIELD TO THE VARIED AND UNIQUE COUNTY MUSEUMS, OUR HISTORIC ADVENTURES ARE WORTH THE MILES TRAVELED.
During your visit to Montana, you will undoubtedly see beautiful mountains, rivers full of sparkling trout, and maybe even a buffalo or two. You’ll visit charming small towns and meet people who can make any stranger feel at home. These things alone would make for an incredible vacation, but in order to truly know Montana, to understand what it means to be a Montanan, you have to experience the bond that ties all of the nature, culture and people together. This bond is Montana’s history. Experiencing history is different from seeing history. Out here in Southeast Montana, history is an adventure. It’s in the thundering hooves of the ponies carrying native warriors and cavalrymen as they reenact Custer’s Last Stand. It’s in the sound of rustling cottonwood leaves as you climb the 202 steps to the top of Pompeys Pillar to catch a glimpse of what William Clark saw when he stood in that very spot. It’s in the dust and the grass of the battlefields as you follow the trails and look out over the same prairie that Lt. Col. George A. Custer did, where he first caught a glimpse of the massive Indian village he had been pursuing. In Southeast Montana, history is an adventure that shouldn’t be missed. The full story of Montana’s history can be discovered at the many museums and historic sites in nearly every community in Southeast Montana. There are some general themes that can help you understand how this area was shaped into what it is today.
Photos – Top Left: Battle of the Little Bighorn Reenactment, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development; Bottom Left: Custer’s gravestone at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development; Next Page: Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Nathan Satran Photography 16
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LITTLE BIGHORN BATTLEFIELD NATIONAL MONUMENT PRESERVES THE SITE OF THE JUNE 25 - 26, 1876, BATTLE OF THE LITTLE BIGHORN NEAR CROW AGENCY 1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM
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Inset Photos – 1. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Nathan Satran Photography; 2. Pompeys Pillar National Monument, Nathan Satran Photography; 3. Yellowstone County Museum, Donnie Sexton; 4. Evelyn Cameron Gallery, Megan Richter; 5. Custer Battlefield Museum, Custer Battlefield Museum
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This site, previously known as CusterDrummond Helena East Florence Judith Ga Helena White Sulphur Stevensville Montana Battlefield, memorializes Victor one of the Springs Two Garrison Elliston Clancy City Winston Dot Deer Jefferson Martinsdale greatest battles fought between the U.S. City Corvallis Philipsburg Lodge Townsend Basin Hamilton Ringling Cavalry and the Plains Indians seeking Boulder Anaconda Darby to maintain control over their ancestral Wise Conner Butte Wilsall Logan Big lands. Lt. Col. George A. Custer ledRiver 263 men into battle against a much Sula Manhattan Divide Tim Clyde Park Dewey Three Belgrade Whitehall larger force of Sioux and Northern Cheyenne warriors. AllForks of the menLivingston Silver Harrison Star Wisdom Pony Melrose McLeod in Custer’s column, including Custer himself, were killed. The National Twin Gallatin Norris Bridges Gateway Bozeman Sheridan Nye Monument includes a museum featuring interpretation of the clues left Nevada Jackson Pray Polaris Ennis City Emigrant Alderof this grisly Big Sky battle, behind at the site, which fill in some of the details Salmon Virginia Cameron Dillon Bannack City though many remain unknown. Several walking trails with interpretive Silver Coo Grant Gardiner Gate Cit signage, as well as an audio tour, tell the story of the battle from Tower Junction Mammoth Springs Hot beginning to end. 406.638.2621, nps.gov/libi 28
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Before even the first European trappers ventured into the untamed American Ashton wilderness, Pompeys Pillar was a meeting Rexburg place for Native American tribes who Arco camped and hunted in the area. They Idaho Falls Jackson left their mark on the stone in the form of symbols and images. Pompeys Pillar’s most famous visitor, William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, left his signature on the stone when he camped here in 1806. The signature can still be seen clearly carved into the rock. It is accessible via a series of stairs, which also allow visitors to venture to the very top of the pillar to look out on the same view witnessed by William Clark more than 200 years ago. Managed by the Bureau of Land Management and part of the National Conservation Lands, Pompeys Pillar National Monument is the only remaining on-site physical evidence of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. 406.875.2400, blm.gov/office/pompeys-pillar-national-monument 21
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The first official visit to Montana by representatives of the U.S. government was from the famous explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. On his way back east to share the news of the incredible discoveries he had made, Clark stopped in Southeast Montana along the Yellowstone River to climb a peculiar sandstone pillar jutting up from the riverbank. He named it after his Native American guide’s son, “Little Pomp,” and carved his name into the soft sandstone. This signature, as well as the pillar he climbed, can still be seen at Pompeys Pillar National Monument.
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Long before the citizens of the 13 British colonies on the East Coast had ever considered the idea of an American nation, the Crow Nation had firmly established this entire area as Crow Country. The land was heavily contested by many other tribes, including the Northern Cheyenne, and uneasy alliances plus the occasional pony raid marked the area long before any white government claimed it as its own.
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As you travel through the region and look out over the prairie, imagine how it would have been 300 years ago when this entire area was controlled, and fought over, by many different Native American nations, each vying for control of the vast herds of buffalo, valuable trade routes and limited pony herds.
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3. YELLOWSTONE COUNTY MUSEUM This museum is located atop the Billings Rimrocks, overlooking the city of Billings and the Yellowstone River Valley. The museum, which houses over 25,000 artifacts relating to the early history of Yellowstone County, consists of an upper and lower section, with the upper being housed in a wealthy cattleman’s log cabin dating back to 1892. Stop by to have a look at the fully assembled chuck wagon, early Western gun collection and the museum’s amazing collection of Native American artifacts, including a moccasin collection unmatched out here in Southeast Montana. 406.256.6811, ycmhistory.org
Pompeys Pillar features an abundance of Native American petroglyphs,
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What happens when you take a 25 (as sophisticatedWorland English gentlewoman Newcastle a child she had a servant whose only job was to comb her hair), give her a glassplate camera, and drop her in the middle of the Southeast Montana prairie? In this case, you get an amazing story, complete with photos to document it. The Evelyn Cameron Gallery in Terry showcases this amazing woman’s photography, Casper which gives us a rare glimpse of ranch life on the Montana prairie in the late 1800s. You can learn about her life and her attempts to breed polo ponies to send back to England. In the end, her only real source of income was to sell her photos. To learn more about the Evelyn Cameron Gallery, and for information on operating hours and seasons, contact the Prairie County Museum and Evelyn Cameron Gallery in Terry at 406.635.4040, visitterrymontana.com 16
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In the years that followed, people of European descent began to come to Montana in larger numbers, which changed the dynamic of Southeast Montana forever. Conflicts between the Native American tribes and the U.S. Cavalry eventually led to the Great Sioux War of the 1870s. To fully understand the legacy and the impact of this war, visit the many battlefields that dot the prairies in Southeast Montana, including the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. For more information on Southeast Montana’s battlefields, see the Battlefield Itinerary in this guide or visit Sturgis southeastmontana.com.
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5. CUSTER BATTLEFIELD MUSEUM The museum is located on the former site of Sitting Bull’s camp on the famous Garryowen bend of the Little Bighorn River, a traditional summer hunting campsite for many Plains Indian tribes. As the 7th Cavalry approached in late June 1876, this was the site of one of the largest Indian gatherings ever recorded in North America. The museum’s collection includes artifacts, beadwork, photographs, paintings, rare books and manuscripts. The Tomb of the United States Unknown Soldier is maintained here and is one of only three that are federally recognized in the U.S. The museum is open year-round. 406.638.1876, custermuseum.org
as well as the signature of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
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As you travel through the cities and towns of Southeast Montana, you will probably notice the familiar sound of train whistles and the sight of train cars stretching into the distance. The U.S. Cavalry may have opened up Montana to settlers, but the railroad is what truly colonized it. Many of Southeast Montana’s cities and towns, including Billings and Laurel, were planned and laid out, and had citizens ready to move in, before a single brick was laid. In fact, Billings is named for Frederick Billings, the president of the Northern Pacific Railroad at the time. The railroad brought fame and fortune to Southeast Montana, and many area museums, including the Western Heritage Center, Yellowstone County Museum and Big Horn County Historical Museum, tell the full story of the railroad’s impact on the area.
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Wherever you go in Montana, history is all around you. It is in Southeast Montana, however, where the citizens of this state fought the hardest to maintain their way of life. We hope you will visit the many museums and historic monuments in order to learn the full story of these amazing people. 1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM
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INDIAN NATIONS
THE CROW AND NORTHERN CHEYENNE A THOUSAND TIPIS AND A CELEBRATION 500 YEARS IN THE MAKING—THE ANNUAL CROW FAIR IN SOUTHEAST MONTANA IS ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED NATIVE EVENTS IN THE COUNTRY.
One of the most romantic and enduring images of the American West is that of the Native Americans. Their traditional dances, ceremonies and ways of life have captured the imaginations of generations of Americans. When you visit Southeast Montana, you will see many of these images, but you will also see that Native American culture is not a thing from some romantic past, rather, it continues to thrive and grow. Of the eight Indian Nations in Montana, two reside in Southeast Montana. These are the Apsáalooke (Crow) and Northern Cheyenne. A visit to these tribal reservations will allow you to experience their past and present. You will see monuments of victory and defeat, heartbreak and hope. You will come to understand the obstacles they have overcome and know the proud people they are today. The two reservations are located adjacent to one another and lie along the routes of Highway 212 and Interstate 90. If you are traveling east on Highway 212, the first reservation you will encounter is the Crow, followed by the Northern Cheyenne.
Photos – Top Left: Crow Fair, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development; Bottom Left: Crow Fair, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development; Next Page: Crow Fair, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development 20
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The most striking feature of the Northern Cheyenne Reservation is the terrain created by the Wolf Mountains. The range runs across the reservation and helps make this one of the most beautiful reservations in eastern Montana. A visit to the St. Labre Indian School and Museum in Ashland will help you learn the amazing story of how these people escaped captivity in Oklahoma to return to Montana’s Wolf Mountains. Places of interest on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation include Chief Dull Knife Cultural Center and the Jesse Mullin Picture Museum. The best way to experience the Northern Cheyenne Reservation is with a local guide. There are many experts on the history of the area who will help you get the most out of your trip. For more information, visit our website at southeastmontana.com.
