PARKS & PUBLIC LANDS

Rugged badlands, free-flowing rivers and endless prairies are here for you to discover. Escape into the cosmos under North America’s darkest skies and experience true solitude in the wide-open spaces. Get started on your bucket list with these incredible public lands, which have been set aside for enjoyment and preservation for all.

ACTON RECREATION AREA

Bring your bike to Acton Recreation Area located 25 miles northwest of Billings. Popular with mountain bikers because of its naturally challenging bluffs, badlands, steep drainages and ponderosa pines, this BLM (Bureau of Land Management) managed site is open year-round. In addition to biking, enjoy stargazing, hiking, horseback riding, snowshoeing, wildlife watching and hunting.

BIGHORN CANYON NATIONAL RECREATION AREA

Boat this 71-mile-long lake, which straddles the Montana-Wyoming border, for its incredible colorful cliffs, towering more than a thousand feet above the water. Travel into canyon fingers and crevices to find the perfect picnic or camping spot. Stop by Yellowtail Dam Visitor Center for a birds-eye view of the massive Yellowtail Dam, which creates Bighorn Lake. Bring your own boat or rent (seasonally) a pontoon boat at Ok-a-Beh Marina.

CUSTER GALLATIN NATIONAL FOREST

Visiting the Ashland Ranger District of the Custer Gallatin National Forest, located between Broadus and Ashland, you’ll see abundant wildlife, ponderosa pines and open prairies. The forest provides excellent opportunities for hiking and horseback riding on Cook Mountain, King Mountain and the Tongue River Breaks. Near Ekalaka, the Sioux Ranger District preserves rich archeological and paleontological resources, including two National Landmarks: Capitol Rock and The Castles.

Canyon Creek Battlefield National Monument

This national monument memorializes the Battle of Canyon Creek, which took place September 12, 1877, between the Nez Perce and the 7th U.S. Cavalry under Samuel Sturgis. Located just 8 miles north of Laurel on Buffalo Trail Road you’ll find a pavilion, stone monument, bronze plaque and a walk-through interpretive display.

Chief Plenty Coups State Park

Near the base of the Pryor Mountains lies the home of Chief Plenty Coups, the last chief of the Crow people. Per the wishes of Plenty Coups and his wife, the property has been transformed into a state park where all cultures can come together to learn about unity. The park offers several picnic sites, walking trails, interpretive displays and a visitor center.

Four Dances Natural Area

Four Dances Natural Area, locally known as Sacrifice Cliffs, is located on a plateau overlooking the Yellowstone River and downtown Billings. Four Dances Rim Loop trail runs 1.5-miles and remains a favorite among Billings locals for its photographic opportunities.

Lake Elmo State Park

Situated within Billings city limits, this urban park provides a great place to swim, boat (non-motorized only), paddleboard, fish, picnic, birdwatch and walk on the surrounding nature trail. The family-friendly park features a boat launch, playground, fenced dog park and two group-use sites.

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

The Battle of Little Bighorn stands as the Plains Indians’ greatest victory over U.S. military forces in their fight to maintain control over ancestral lands. Here, Lt. Col. Custer and many of his men lost their lives against a much larger force of Lakota Sioux, Arapaho and Northern Cheyenne warriors. Start your visit at the Custer National Cemetery and visitor center, gift shop and museum, then take the 4.5-mile road to the Indian Memorial and 7th Cavalry Memorial, ending at Reno-Benteen Battlefield Memorial.

Makoshika State Park

Montana’s largest state park expands over 11,000 acres and is arguably the most unique. It features incredible topography, like sandstone formations, cap rocks and fluted hillsides. Some of the world’s best-preserved dinosaur fossils, including those of a Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops are displayed at the visitor center. The park includes an archery site, a scenic drive, hiking and biking trails, 28 camping sites, a group picnic area, outdoor amphitheater and disc golf course.

Medicine Rocks State Park

Nestled along the rolling prairies of Montana’s eastern edge between Ekalaka and Baker lies Medicine Rock State Park. As its name implies, this area was once a place of “big medicine,” where tribal hunting parties gathered before a hunt. Here, you’ll spot fascinating sandstone pillars, sprouting a hundred feet above the rolling prairies. The park includes hiking and biking trails, 12 campsites and a group-use area.

