State Parks & National Monuments
State Parks & National Monuments
Explore Montana’s Vast Heritage
Billings and the surrounding region is rich with history, culture and breathtaking scenery, offering everything from ancient rock art and sacred native sites to legendary battlefields and world-famous national parks. These landmarks invite visitors to step back in time, connect with the land and experience the stories that have shaped this remarkable region.
Pictograph Cave State Park
Pictograph Cave State Park is a remarkable archaeological site where visitors can view ancient rock art created by Indigenous peoples more than 2,000 years ago. The park’s short trails lead to three caves, offering a glimpse into Montana’s deep history and the lives of its earliest inhabitants.
Chief Plenty Coups State Park
Situated within the Crow Reservation, this park was the home of Plenty Coups, last chief of the Crow. This day-use park preserves the log home, sacred spring, and farmstead of Chief Plenty Coups State Park. Visitors can walk the grounds and browse through the visitor center that traces the story of Chief Plenty Coups’ life.
Pompeys Pillar National Monument
Just east of Billings along the Yellowstone River, Pompeys Pillar National Monument stands as a striking 150-foot sandstone butte. Best known for the carved signature of explorer William Clark from the Lewis and Clark Expedition, it also holds centuries of Native American history. Visitors can enjoy sweeping views from the top and explore exhibits that share the site’s cultural and natural heritage.
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
This area memorializes one of the last armed efforts of the Northern Plains Indians to preserve their way of life. Here in 1876, 263 soldiers and attached personnel of the U.S. Army, including Lt. Col. George A. Custer, met death at the hands of several thousand Lakota and Cheyenne warriors. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument is the site of the June 25, 1876 battle between the U.S. Army’s 7th cavalry and several bands of Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapaho.
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, America’s first national park, spans parts of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, showcasing a stunning mix of geothermal wonders, wildlife, and dramatic landscapes. Famous for features like Old Faithful, colorful hot springs and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, it offers endless opportunities for hiking, sightseeing and experiencing nature at its most awe-inspiring.
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
Stretching across Montana and Wyoming, Bighorn Canyon offers dramatic landscapes of towering cliffs, deep blue waters and wide-open skies. Visitors can explore the winding Bighorn Lake by boat, hike scenic trails, spot wild horses and take in sweeping views from cliffside overlooks.