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THE CROW The Crow Reservation is intersected by Highway 212 and Interstate 90. The Crow people call themselves Apsáalooke, which means “People of the Large Beaked Bird.” Early translators misinterpreted this name as “Crow.” The reservation encompasses many renowned historical and recreational sites, including Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, the Bighorn River and Chief Plenty Coups State Park. It is also home to the world-famous Crow Fair Powwow—the Tipi Capital of the World—and Crow Native Days, which takes place on the anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The Crow Reservation is one of the largest in Montana, and the Crow are one of the few tribes who were allowed to remain on their ancestral land. To learn more about Crow culture and history, be sure to visit one of the many museums on the reservation.
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The school made a humble beginningDrummond in Helena East Florence Judith Ga Helena White Sulphur Stevensville Montana 1884 with the construction of a log cabin Victor Springs Two Garrison Elliston Clancy City Winston Dot Deer Jefferson Martinsdale school building operatedCorvallis by four Ursuline City Philipsburg Lodge Townsend Basin Hamilton Ringling Sisters. The original three-room cabin Boulder Anaconda served as residence, Darby school, dormitory, Wise Conner Butte River Logan Big and church. A replica of the originalWilsall Sula cabin now stands on the site of the Manhattan Divide Tim Clyde Park Dewey Three Belgrade Whitehall Forks mission. Today, St. Labre is responsible for theSilverwelfare and education Livingston Harrison Star Wisdom Melrose McLeod of nearly 700 American Indian children. A visit here Pony includes the St. Twin Gallatin Norris Bridges Gateway Bozeman Sheridan Nye Labre Indian Chapel (inspiredJackson by the tipi of the PlainsNevada Indians) and Pray Polaris Ennis City Emigrant Alder Big Sky and a the Cheyenne Indian Museum, featuring Plains Indian artifacts Salmon Virginia Cameron Dillon Bannack City documentary film on the St. Labre school. Visitors are welcome. For Silver Coo Grant Gardiner Gate Cit more information on hours and tours, see stlabre.org. Tower Junction 28
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Plenty Coups (Aleek-chea-ahoosh, IDAHO Island meaning “many achievements”) was a man Park Spencer whose vision helped bridge a gap between two cultures. Having been recognized for Ashton his bravery and leadership, he was made Rexburg a chief of the Apsáalooke (Crow) Tribe by Arco age 28. In 1884, Plenty Coups chose to give upFalls his nomadic way of life, Idaho and through the Indian Allotment Act, was deeded a 320-acre tract ofJackson land to develop and farm. Per the wishes of Plenty Coups and his wife, the site of his homestead has been transformed into a state park. The park includes the farmstead, home, museum, interpretive center and a sacred spring surrounded by bushes, where prayer bundles are often seen tied. 406.252.1289, stateparks.mt.gov/chief-plenty-coups 20
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3. ROSEBUD BATTLEFIELD STATE PARK Rosebud Battlefield, a National Historic Landmark, is associated with the Great Sioux War of 1876 – 77. It is considered to be the greatest Indian conflict ever to occur in America and is associated with the lead-up to the Battle of the Little Bighorn. On June 17, 1876, the vast number of warriors and soldiers present at Rosebud Battlefield made the day one of the largest battles of the Indian Wars. There is a self-guided walking tour developed by Montana State Parks at the site. Take Highway 314 toward Decker. Twenty miles from the junction of Highway 314 and Highway 212 is a sign for the battlefield site. Take the access road at the turnoff and drive 1.5 miles to the park. 406.757.2298, stateparks.mt.gov/rosebud-battlefield/default.html Inset Photos – 1. St. Labre Indian School and Museum, Nathan Satran Photography; 2. Chief Plenty Coups State Park, Montana State Parks; 3. Rosebud Battlefield State Park, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks; 4. Crow Native Days, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development; 5. Crow Fair, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development
Visit the Indian Nations section of our website at southeastmontana.com
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INDIAN NATIONS
POWWOWS
Nothing Dickinson exemplifies the beauty of Native American culture like a powwow. In Beach Grass Mosby Range Terry Fallon modern times, the powwow has come to represent the honor and respect ap Ingomar Melstone Ismay Plevna Native Americans have for each other Marmarth Miles City Harlowton Baker and for their traditions. When visiting a Roundup Forsyth Hysham powwow for the first time, you will notice Rosebud Bighorn Broadview that the powwow singers are held in high Custer SOUTHEAST MONTANAEkalaka regard. These singing groups consist of Colstrip g Pompeys Volborg mber Huntley Pillar several men sitting in a circle around a Greycliff Hardin Lame Reed Point Billings Laurel Crow Deer Columbus Ashland 4 Olive large drum. Each man has a baton that Agency d 1 Busby Park Absarokee City Broadus Saint he uses to beat out the rhythm of the 2 5 Garryowen e Fishtail Rockvale Xavier Roberts Joliet Pryor Birney Roscoe Fort Smith Lodge song they sing in unison along with the Bridger Grass Otter Biddle drum. The groups often include both Alzada 3 Red Lodge Wyola Belfry oke Decker ty older and younger tribal members, as Belle WYOMING WYOMING Fourche the younger singers are being taught the Sheridan Lovell Spearfish songs and the traditions of the powwow. Sturgiswill also notice that the drum groups Cody Sundance You Lead 4. CROW NATIVE DAYS Rapid Gillette wear Buffalo Cityplain clothes. Only the dancers Crow Native Days is an annual Upton will be wearing theWallbright colors and celebration held on the Crow Reservation, traditional garb normally associated Worland 25 which coincides with the anniversary Custer Newcastle with powwows. of Custer’s Last Stand at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. This week is an CEREMONY ETIQUETTE Hot Springs exciting time in Southeast Montana, There are a few things to remember with reenactments of the battle and events in both Crow Agency and about visiting a powwow or other Native nearby Hardin, Montana. At Crow Native Days, visitors can enjoy a American events that will help you to get powwow, a Native parade complete with reenactors, and much more. the most out of your experience. First, Casper The headline event for Crow Native Days each year is the Ultimate don’t expect the events to begin exactly Warrior Competition. This Crow version of a triathlon pits participants when they are supposed to. As with against each other in a grueling endurance race on foot, by canoe, many cultures around the world, time in and in a bareback horse relay. You won’t want to miss this exciting Crow and Northern Cheyenne cultures event. For more information, visit crazycrow.com/site/event/crow-fairis more fluid than many people are celebration-pow-wow-and-rodeo/ accustomed to. Also, be cautious when Glendive
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5. CROW FAIR The annual Crow Fair Celebration is one of the largest gatherings of the year for the Apsáalooke Nation and is considered one of the largest modern-day American Indian encampments in the U.S. The historic event, which has been held each year since 1918, is a time when Crow tribal members from across the world return to Crow Country to celebrate the Crow culture and traditional way of life. Crow Agency is known as the “Tipi Capital of the World” because of the approximately 1,200 to 1,500 tipis in the encampment during the one-week Crow Fair celebration. The event includes a powwow each night at the center of the encampment as well as horse racing, a rodeo and Indian-relay races. crazycrow.com/ site/event/crow-fair-celebration-pow-wow-and-rodeo/
Learn more about Montana’s tribes at visitmt.com.
taking photos. Rules for photography can be different from tribe to tribe and from powwow to powwow. If there is any question about whether photography is allowed, be sure to ask somebody involved with the management of the powwow. Finally, shop local. Immerse yourself in the experience by eating at local concession stands, shopping at local arts and crafts displays and buying raffle tickets. You may have to pay a small fee to watch the powwow, but the effort put into the event by the dancers and the management team far outweighs the financial compensation they receive. They are inviting us to share in their culture; the least we can do is give something back to them in return. 1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM
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WESTERN ADVENTURE
WE ARE WESTERN ADVENTURE FOR THESE BRONCS, LAUNCHING A CAREER MEANS LAUNCHING A COWBOY, AND THERE’S NO BETTER PLACE OUT HERE TO DO THAT THAN THE MILES CITY BUCKING HORSE SALE.
The name Montana is synonymous with cowboys, and that rings true especially on the green grass and rolling prairies of Southeast Montana. Rodeo is alive and well here, whether it is the indoor arena events in Billings, such as the Northern International Livestock Exposition (NILE) and the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), or the rural rodeos in places like Broadus. But more than all of these, Miles City is the birthplace of genuine Montana cowboying and is world famous to this day for its deep roots in the Old West cattle trade. Here in Southeast Montana, we like to think that the “Old West” is a way of life rather than something out of a history book. To get the true Western experience, look no further than the many authentic Western towns in Southeast Montana. In these small towns, the cowboy spirit continues to thrive. Their historic main streets may look like a set from a Western movie, but in reality they are thriving centers of commerce, local news and the occasional gossip, just as they have been since horse-drawn wagons rolled down the streets instead of pickups. Western culture, from the million-dollar sponsorships at the Las Vegas National Finals Rodeo to the platinum records of Nashville’s country music legends, is formed in towns like these.