DID YOU KNOW?

Medicine Rocks State Park is one of only two Montana locations designated as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary because of its distinguished quality of starry nights and nocturnal environment due to sparse light pollution.

Makoshika State Park Buzzard Day

Celebrate the annual return of the turkey vulture, locally known as a buzzard, with family-friendly events like Montana’s toughest half marathon and guided nature hikes.

FriendsOfMakoshika.org/Buzzard-Day

Pictograph State Park

Pictograph Cave State Park is a National Historic Landmark just outside of Billings with historically significant preserved caves. Inside the park’s three caves—Pictograph, Middle and Ghost—you can find over 100 pictographs created by prehistoric hunters approximately 2,000 years ago. The park has a ¾-mile loop trail, day-use picnic area and visitor center with interpretive displays, artifacts and a gift shop.

Pirogue Island State Park

Pirogue Island State Park is located on the Yellowstone River just outside of Miles City. Widely believed to be the site where the Corps of Discovery and Captain Clark camped in 1806 on their return trip east, the park remains covered with cottonwoods and dozens of plant species that make the island an ideal destination for birdwatching. During low water, visitors can wade through the river channels to reach the island or stop while floating down the river.

Pompeys Pillar National Monument

On his way back East, Capt. William Clark stopped along the Yellowstone River to climb a peculiar sandstone pillar jutting up from the riverbank. He carved his name into the sandstone on July 25, 1806, and named it after his guide’s son, “Little Pomp.” Centuries before Clark’s visit, Native Americans used the area for camping, hunting and trading, as indicated by petroglyphs, pictographs and other artifacts.

Rosebud Battlefield State Park

Rosebud Battlefield State Park preserves a portion of the site where the Battle of the Rosebud was fought on June 17, 1876. Years preceding the battle, generations of Indigenous peoples used the valley for hunting and gathering as seen on petroglyphs marked into Kobold Buffalo Jump. The remote National Historic Landmark provides a quiet atmosphere where visitors can reflect on centuries of history.

Many public lands are multi-use, including seasonal hunting. Non-hunting recreationalists may wish to wear blaze-orange during the seasons.

Strawberry Hill Recreation Area

Named for its strawberry-colored cliffs, Strawberry Hill Recreation Area encompasses 4,248 acres of trails, unique rock formations and views of the Yellowstone River Valley. It is a popular spot for rugged hiking, biking, wildlife watching and primitive camping. You’ll need a high-profile, all-wheel-drive vehicle to drive the unmaintained trail, though many visitors prefer using an off-highway vehicle (OHV), mountain bikes or hiking in on foot.

Sundance Lodge Recreation Area

This day-use-only area, at the confluence of the Yellowstone and Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone rivers, sits on both the Lewis and Clark and Nez Perce national historic trails. The cottonwood groves, meadows and riparian areas offer great birdwatching opportunities and are popular for hiking, viewing wildlife, horseback riding and picnicking. Archery hunting and limited shotgun hunting is available through the Block Management Program with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

Terry Badlands Wilderness Study Area

The Terry Badlands Wilderness Study Area remains as pristine and untouched today as it was hundreds of years ago. You’ll need an all-wheel drive vehicle to access Scenic Overlook and a high-profile or off-road vehicle to drive on Calypso Trail, a primitive two-track road. Along the trail, hike (bikes not allowed on singletrack trails) to the impressive arches, natural bridges, pinnacles, hoodoos and scoria escarpments. Take in a stunning sunset at Scenic Overlook as the changing light reflects off buttes, banded cliffs and sandstone spires.

Tongue River State Park

Travel 10 miles north of Decker to visit Tongue River Reservoir for its incredibly scenic views of red shale formations and juniper canyons. The 12-mile-long reservoir is a favorite fishing spot with a few state-record fish snagged in its waters. The park features 160 campsites, a fish cleaning station, two boat ramps, a beach area and a marina store. If you don’t own a boat, you can seasonally rent a pontoon from Tongue River Marina.