Photos – Top Left: Medicine Rocks State Park, Nathan Satran Photography; Bottom Left: Miles City Saddlery, Megan Richter; Next Page: Cowboy in the sunset, Sharon Borla 24
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1. BIG HORN COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM Lolo
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Drummond The Big Horn County Historical Museum Helena East Florence Judith Ga Helena White Sulphur Stevensville Montana is located in Hardin and Victorfeatures 22 acres Springs Two Garrison Elliston Clancy City Winston Dot Deer Jefferson Martinsdale of historic buildings and artifacts relating City Corvallis Philipsburg Lodge Townsend Basin Hamilton Ringling to Big Horn County’s early history. A Boulder Anaconda Darby boardwalk links the main exhibit building Wise Conner Butte Big with 23 historic structures,SulaincludingRivera church, train station, Logan and barns Wilsall Manhattan Divide Tim Clyde Park Dewey Three Belgrade Whitehall Forks full of historic vehicles and equipment. There are relating Silver also artifacts Livingston Harrison Star Wisdom Pony Melrose McLeod to the Native Americans who lived in this area and the traders Twin Gallatin and Norris Bridges Gateway Bozeman Sheridan Nye settlers who came after. Big Horn County Historical Museum is a great Nevada Jackson Pray Polaris Ennis City Emigrant Alder Big Sky place to stop for a picnic on the tables set up under tall trees and to Salmon Virginia Cameron Bannack City gain a better understanding of the history ofDillon the area. 406.665.1671, Silver Coo Grant Gardiner Gate Cit bighorncountymuseum.org Tower Junction
First, eat when and where the locals do. There’s no better way to get a feel for what a small town is all about than by people-watching at local diners and restaurants. If you want breakfast, you’ll probably need to make it an early one. Farmers and ranchers tend to start their days well before the sun rises.
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We know that for people who hail from bigger cities, small towns can be a bit intimidating. So we have developed a three-step guide that will help you get the most out of your visit to one of Southeast Montana’s many small-town gems.
Third, if possible, visit local events and festivals. Many small towns in Southeast Montana have weekly farmers markets in the summer. This is a great place to sample top-notch local produce and meats. You’ll also have the opportunity to speak with the farmers and ranchers who grow and raise the food. County fairs are an American tradition, and it is no different out here in Southeast Montana. Plan your visit around one of these fairs to watch the excitement on kids’ faces when they auction off their prize pigs, chickens, and sheep. You’ll also find
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Second, get out and walk. A small town’s Main Street may seem underwhelming when you cruise through it at 25 mph, but the truth is you are missing many of the things that make small towns great. Park your car at one end of the street and get out to stretch your legs. Breathe in the fresh air, listen to the birds sing and begin your exploration of the town. You are guaranteed to find a shop that interests you, one that you would have missed had you just driven through.
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DISCOVER MORE OF OUR SMALL TOWNS
If you aren’t quite that adventurous, having lunch right around noon is your best bet. Just explore the town’s main drag until you find the place with the most people or ask somebody on the street where their favorite restaurant is. They will be happy to tell you and brag about their town a little bit.
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Island With 10.4 acres, 18 homestead buildings, Park Spencer hundreds of farm implements and thousands of other artifacts on display, Ashton the Huntley Project Museum of Irrigated Rexburg Agriculture interprets what life was like Arco on the Huntley Irrigation Project from the early to the late 20th Falls Idaho 1880s Jackson century. The museum has one of the largest collections of horsedrawn agricultural machinery in the nation, as well as other displays, including a tar paper shack, two schoolhouses, an early doctor’s office, a bank and a horse barn made from locally harvested cottonwood. 406.348.2533, huntleyprojectmuseum.org 28
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3. RANGE RIDERS MUSEUM Fort Keogh, named after a soldier who fell at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, was established near present-day Miles City, soon after the battle, as a permanent frontier fort. It was instrumental in subduing the remaining native forces in the area. Only a few of the 100-plus buildings that made up Fort Keogh have survived, but those that still stand have been incorporated into the Range Riders Museum, one of the largest Western museums in the area. The museum tells the story of the Southeast Montana pioneer and contains a wealth of artifacts, including saddles, antique cameras, patchwork quilts and over 400 firearms. The museum also hosts a frontier town with 11 shops representing the old Main Street in Miles City. 406.232.6146, rangeridersmuseum.org
Inset Photos – 1. Big Horn County Historical Museum, Donnie Sexton; 2. Huntley Project Museum of Integrated Agriculture, Huntley Project Ag Museum; 3. Range Riders Museum, Donnie Sexton; 4. Western Heritage Center, Donnie Sexton; 5. O’Fallon Historical Museum, O’Fallon Historical Museum
The Bucking Horse Sale first took place in 1950.
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5. O’FALLON HISTORICAL MUSEUM Housed in what was once the O’Fallon County Jail, built in 1916, the O’Fallon Historical Museum is home to thousands of items showcasing life on the Montana prairie from the early 1900s to the 1920s in Baker, Montana. The main attraction at the museum is Steer Montana, the largest recorded steer. Steer Montana was born in 1923 and lived over 15 years. He was a Roan Polled Shorthorn Breed. A local rancher, Mr. Jack Guth, raised the steer, and they traveled together to over 60 different state fairs, stock shows and carnivals in places as far away as Fort Worth, Texas and Los Angeles, California. Steer Montana grew to be 5 feet 11 inches tall and 10 feet 4 inches long and weighed in at 3,980 pounds. The local theory as to why he grew to be so massive was that Guth fed him grain mash, a by-product produced in great quantities by the local bootleggers. 406.778.3265, falloncounty.net/museum/museum.html
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The Western Heritage Center is a regional Upton museum whose collections, exhibits, Worland and programs tell the stories of life25in the Newcastle Yellowstone River Valley. Located in historic downtown Billings, the building that houses the Western Heritage Center is the former Parmly Billings Library, built in 1901. The Western Heritage Center provides both long-term and changing exhibits with interactive components, Casper as well as educational programs for visitors of all ages. The museum cares for over 16,000 artifacts and an extensive collection that illustrates and documents the history of the Yellowstone River Valley. Guided tours are available for groups with reservations. 406.256.6809, ywhc.org 16
Ever heard of mutton busting? This is Sturgis aRapid staple event of the small-town rodeo. City Watch as young kids line up to test Wall their mettle riding none other than wily, woolly sheep. Go ahead and laugh— Custer after all, it’s supposed to be fun—then contemplate for a moment how many of Hot Springs the famous bull riders and bronc-busters riding at the PBR and NFR began their careers on the back of a sheep.
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Nothing says “cowboy” like a good rodeo, and nowhere in Montana can you find a better variety of rodeo action than right here in Southeast Montana. If you want an authentic rodeo experience, venture out into the smaller communities where future rodeo stars are groomed. Towns like Broadus, Glendive and Ekalaka offer incredible small-town hospitality with delicious home-style restaurants.
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excellent food, entertainment, and, of course, good company. For more Dickinson information, visit our events calendar at southeastmontana.com/events.
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If indoor arenas, light shows and professional rodeo circuits are more your style, you need look no further than Billings. Watch the PBR, the NILE and the Chase Hawks Rough Stock Invitational at MetraPark’s Rimrock Auto Arena at various times throughout the year. If you’re looking for a rodeo experience that is a good mix of the two, then what you really want is the World Famous Bucking Horse Sale in Miles City. Other unique rodeo experiences to be found in Southeast Montana are the Indian rodeos in Crow Agency. These events have grown rapidly year after year and are now a major draw for both Native American and non-native spectators. Indian rodeos occur during the Crow Fair and during Crow Native Days at Crow Agency. Whether you want small-town hospitality or big-city professional rodeo, Southeast Montana can oblige.
The Yellowstone County Jail in Billings often played host to the unruly Calamity Jane.
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DINOSAUR ADVENTURE
DINOSAURS ONCE ROAMED THESE HILLS WE MAY CALL THEM “THE BADLANDS,” BUT FOR DINOSAURS, IT WAS HEAVEN ON EARTH. ON SOUTHEAST MONTANA’S EASTERN EDGE, YOU’LL FIND MAKOSHIKA STATE PARK, WITH A FEW MILLION YEARS OF HISTORY TO EXPLORE.
Remember when you were a kid and you dreamed about those giant creatures that once roamed the earth? You would visit natural history museums in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles and gaze in disbelief at the massive skeletons towering over you. If this sounds familiar, then there is a good chance that you have already witnessed a piece of Southeast Montana. Many of the dinosaur skeletons in these famous museums were found right here. In fact, the badlands of eastern Montana have the highest concentration of exposed dinosaur fossils in the world. Dinosaur discoveries out here are nothing new. Just one short year after Lt. Col. George A. Custer and his 7th Cavalry were defeated at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Othniel Marsh, one of the first paleontologists and the man who is credited with the discoveries of such dinosaurs as Triceratops and Stegosaurus, braved the elements and bands of Native Americans on the warpath to explore the hills of eastern Montana. The first Tyrannosaurus rex was found here and was loaded into horsedrawn wagons with the help of professional wolf trappers who happened to be working in the area. As you can see, dinosaurs are as much a part of our cultural heritage as cattle drives and powwows.
Photos – Top Left: Searching for fossils near Glendive, Megan Richter; Bottom Left: Digging for fossils, Megan Richter; Next Page: Carter County Museum, Nathan Satran Photography
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EXPLORE THE LAND WHERE DINOSAURS ROAMED THE EARTH 1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM
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DINOSAUR ADVENTURE Haugan
Perhaps even more amazing is the fact that today, over 100 years since the railroads began shipping carloads of Montana fossils to eastern museums, paleontologists in eastern Montana are still making new discoveries, and the number of fossils being found has continued to hold steady. The dinosaur epicenter of Southeast Montana is undoubtedly Makoshika State Park near Glendive, where the badlands are steepest and most rugged.
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2. CARTER COUNTY MUSEUM
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City Emigrant Alder Big Sky The Carter County Museum, Montana’s Salmon Virginia Cameron Dillon Bannack City first county museum, was founded in Silver Coo Grant Gardiner Gate Cit 1936 and houses an impressive collection Tower Junction Mammoth Springs Hot of firearms, Native American artifacts, Dell Canyon West and, of course, dinosaur bones! Located Lima Monida Lakeview Yellowstone Norris Madison Junction Lake in the town of Ekalaka, the museum’s West Thumb IDAHO Old Island paleontological collection that includes a mountedSpencer skeleton of Grant Parka Faithful Village Hadrosaur that displays the actual dinosaur’s bones, not a model as is seen in most larger museums. It also displays the completeAshton skull of a Triceratops, a Pachycephalosaurus and a form of a tiny Tyrannosaurus Rexburg rex called Nanotyrannus lancensis. All of these bones were found Arco locally in nearby exposures of the Hell Creek Formation. 406.775.6886, Falls Idaho Jackson cartercountymuseum.org Ennis
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3. GLENDIVE DINOSAUR AND FOSSIL MUSEUM The Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum features 20,000 square feet of dinosaur fossil exhibits, including Stegosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus and many other singular fossils found in the area. This museum is unique in that it seeks to explain the existence of dinosaurs within the context of Biblical creationism and is the largest of its kind in the United States. An exhibit called “The Man and Dinosaurs” provides evidence collected throughout paleontology’s history that suggests it is possible that dinosaurs and man coexisted. No matter what you believe, the museum’s incredible collection and unique perspective make it worth a stop for any dinosaur enthusiast. 406.377.3228, creationtruth.org
Inset Photos – 1. Frontier Gateway Museum; 2. Carter County Museum, Nathan Satran Photography; 3. Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum, Lynn Donaldson; 4. Makoshika State Park Interpretive Center, Megan Richter; 5. Fossil hunting along Montana’s Dinosaur Trail, Carter County Museum 30
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Canyon Creek Lolo A member of the Montana Dinosaur Clinton Trail, the Frontier GatewayFlorence Museum inDrummond Helena East Helena White Sulphur Stevensville Montana Glendive offers a walkVictor way back in time Springs Garrison Elliston Clancy City Winston Deer Jefferson Martinsdale with a full-size Stegoceras replica, plus an City Corvallis Philipsburg Lodge Townsend Basin Hamilton Ringling impressive collection of historic structures, Boulder vintage photographs Darby and books, Anaconda fossils, Wise Conner Butte River Wilsall Logan medieval armor, and turn-of-the-century gowns. 406.377.8168, Sula Manhattan Divide Clyde Park Dewey Three Belgrade Whitehall Forks frontiergatewaymuseum.org Silver Livingston Harrison Wisdom
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The Montana Dinosaur Trail is your guide to most of the great dinosaur museums in Montana. The Frontier Gateway Museum, Makoshika State Park (both in Glendive) and Carter County Museum in Ekalaka are all stops along the trail. Dinosaur Trail Passports are sold in these museums and can be stamped at any museum along the trail. For more information about the Dinosaur Trail and to obtain a trail map, visit mtdinotrail.org.
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The soil here is continually washed away year after year by rain and snow, revealing the ancient layers of earth beneath. Many of the fossils found in the park can be seen at the Makoshika State Park Visitor Center, but this is not the only place to discover bones. Ask around, and you can find an opportunity to go on your own guided dinosaur dig. What could be a better souvenir than a 65-million-year-old dinosaur bone? We encourage you to be transported back to when you were that wideeyed kid. Rediscover the magic of a world full of these “terrible lizards,” and wander the hills where they once lived.
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Learn more about dinosaur attractions at southeastmontana.com.
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The Interpretive Center at Makoshika Worland 25 State Park, which is operated by Montana Newcastle Fish, Wildlife & Parks, features displays showcasing some of the fossils found in the park, as well as evidence of early humans found in the area. Stopping here before continuing on into the park will allow you to gain an understanding of the interesting features you will see on the scenic drive around the park and better enjoy your Casper experience there. 406.377.6256, stateparks.mt.gov/makoshika 16
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The Hell Creek Formation is part of what makes Southeast Montana so special to paleontologists and dinosaur enthusiasts. The formation refers to a layer of earth that was on the surface at the time when dinosaurs roamed the planet. In modern times, this layer is far beneath ground level in most places, making it difficult or impossible to reach in order to find dinosaur fossils. In eastern Montana, this layer is exposed due to the unique environment of erosion and ground upheaval that exists in Montana’s badlands. Though made famous in Montana, this formation also runs Sturgis into North Dakota, South Dakota Rapid and Wyoming. City
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5. MONTANA DINOSAUR TRAIL Montana offers spectacular “handson” archaeological, paleontological and geological experiences. Can you dig it? Yes, in fact, you can, and we’ve got the folks to help you do it safely and legally. There are 14 stops along the Montana Dinosaur Trail that allow you to discover Montana’s paleontological treasures for yourself. You will have opportunities to see one-of-a-kind specimens like “Leonardo,” the mummy Brachylophosaurus or scour Makoshika State Park for the next long-lost treasure. mtdinotrail.org
Makoshika State Park was considered for designation as a national park in the 1920s.
To the trained eye, the formation can actually be seen and recognized by the texture and color of the soil, which is different from the layers above and below it. These colors are best seen at Makoshika State Park, where the steep cliffs, tall spires, and scenic vistas allow visitors to view the formation from different vantage points.
GUIDED DINOSAUR DIGS If you’ve learned about all the dinosaur bones in Southeast Montana and are ready to go out and find some yourself, then join in on a dinosaur dig. There are several organizations in Southeast Montana that take groups and individuals out into the Montana badlands in search of dinosaur bones. Some groups will even let you keep the bones you find. Remember that on public land, it is illegal to remove any dinosaur bones. Also, it can sometimes be difficult to know whether the land you are on is publicly or privately owned. Always be sure whose land you are on before hiking or driving off the road.
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HUNTING & FISHING
LEGENDARY HUNTING AND FISHING YOU MIGHT SEE MORE FISH AND WILDLIFE HERE THAN PEOPLE. IT’S PART OF OUR HERITAGE AND CULTURE—ONE THAT VISITORS CAN EXPERIENCE ON THEIR OWN OR WITH THE HELP OF OUR KNOWLEDGEABLE GUIDES.
Hunting and fishing are some of our favorite pastimes out here in Southeast Montana, and though we may joke about keeping our treasures to ourselves, we love to share our abundant outdoor resources with visitors to our state. Here you will find tens of thousands of acres of wide-open public lands, rivers so full of trout that you’ll be more concerned with the daily catch limit than what kind of fly is working best that time of year, and massive reservoirs that are perfect for finding a secluded spot to shut off your boat’s motor, grab your fishing rod and relax without another person in sight. Your first stop before planning a hunting or fishing trip to Southeast Montana is the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks website at fwp.mt.gov. Here you can learn about what types of animals you can hunt in Southeast Montana, how to purchase hunting licenses and permits and what you need to fish legally in our state. You’ll also find information about hunting and fishing regulations and seasons.
Photos – Top Left: Fishing on the Bighorn River, Alexis Bonogofsky; Bottom Left: Elk, Sharon Borla; Next Page: Pheasant hunting, Erik Petersen
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THE THRILL OF THE HUNT IS TRADITION AND A WAY OF LIFE HERE IN MONTANA 1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM
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HUNTING & FISHING
If you want to hunt or fish on your own, it’s easy to find public land and fishing access in Montana. But if you want to increase your odds of bagging that trophy buck, or reeling in that monster rainbow trout, you’ll want to use an outfitter or guide. These folks make it their business to know the best places and tactics to help their clients have the experience of a lifetime. Read more about the benefits of working with an outfitter in the Hunting and Fishing Experiences section on the following pages.
NONRESIDENT HUNTING PERMITS/LICENSES Information regarding the process for purchasing nonresident hunting licenses and permits can be found in the hunting section of the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks website. Some permits can be purchased over the counter, while others require a draw. Requirements change each year, so be sure to check online before planning your trip. Hunting outfitters and guides can also help by providing you with information on how to increase your chances of getting your permit.
NONRESIDENT FISHING LICENSES In order to fish in Montana, you will need to purchase both a conservation license and a fishing license. These can be purchased from a Fish, Wildlife & Parks office in Montana or can be applied for through the mail. Visit the Fish, Wildlife & Parks website, fwp.mt.gov, for more information or to download the application.
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HUNTING AND FISHING EXPERIENCES 1. BIG GAME HUNTING The plains of eastern Montana have been called the Serengeti of North America due to the abundance of wildlife here. The most plentiful big game animals are pronghorn antelope, mule deer, whitetailed deer and elk. Pronghorn antelope, mule deer, and white-tailed deer can be found virtually anywhere in our region, but you’ll want to contact Fish, Wildlife & Parks or a hunting outfitter to learn the best places to hunt for elk.
2. FISHING If fishing is your favorite pastime, Southeast Montana is where you’ll want to take your next vacation. Species of fish here range from rainbow and brown trout to prehistoric paddlefish. In fact, there are 12 species of catchable fish in Bighorn Lake alone. Visit fwp.mt.gov to see what types of fish are available and where you can find them.
3. BIRD HUNTING A variety of birds can be harvested in Southeast Montana, including grouse, pheasant, partridge and turkeys. Some birds may require special permits, so consult with a guide or with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to be sure you have everything you need for your bird-hunting adventure.
4. FISH, WILDLIFE & PARKS OFFICE Southeast Montana spans two Fish, Wildlife & Parks regions. These offices are here to help answer any and all questions you may have about hunting or fishing in Southeast Montana. The headquarters for Region 5 is in the city of Billings at 2300 Lake Elmo Drive and can be reached at 406.247.2940. The headquarters for Region 7 is in Miles City at 352 I-94 Business Loop and can be reached at 406.234.0900.
Bighorn Canyon is home to 12 species of game fish.
HUNTING & FISHING
TONGUE RIVER RESERVOIR 5. HUNTING OUTFITTERS Without a doubt, the best way to ensure that your hunting trip to Southeast Montana is a complete success is by planning it with a local outfitter. These hunting experts are located throughout our region. They can provide you with all the hunting equipment you need and can show you the best secret spots to find those big bucks. Visit our website at southeastmontana.com to find hunting outfitters in our region.
6. FISHING GUIDES Whether you are an expert who is looking for somebody who can show you where the best fishing holes are, or a complete novice who’s never picked up a pole, the fishing guides here in Southeast Montana can provide you with the trip of a lifetime. Visit our website at southeastmontana.com to find fishing guides in our region.
7. PADDLEFISHING During late May and June, a special breed of anglers travels to a rocky stretch of the river near Glendive at the Intake Diversion Dam. Here, they rig up their saltwater fishing gear and churn the coffee-colored water to catch the senior citizen of the Yellowstone—the paddlefish. Paddlefish are also caught in lesser numbers at the mouths of the Tongue and Powder rivers and the Forsyth Diversion Dam. Ask a local for the best fishing places and techniques for catching these prehistoric fish. You can also take home some Yellowstone Caviar for a unique taste of Southeast Montana, found at the Glendive Chamber of Commerce. 406.234.0900, fwp.mt.gov/fish
One of our region’s hidden fishing paradises, this 12-mile-long reservoir is situated among scenic red shale, juniper canyons and the open prairies of Southeast Montana. The park is loved by Montana and Wyoming anglers, campers and boaters. The reservoir boasts excellent bass, crappie, walleye and northern pike fishing, with two staterecord fish pulled from its waters. This state park offers more than 150 campsites, including 40 paved sites with electrical hookups. The park is 642 acres in size at an elevation of 3,468 feet. The site also has a fishcleaning station and LP gas refill.
OTHER FISHING SPOTS Most serious anglers know that the Bighorn River rises to the top of Montana’s list of world-class trout streams. The river is fished yearround by both waders and floaters with a payoff of brown and rainbow trout averaging 15 to 16 inches. If you are interested in fishing for something a bit more exotic than trout, mark your calendars for late May, when the season opens for paddlefish on the Yellowstone River at the eastern edge of the state. During this one-month season, about 3,000 anglers descend on the town of Glendive to try their luck in one of only a handful of paddlefish fisheries in the world. If you catch one, the paddlefish roe can be donated to the Glendive Chamber of Commerce, where it is processed into world-renowned Yellowstone Caviar.
Inset Photos – 1. Antelope, Alexis Bonogofsky; 2. Fishing the Bighorn River, Nick Mann; 3. Bird hunting, Connor Maas; 4. Fish, Wildlife & Parks in Miles City, fwp.mt.gov; 5. Hunting guides, Eastslope Outfitters; 6. Boat fishing the Bighorn River, Nick Mann; 7. Paddlefishing, Visit Glendive
In 2016, the world-record elk was bowhunted on public lands in Southeast Montana.
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MOR E RO OM TO ROA M Imagine uncluttered views that stretch across a sea of prairie and wide open expanses teeming with opportunities to explore. Picture impossibly bright night skies, big water recreation, real-life dinosaur digs and countless wildlife sightings. All this and more awaits in Montana’s northeast corner, Missouri River Country.
MISSOURI RIVER COUNTRY FREE PLANNER: CALL 800.653.1319 MISSOURIRIVER.VISITMT.COM 36
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ADVENTURE FINDS YOU
Three rivers and seven wilderness areas meet in Missoula, Montana, a small town with enormous personality. It’s an outdoor enthusiast’s haven, pulsating with arts, culture, food, drink, rich roots and the best people around. Infinite exploration abounds, so get outside under Missoula’s big sky and experience this place for yourself.
Call 1.800.526.3465 or visit destinationmissoula.org/semt for a free travel guide. 1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM
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ITINERARIES
ITINERARIES You’ve decided a trip out here to Southeast Montana is in your future. Now’s the time to start planning. We know that this can be a daunting task, so we’ve made it easy for you. Here are some easy-to-follow itineraries leading through this region, with stops for everything from dinosaur bones to milkshakes. Follow our itineraries step by step or combine them to create your own custom trip. Still need more help? Visit southeastmontana.com for planning tools and even more things to see and do during your trip. For even more itineraries, not only for Southeast Montana but for the entire state, go to visitmt.com.
Melstone
2
Ingomar
12
Harlowton 1 Roundup
12
191
Hysha
12
Lavina Broadview
Custer
87
94
4 Big Timber
5
191
Billings 6
Reed Point 90
Columbus
Huntley 90
Laurel
Hardin
Crow Agency
90
Absarokee
8
CROW INDIAN RESERVATION
Joliet
Saint Xavier
Pryor
Roberts
Fort Smith
Red Lodge 310
Belfry
MONTANA WYOMING
212
14A
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK 38
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14A
9
Lodge Grass
Bridger
212
Cooke City
7
90
ITINERARIES
14
Glendive
LOOP LEGEND
Wibaux 94
Cow Towns and Chuckwagons Loop Battlefield Loop
Terry 13
Dinosaur Loop
Fallon
94
Ismay 12
Miles City 12
15 Plevna Baker
12
am
9
3 Rosebud Forsyth
94
16 Ekalaka 17 Castle Rock Lake
Colstrip
Lame Deer 212
Busby
10
Ashland 212
Olive
The Warrior Trail
Broadus 11
NORTHERN CHEYENNE INDIAN RESERVATION
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POINTS OF INTEREST 1 Musselshell Valley
6 Western Heritage Center and
2 Jersey Lilly Saloon
7 Big Horn County Museum
3 Rosebud County
8 Little Bighorn Battlefield
Historical Museum
Pioneer Museum 4 Pompeys Pillar 5 Huntley Project Museum
of Irrigated Agriculture
Yellowstone County Museum
National Monument 9 Custer Battlefield Museum
10 St. Labre
Cheyenne Museum 11 Powder River
Historical Museum 12 Range Riders Museum 13 Prairie County Museum
and Evelyn Cameron Gallery
14 Makoshika Dinosaur Museum,
Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum, and Makoshika State Park 15 O’Fallon Historical Museum 16 Medicine Rocks State Park 17 Carter County Museum 1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM
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ITINERARIES
COW TOWNS AND CHUCK WAGONS LOOP If you’re itching to experience small-town cowboy culture, this is the loop for you. From cattle drives to sheepherders, Southeast Montana has it all. ROUNDUP - Its very name conjures images of cattle wrangling. Visit the Musselshell Valley Historical Museum to learn just how “cowboy” this town really is. INGOMAR - If you’re looking for some authentic cowboy fare, the Jersey Lilly Saloon in Ingomar is a must stop. The burgers are great, the baked beans are famous and the “sheepherders” were once featured on the Food Network. If you want to know what a “sheepherder” is, you’ll just have to stop by and try one.
FORSYTH - A perfect example of a small town made rich by the railroad. Be sure to stop and see Forsyth’s beautiful and historic county courthouse. Visit the Rosebud County Pioneer Museum to get a glimpse of life on the prairie at the turn of the century. HUNTLEY - Several small communities east of Billings combine to make up the Huntley Project, a groundbreaking irrigation experiment that changed farming in America forever. Learn more at the Huntley Project Museum of Irrigated Agriculture.
Photos – Below: Fort Pease near Hysham, Nathan Satran Photography; Bottom Left: Roundup, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development; Bottom Right: Forsyth, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development
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ITINERARIES
Pompeys Pillar, Nathan Satran Photography
BATTLEFIELD LOOP Southeast Montana was no stranger to conflicts between warrior tribes and U.S. Cavalry. Drive this loop to follow in the footsteps of these warring nations, and learn how broken treaties, competing goals and human nature led to all-out war on the Montana prairie.
ASHLAND - Get the Native American perspective at the St. Labre Cheyenne Museum in Ashland. Learn about the culture of the Crow and Cheyenne tribes and how they continue to honor the traditions of their ancestors today.
BILLINGS - A great place to begin your journey, the Western Heritage Center and the Yellowstone County Museum will help get you oriented and paint the picture of how conflicts with the native tribes began.
LITTLE BIGHORN BATTLEFIELD NATIONAL MONUMENT - In the heart of Crow country at Crow Agency is the site that marked the climax of the Indian Wars. See where Custer attacked a superior force of Sioux and Cheyenne and saw over 200 of his men massacred. The Custer Battlefield Museum helps tell the full story of this world-famous battle.
POMPEYS PILLAR - A sandstone pillar that has served as a meeting place for centuries. William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition carved his name in the stone, right next to Indian petroglyphs carved there much earlier. See the site where Lt. Col. George A. Custer camped while leading a gold-hunting expedition years later. MILES CITY - The saga continues with the establishment of Fort Keogh. Learn about the fort and its role in the Indian Wars at the Range Riders Museum in Miles City.
GARRYOWEN – Don’t miss the Custer Battlefield Museum and Theater, which boasts over 100 historical photographs firearms, Indian artifacts, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and a large Custer collection. HARDIN - Finish your journey with a stop at the Big Horn County Museum in Hardin. Learn about the rise and fall of Fort Custer and the tireless efforts of Europeans and Native Americans alike who worked to homestead the wild prairie and build a life for themselves in the wake of the Indian Wars. 1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM
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ITINERARIES
DINOSAUR LOOP The eastern Montana badlands are one of the best places in the world to find dinosaur fossils, and this route will take you through the heart of dino country in Southeast Montana. Start your journey in either Miles City or Glendive. GLENDIVE - The Frontier Gateway Museum and Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum are both mustsee spots for dinosaur enthusiasts. Once you’ve learned about our local dinosaurs, be sure to visit Makoshika State Park and see if you can spot a few yourself. BAKER - Feast your eyes on the world’s largest steer at the O’Fallon Historical Museum. MEDICINE ROCKS STATE PARK - Halfway between Baker and Ekalaka is a state park like no other. Stop by and take a stroll among the strange and fascinating sandstone pillars sprouting from the ground.
Digging for fossils at Baisch Ranch near Glendive, Lynn Donaldson
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EKALAKA - Home of Carter County Museum, Montana’s first county museum. The dinosaur exhibits, including collections dating back to the 1930s, are not to be missed. BROADUS - The Powder River Historical Museum has one of the best vintage clothing collections in the state. MILES CITY - Take some time to visit the Montana Bar, Montana’s best-preserved saloon on Miles City’s Main Street and imagine you’re drinking your whiskey alongside rich cattle barons (or ruthless cattle rustlers). TERRY - World-renowned prairie photographer Evelyn Cameron made her home here. Learn more and see her work at the Evelyn Cameron Heritage, Prairie County Museum and Evelyn Cameron Gallery.
Yellowstone above and beyond. They say wherever you go, there you are. So why not make it epic? Discover the great wild open north of the park. Leave the beaten path behind for the trail less traveled. Feed your innate curiosity with nature’s finest, frolic in a fabled small town, a winding river, or a valley that goes on forever. Add a new chapter to your story of a life lived in full color.
B O L D LY G O.
Start discovering now. Get your FREE Scenic Road Map by calling 1.800.736.5276 or going to VisitYellowstoneCountry.com.
The view from the Beartooth Highway—just a short drive from Billings, Montana. 1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
CALENDAR OF EVENTS Some of the biggest draws to Southeast Montana are the annual events. The Custer Battlefield Reenactments, Bucking Horse Sale and Crow Fair are known the world over, and in this section we have listed some of this year’s highlights held in the region. While these events are some of our more famous, there are many more to enjoy year-round. There are so many, in fact, that we could never fit them all in this guidebook. To see a comprehensive list of the events held out here in Southeast Montana and to discover which ones best fit your trip through the state, check out our events calendar at southeastmontana.com/events.
MAY BUCKING HORSE SALE, MILES CITY There are rodeos and then there are rodeos. The world-famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale is in a category by itself. In fact, many rodeos have their roots right here in Miles City, as the Bucking Horse Sale annually debuts some of the finest bucking stock seen across the continent. Held the third full weekend in May each year, the Bucking Horse Sale offers a special brand of rodeo action born right here in Southeast Montana. 406.234.2890, buckinghorsesale.com
JUNE BUZZARD DAY, GLENDIVE Each spring, Makoshika State Park, near Glendive, celebrates the return of the turkey vulture (also known as a buzzard in eastern Montana) with Buzzard Day. Buzzard Day has events for all age groups, including the famous toughest 10k in Montana, 5k and kids 1-mile fun run. The longstanding event also includes performances by Native American drummers and dancers; archery and atlatl stations for participants to try out their skills; bird walk; paleo-hike; bouncy houses; food vendors; and games for all ages. 406.377.6256, stateparks.mt.gov/makoshika
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LITTLE BIGHORN DAYS, HARDIN Hardin’s Little Bighorn Days are four days of festivities celebrating the sights and sounds of the past. Dancers from around the world dress in historic period costumes to attend the 1876 Grand Ball. Don’t know how to dance? No problem. Lessons are offered the evening prior to the dance. Award-winning local quilters display their latest creations at the local library. Art exhibits are held in the Jailhouse Gallery and Historic Train Depot. Living History exhibits are presented at the Big Horn County Historical Museum and are great for children. 406.665.1672, southeastmontana.com/community/hardin BATTLE OF THE LITTLE BIGHORN REENACTMENT, CROW AGENCY Each year in June, near the Little Bighorn River, the famous battle where Lt. Col. George A. Custer and his 7th Cavalry engaged thousands of Native American warriors occurs again. The Battle of the Little Bighorn is reenacted by professional Cavalry reenactors and members of the Native American tribes that played a part in the battle. The reenactment takes place on the Crow Reservation, upon the land where the actual historic battle was fought. Learn about the events that led up to the infamous conflict and watch how the battle played out. littlebighornreenactment.com
DON’T MISS THE ANNUAL MILES CITY BUCKING HORSE SALE, HELD EVERY MAY Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
JULY
AUGUST
ROUNDUP INDEPENDENCE DAYS EXTRAVAGANZA (RIDE), ROUNDUP Come celebrate our country’s birth through the lens of an authentic Western town. RIDE includes three days of 4th of July festivities featuring community parades, special events for kids, two evenings of live music and a youth rodeo. There will also be a carnival and community rodeo in town to add to the celebration! 406.323.4163, roundupride.com
CROW FAIR AND RODEO, CROW AGENCY The Annual Crow Fair Celebration is one of the largest gatherings of the year for the Apsáalooke Nation and is considered the largest modern-day American Indian encampment in the U.S. Crow Agency is deemed the “Tipi Capital of the World” because of the approximately 1,200 to 1,500 tipis in the encampment during the Crow Fair celebration. The event includes a powwow each night at the center of the encampment as well as horse racing and Indian-relay horse races. 406.638.3808 crazycrow.com/site/event/crow-fair-celebration-powwow-and-rodeo/
ANNUAL DINO SHINDIG, EKALAKA The Carter County Museum celebrates dinosaurs with lectures by world-famous paleontologists, kids activities, educational booths, demonstrations and a BBQ lunch. The town of Ekalaka joins the fun with an evening street dance, plus Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) hosts a bat walk. Festivities continue on Sunday with a paleontologist-led fossil expedition into the Hell Creek Formation, lectures and performances at nearby Medicine Rocks State Park, plus a butterfly pinning workshop at the museum. Prices vary and reservations for the fossil expedition are limited. 406.775.6886, cartercountymuseum.org
OCTOBER NILE STOCK SHOW AND RODEO, BILLINGS The Northern International Livestock Exposition (NILE) Stock Show and Rodeo is held each year at MetraPark in Billings. The NRA-sanctioned rodeo is one of the first opportunities for professional cowboys to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. The Western Expo is also held in conjunction with the NILE and showcases cowboy collectibles, clothing, Western art and farm/ranch equipment. Livestock events include breeding cattle shows and sales, two horse sales, horse futurity shows and the Northern Range Ranch Roping Finals. 406.256.2495, thenile.org
The Little Bighorn Reenactment is held every year on the third weekend in June. Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Rosebud County Fair, Nathan Satran Photography
COUNTY FAIRS
FARMERS MARKETS
There is no better showcase for everything that is great about rural communities than a county fair, and there is no shortage of county fairs in Southeast Montana. These fairs typically feature prize livestock, dancing, arts and crafts, and even rodeos. The Montana Fair in Billings is the largest in Montana and brings in big-name musicians, carnival rides, PRCA rodeo and more. County fairs are typically held in July and August.
Using locally sourced ingredients in food is nothing new to us out here in Southeast Montana. Farmers markets provide local farmers, ranchers and craftsmen with the opportunity to sell their goods in the same communities in which they live and work. Many communities in Southeast Montana hold weekly farmers markets throughout the summer.
ONGOING For more information about county fairs and farmers markets in Southeast Montana, check out our online events calendar. 1.800.346.1876, southeastmontana.com/events
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DIRECTORY OF TOWNS
DIRECTORY OF TOWNS Now that you have read about all there is to see and do out here in Southeast Montana, it’s time to drill down and really figure out where you want to go. This section gives a brief description of each community in Southeast Montana. Big or small, every town has something to offer—just take the time to stop and look. Consider this your go-to guide for the practicalities in Southeast Montana. The communities are listed here alphabetically. As always, there’s more information at southeastmontana.com.
ACTON
BAKER
Acton is 16 miles northwest of Billings. Its population numbers less than 100 people, but this is cattle country, and the little town and post office serve many people in outlying ranches. Acton began as a station on the Great Northern Railroad. southeastmontana.com/community/acton
Baker first boomed when the Milwaukee Railroad came across Montana in the 1900s. It received its name from A.G. Baker, the construction engineer for the main railroad line. Today, the town is experiencing an energy boom, and the many shops and restaurants buzz with activity. Medicine Rocks State Park lies 25 miles south of Baker and offers unique camping and hiking opportunities. Baker offers a variety of year-round activities, including fishing, boating and water-skiing at Baker Lake; hunting for deer, antelope, pheasant and wild turkeys; and snowmobiling and cross-country skiing.
ALZADA Alzada began as little more than a saloon in 1877. It was located strategically along cattle trails and serviced the thirsty cowboys looking for a break from their long, hard days on the prairie. Mr. M. Stone, who also owned a store and was the town’s first postmaster, built the local saloon. Today Alzada is much as it was then, a great place to stop for gas, a snack or a drink in the saloon. southeastmontana.com/community/alzada
ASHLAND Ashland is on the Tongue River at the mouth of Otter Creek. The post office was established under this name in 1886. Ashland is division headquarters for the Custer Gallatin National Forest, and it is possible that the name comes from the abundance of ash trees. The town is a trade center for a group of cattle ranchers and for Northern Cheyenne tribal members. The St. Labre Mission and Cheyenne Indian Museum, the St. Labre Indian School and the Ashland Labor Day Powwow are of special interest in the Ashland area. southeastmontana.com/community/ashland 48
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Events in Fallon County include a Classic Car Show, Fallon County Fair, Fall Festival, Bump and Run Races and Motocross Races, just to name a few. Baker also boasts the O’Fallon County Museum and Prairie Rose Antique Car Museum. bakermt.com, southeastmontana.com/community/baker
BALLANTINE Ballantine was founded in 1907 in conjunction with the Huntley Irrigation Project just east of Billings. As the Irrigation Project thrived and the sagebrush prairie began to give way to various crops, the area’s population slowly grew. A post office was opened in Ballantine to serve the growing number of homesteaders in the area. huntleyproject.net, southeastmontana.com/community/ballantine
DIRECTORY OF TOWNS
Photos – Above: Historic Montana Avenue in downtown Billings. Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development Below: TEN at the Northern Hotel in Billings. Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development;
BILLINGS Billings is “Montana’s Trailhead” and largest city. Many visitors to Southeast Montana enter the state via Billings Logan International Airport, and Billings makes a perfect base camp for your excursions into Southeast Montana. If you want to experience big-city dining, lodging and shopping, all with the small-town friendliness you’d expect in a visit to Montana, Billings is your place. visitbillings.com, southeastmontana.com/community/billings
BROADUS Broadus lies along the scenic and historic Warrior Trail near the junction of the Powder and Little Powder Rivers. It was named for the Broaddus family, settlers on the Powder River. Broadus is known today for its cattle, oil and outstanding school system. It’s also a great place for history buffs. The Reynolds Battlefield is just a short drive from town. Visitors can also stop by the Powder River Historical Museum and Mac’s Museum to admire the general store, the original county jail and more. The Powder River Taxidermy and Tannery Museum features wildlife mounts, antique guns and local art. prchamberofcomm.com, southeastmontana.com/community/broadus
BUSBY Busby, on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, is named for Sheridan Busby, a homesteader who came to the area in 1895 and established the first post office here in 1904. Trader W.P. Moncure erected the Two Moon Monument at Busby in 1936. In 1993, the remains of 10 men, five women and two children who died about 116 years earlier during the Indian Wars were buried in a circle near the Two Moon Monument on U.S. Highway 212 after they were retrieved from various museums across the country. southeastmontana.com/community/busby
BROADVIEW Broadview was established around 1908 when the Great Northern Railway’s Billings and Northern branch line was built. Broadview was incorporated in 1917. In 1934, almost half the town burned in a devastating fire. southeastmontana.com/community/broadview 1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM
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DIRECTORY OF TOWNS
COLSTRIP
EKALAKA
Colstrip was founded in 1924 when the Northern Pacific Railroad started mining coal nearby to fuel its steam locomotives. Once the railroads switched from coal to diesel fuel, however, the mine closed, and Colstrip was left nearly abandoned. When the Montana Power Company purchased the mine as well as the town site of Colstrip, they reopened it and just a few years later construction on the Colstrip Power Plant began. Today, Colstrip is a quiet, closely knit community with over 2,000 citizens and 22 parks. On the edge of town is the picturesque Castle Rock Lake, which is surrounded by bike paths and picnic areas. cityofcolstrip.com, southeastmontana.com/community/colstrip
Ekalaka is named for Ijkalaka, the Oglala Sioux niece of Chief Red Cloud and the bride of David Russell, who opened a store and saloon here in 1885. Though small, the community has two motels, a campground with hookups, several restaurants, a grocery store, a service station and two city parks. Camp Needmore, an old refurbished CCC Camp, lies just outside Ekalaka in the wooded hills. The two large barracks with kitchen and camper hookups can be rented for just a few dollars a day. Medicine Rocks State Park is just 10 miles north of Ekalaka. Ekalaka is also home to the Carter County Museum, Montana’s first county museum. southeastmontana.com/community/ekalaka
CROW AGENCY Crow Agency is the headquarters of the Crow Indian Tribe and is close to the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area and Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. Crow Agency becomes the “Tipi Capital of the World” in mid-August during the Crow Fair celebration, when Native Americans from across the country come to participate in the festivities. Little Big Horn College, located in the center of Crow Agency, is a great example of modern Native American architecture. The newly finished Health and Wellness Center incorporated state-of-the-art green technology in its construction. The town also features Veterans Memorial Park. crow-nsn.gov southeastmontana.com/community/crow-agency
CUSTER Custer was named for Lt. Col. George A. Custer, who was killed in 1876 at the famous Battle of the Little Bighorn. Custer was a freight station for traders bringing supplies to the Crow Indian Reservation. Custer is a friendly town along the Yellowstone River where visitors can enjoy agate hunting. Floating the river allows agate hunters to search the many sand and gravel bars along the shore as well as the gravel islands. Fishing is another popular pastime. Nearby, at the junction of the Bighorn and Yellowstone rivers, is the site of Fort Manuel Lisa, the first building in Montana built by white men. The Manuel Lisa fishing access is about 4.5 miles east of Custer. southeastmontana.com/community/custer
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FALLON Fallon is between Miles City and Glendive. It was a station on the Northern Pacific Railway and is one of the oldest towns along the Yellowstone River. The town was named for Benjamin O’Fallon, an Army officer and nephew of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Fallon is now in the middle of rich grain fields near the junction of the Yellowstone River and O’Fallon Creek. southeastmontana.com/community/fallon
FORSYTH With the abundant growth of cottonwood in the area, steamers often stopped here to refuel their engines. Forsyth was established in 1880 and earned its post office in 1882 when the Northern Pacific Railway arrived. The opulent buildings located along Main Street reflect the wealth of Forsyth’s early years. It’s a great place to stop for a bite to eat. Be sure to see the Rosebud County Courthouse and the Rosebud County Museum, both located along Forsyth’s Main Street. forsythmt.com, southeastmontana.com/community/forsyth
FORT SMITH Fort C.F. Smith was established on August 12, 1866 to protect immigrants traveling on the Bozeman Trail from attacks by the Sioux Indians. The Bozeman Trail crossed the Bighorn River 400 yards from the fort. The nearby Bighorn Lake extends approximately 70 miles through Wyoming and Montana, 55 miles of which are held within spectacular Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. There is a visitor center in Fort Smith. The Bighorn River below the Afterbay Dam and Campground is a world-class trout fishing area and numerous fishing outfitters are located in the area. southeastmontana.com/community/fort-smith
DIRECTORY OF TOWNS
GARRYOWEN
HARDIN
Garryowen was named by Buffalo Bill Cody in 1896 for the Burlington-Quincy Railroad. Garryowen was the name of the marching song of the old 7th Cavalry. Myles Keogh, one of Custer’s officers, brought the tune and the words from Ireland. The Custer Battlefield Museum is located here on the former site of Sitting Bull’s camp, where some of the first shots of the Battle of the Little Bighorn were fired. The museum includes the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and is where the burying the hatchet ceremony took place. custermuseum.org, southeastmontana.com/community/garryowen
Hardin was named for Samuel H. Hardin, a cattleman from Wyoming who leased tracts of land on the Crow Reservation to range his cattle. Today Hardin sits just outside the borders of the Crow Reservation and is the closest large town to the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. Hardin’s Main Street boasts many restaurants, antique stores and shops selling souvenirs for the area. Every year the town celebrates Little Bighorn Days, commemorating the anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The Big Horn County Museum, one of Southeast Montana’s largest museums, is also located here. southeastmontana.com/community/hardin
GLENDIVE Glendive is tucked between the badlands and the Yellowstone River on I-94 and is a major hub for energy and agricultural activities in eastern Montana. Museums in Glendive include the Makoshika Dinosaur Museum, Glendive Dinosaur Museum, and Frontier Gateway Museum, which together house an incredible collection of paleontological artifacts and pieces of regional history. Makoshika State Park is also near Glendive. A self-guided walking tour of Glendive’s downtown historic district leads past many buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the historic Bell Street Bridge. Guide brochures are available at the Glendive Chamber of Commerce. glendivechamber.com, southeastmontana.com/community/glendive
HUNTLEY Huntley was named for S.S. Huntley, a pioneer stockman. The area was part of the Crow Indian Reservation from 1874 to 1904, when the government purchased the 35,000 acres, stretching across 27 miles from Huntley east to the Little Bull Mountains. The name Huntley is short for Huntley Irrigation Project, which was the second U.S. Bureau of Reclamation irrigation project. Huntley Project is a valley of lush crops and is actually made up of four small communities: Huntley, Worden, Ballantine and Pompeys Pillar. The Huntley Project Museum of Irrigated Agriculture is located on the site of the early-day town called Osborn. The museum features a collection of more than 5,000 artifacts related to irrigated agriculture on the Montana prairie. huntleyproject.net, southeastmontana.com/community/huntley
Tongue River, Alexis Bonogofsky
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DIRECTORY OF TOWNS
Terry Badlands, Nathan Satran Photography
HYSHAM
INGOMAR
Hysham is the county seat of Treasure County. The 2010 census counted the population as 312 people, down from 330 in 2000. It is located just off I-94 between the Yellowstone River to the north and beautiful rolling hills to the south. Hysham is an agricultural community consisting of farms and cattle ranches. In 1906, the Crow Nation Reservation boundaries were redrawn, and the area was opened to settlement. Hysham was created as a result of ranching supplies being delivered by the railroad and was incorporated in 1916. The Treasure County ’89ers Museum preserves local history with displays and exhibits. Located across the street from the museum is the 1931 Yucca Theatre, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Local sculptor Bob Schulze has created statues of William Clark, Sacagawea with Pomp, and various animals that can be found at the Yucca and other town locations. hysham.org, southeastmontana.com/community/hysham
In the early days, Ingomar and Sumatra were the chief trading towns for the homesteaders in western Garfield County. Ingomar has several of its original historic buildings still intact. The original frame school building, the Jersey Lilly Bar and Café—internationally known for its beans and steaks—and the Bookman Store were all placed on the National Registry of Historic Buildings. The Historic Jersey Lilly Campground provides a meeting place for locals and visitors with good food and a place to hang your hat, hitch your RV or pitch your tent, and catch a night’s rest. southeastmontana.com/community/ingomar
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ISMAY Ismay began as a Milwaukee station on O’Fallon Creek. It was on the old stage line that ran from Fort Lincoln at Bismarck to Fort Keogh, which is now Miles City. In May 1993, a radio station in Kansas City, Missouri, contacted the town of Ismay with a special request, asking whether the town would consider changing its name to Joe, Montana, for the duration of the football season. The radio station promoter felt that this was a great way to honor NFL quarterback Joe Montana, who had recently signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. Ismay, population 22, agreed. In celebration, the town organized a ranch rodeo, a parade and a night show for July 3. The events drew more than 2,000 spectators. southeastmontana.com/community/ismay
Miles City, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development
LAME DEER
LAVINA
Lame Deer is between Broadus and Hardin on Deer Creek and is the tribal and government agency headquarters of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. It was named for Lame Deer, an Indian chief. Dull Knife and the Northern Cheyenne returned to Lame Deer following their long march home after being held in Oklahoma. Attractions here include the Chief Dull Knife Cultural Center, the Jesse Mullin Picture Museum, the Arts and Crafts Center and the Charging Horse Casino. Lame Deer also hosts the 4th of July Powwow. cheyennenation.com, southeastmontana.com/community/lame-deer
Working for T.C. Power & Bro., Walter Burke selected Lavina as a stagecoach stop in 1882. It lies at the crossing of the Musselshell River, between Fort Benton and Billings. Audaciously, Burke named the station after a former girlfriend rather than his wife. In 1903, it took 12 hours to travel 45 miles by stagecoach from Billings, so Lavina was an important stop on the stage line. The town did not experience significant growth until the arrival of the Milwaukee Railroad in 1907. The Musselshell River is noted for its catfish and trout. Hunting and fishing licenses can be purchased at the Lavina Bar. Stop and fish in some of the lakes and streams or hunt the wildlife in the area. co.golden-valley.mt.us/html/lavina.html, southeastmontana.com/community/lavina
LAUREL North of Laurel is where the battle between the Nez Perce Indians, led by Chief Joseph, and the U.S. Cavalry, led by Col. Samuel Sturgis, took place. The Chief Joseph Monument on the outskirts of Laurel rests where the famous Nez Perce passed while leading his people toward Canada in 1877. Of local historical significance is Riverside Park, located south of the Yellowstone River bridge, which was the site of a prisoner of war camp during World War II. The prisoners built the structures located in the park. laurelmontana.org, southeastmontana.com/community/laurel
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DIRECTORY OF TOWNS
LODGE GRASS
PRYOR
Lodge Grass, which is on the Little Bighorn River and the Crow Indian Reservation, is the trading center for ranchers whose herds graze the rich, grass-covered uplands where buffalo used to range. In the early days, the Crow made their summer hunting camps here. The town was named for Lodge Grass Creek, which empties nearby into the Little Bighorn. The Indians called the stream “Greasy Grass” because the grass was so nourishing that it made their animals fat. The words for “grease” and “lodge” are so similar in the Crow language that an interpreter mistakenly translated the phrase as “Lodge Grass.” southeastmontana.com/community/lodge-grass
Pryor, south of Billings, takes its name from the creek and the mountains, which were named by Lewis and Clark for Sgt. Nathaniel Pryor, a member of the expedition. Pryor is on the Crow Indian Reservation and is the site of the Chief Plenty Coups State Park and Plenty Coups’ two-story log house. Plenty Coups, the last of the great Crow war chiefs, died in 1933 at the age of 84 and represented the Indian Nations at the dedication of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C. His short speech on war and peace is regarded as a masterpiece of oratory. southeastmontana.com/community/pryor
MELSTONE
RICHEY
Melstone began as a Milwaukee Railroad station and was named for Melvin Stone, an Associated Press reporter who was aboard the train with the railroad’s president, his daughter and a friend, all of whom were naming towns along the line. Dryland farmers followed the railroad, but the surrounding acres proved too dry, and now they are dotted with producing oil wells. southeastmontana.com/community/melstone
MILES CITY Miles City was, and sometimes still is, the real frontier. It was at the epicenter of Wild West history and has been immortalized by authors and historic characters alike. The city grew up around Fort Keogh, named after a soldier who fell at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The fort’s commanding officer was Col. Nelson A. Miles, for whom Miles City was named. As the cattle industry became more important, it was fitting that the Montana Stockgrowers Association was formed here in 1884. After the coming of the railroad, Miles City became, and still is, a leading cattle market. The town’s main attractions are the Range Riders Museum, the WaterWorks Art Museum and the annual Bucking Horse Sale. milescitychamber.com, southeastmontana.com/community/miles-city
POMPEYS PILLAR Pompeys Pillar is on the banks of the Yellowstone River. The town is named for the nearby sandstone pillar, which is today Pompeys Pillar National Monument. After visiting the national monument, be sure to stop by the town for lunch or to find some shade and air conditioning after your climb to the top of the pillar. huntleyproject.net, southeastmontana.com/community/pompeys-pillar 54
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Richey is between Sidney and Circle, and was named for the first postmaster, Clyde Richey. The station served as a terminus for the Great Northern Railroad when it arrived in 1916. The Shell Oil Company discovered oil nearby on July 13, 1951 in Williston Basin. By the end of that year, oil companies had leased more than 60 million Montana acres. As a lively, small and friendly town, Richey has a variety of businesses to serve visitors. It hosts the annual Richey Rodeo, which takes place on the third Sunday in July, as well as a vintage Car Run every year on the first Saturday in June. The Richey Historical Museum features more than 7,000 items, including a Model A mail car, blacksmith shop, pioneer kitchen, school and church memorabilia, newspaper files, and period clothing. richeymt.com, southeastmontana.com/community/richey
ROUNDUP Roundup is located along the banks of the Musselshell River in an area surrounded by hills. It was so named because ranchers found the valley near the Musselshell River a natural place to “round up” their cattle every fall. One of the many attractions in the area is the Musselshell Valley Historical Museum, which houses a coal tunnel, complete with a wooden car, carbide lamps, lunch pails, maps and photos. The Bull Mountains, south of Roundup, offer beautiful roadside geology and pine trees. Elk have been known to travel through these mountains en-route to or from the Little Snowy Mountains to the west. The Musselshell River, noted for its fine trout and catfish, also offers plentiful spots for relaxing picnics along its lazy banks. roundupchamber.org, southeastmontana.com/community/roundup
DIRECTORY OF TOWNS
ROSEBUD
TERRY
Rosebud, a name inspired by the wild roses that grow profusely in Montana, is the name of the town, county and river. The region was originally explored and used by the fur traders. Rosebud Creek was popular with the beaver trappers. On July 28, 1806, William Clark and company passed this area. rosebudmontana.com, southeastmontana.com/community/rosebud
The town of Terry is named for Gen. Alfred H. Terry, who commanded an 1876 expedition in connection with Custer’s campaign against the Indians. The town’s main attraction is the Prairie County Museum and Evelyn Cameron Gallery. The museum displays early settler artifacts, and the gallery showcases the incredible photographs taken by Evelyn Cameron in the 1800s. Terry also sits on the edge of the Terry Badlands.
RYEGATE Ryegate is located between sandstone cliffs and the Musselshell River on Highway 12 and is the county seat for Golden Valley County. Ryegate is the location where the Nez Perce people, under the leadership of Chief Joseph, crossed the Musselshell River on September 17, 1877. They had left their Idaho homeland in a valiant but futile effort to reach Canada. Today, Ryegate is a farming and ranching community. This area is one of the most productive areas in central Montana for waterfowl. The Hailstone National Wildlife Refuge includes a large alkaline lake and surrounding habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds, pronghorns and prairie dogs. co.golden-valley.mt.us/html/ryegate.html, southeastmontana.com/community/ryegate
ST. XAVIER St. Xavier is on the Crow Indian Reservation along the Bighorn River. In 1887, Fr. Prando, a Jesuit missionary, and two companions founded a mission here and named it St. Xavier. The church is still in use. The mission’s school, affiliated with the St. Labre Mission School, also continues to operate, but is now called the Pretty Eagle School, after a famous Crow chief. The St. Xavier area is a patchwork of fields of malting barley, alfalfa and sugar beets that are irrigated by the Bighorn River. southeastmontana.com/community/st-xavier
The Calypso Trail, an old bootlegging road, allows high-clearance, all-wheel-drive vehicles to explore this beautiful area. The town features many services, including the Kempton Hotel, known to be the haunt of friendly spirits and the oldest continuously operating hotel in Montana. There are also many restaurants and gift shops, including Prairie Unique, where Made in Montana gifts can be purchased. visitterrymontana.com, southeastmontana.com/community/terry
WIBAUX Wibaux owes its existence to the railroad’s 1880s arrival. During the days of open-range cattle ranching, it was one of the largest shipping points on the Northern Pacific Railway. During homesteading days, its population grew rapidly. The town is named for Pierre Wibaux, a flamboyant French cattleman who built an empire for himself in eastern Montana. Before it became Wibaux in 1895, it was called Mingusville, a raucous town where cowboys were known to make greenhorns dance to their bullets. Legend has it that even Teddy Roosevelt, who would eventually become president, was forced to defend himself when a drunk cowboy tried to bully him for wearing glasses. southeastmontana.com/community/wibaux
WORDEN Worden was named for Sen. Joseph Dixon’s wife, whose maiden name was Worden, and possibly for her father as well, who was a prominent Montanan. The land surrounding Worden has been richly productive ever since the Huntley Irrigation Project brought water to it. Just east of Worden is Pompeys Pillar, a rock outcropping that rises 200 feet above the Yellowstone River. huntleyproject.net, southeastmontana.com/community/worden St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Wibaux, Megan Richter
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ONLINE PLANNING RESOURCES COMPLETE LISTINGS Southeast Montana is a big area and there’s a lot to explore. Here’s a list of essentials to help get you settled.
WINE AND DINE From buffalo burgers to Rocky Mountain oysters, Southeast Montana has you covered: southeastmontana.com/places-to-eat-drink
CAMPING AND RV The best way to see Southeast Montana’s beauty is to be in it. Find campgrounds and RV parks here: southeastmontana.com/rv-parks or southeastmontana.com/camping
SHOPPING Take a piece of Southeast Montana home with you: southeastmontana.com/shopping
LODGING After a long day in the badlands, you need a rest. Find a place to lay your head here: southeastmontana.com/places-to-stay
Start dreaming up your Southeast Montana trip (or planning it on the fly) online, on your tablet or mobile phone. SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM is your one-stop shop for everything Southeast Montana. Go here to find detailed information about the attractions and destinations listed in this guide, as well as information on events, new museum exhibits, contact information and much more. VISITMT.COM is an encyclopedic, user-friendly resource for trip ideas and general wanderlust. Here, you’ll find a wealth of varied information— motorcycle route ideas, a compilation of statewide powwows, information on the brewery trail, ghost town rundowns and just about anything else you can think of.
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Prefer to talk to someone in person? We are happy to help. Just call 1.800.346.1876 to chat.
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State Capital: Helena Land Area: 145,392 sq. miles Montana Population: 1,023,579* Water Area: 1,746 sq. miles State Capital: Helena *2014 U.S. CensusLand Area: 145,392 sq.Total miles Estimate Area: 147,138 sq. miles Montana Population: 1,023,579* Water Area: 1,746 sq. miles EVERYTHING UNDER THE State Capital: Helena Land Area: 145,392 sq. miles *2014 U.S. Census Estimate Total Area: 147,138 milesand detailed information. Map provided for general information only. Consult the Official Montana Highway Map forsq. accurate Population: 1,023,579* Water Area: 1,746 sq. miles BIG SKY IS PURE MAGIC Montana *2014 U.S. Census Estimate Total Area: 147,138 sq. miles Map provided for general information only. Consult the Official Montana Highway Map for accurate and detailed information.
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Map provided for general information only. Consult the Official Montana Highway Map for accurate and detailed information.
Bozeman
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to Grand Teton Natl Park and Jackson, WY
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SOUTHEAST MONTANA
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