Montana’s Largest State Park Has a Packed Spring Event Lineup

Montana has 55 State Parks. Many are historical sites; some are little more than undeveloped campgrounds, and one is located in the middle of Montana's largest city, Lake Elmo State Park in Billings.

These parks are a great resource, offering outdoor recreation opportunities like hiking, biking, fishing, camping, and photography. Locals get "free" day-use admission; it's automatically added to your annual vehicle registration (for $9/yr, unless you opt out).

Non-residents typically pay less than $10 to visit a Montana State Park, and locals and tourists alike incur a fee for overnight camping, where available. The camping fees range from $4 - $34 per night.

How about a springtime visit to Makoshika State Park?

Montana's State Parks on the western half of our immense state are often the most popular, but for a truly unique experience, head to the far eastern side of Big Sky Country to explore Makoshika State Park.

It's our largest State Park, at 11,538 acres, and the stunning badlands scenery is filled with hoodoos, cap rocks, and fluted hillsides. Once the bed of an ancient inland sea, these badlands are filled with dinosaur fossils and eerie outcroppings.

While the name Makoshika is a variant spelling of a Lakota phrase meaning 'bad land' or 'bad earth', you'll have a dozen opportunities for some good times at the park this spring.

• Saturday, April 25 - Celebrate Earth Day at the park with a cleanup event.
• Saturday, April 25 - Earth Day Archery Range Cleanup
• Friday, May 1 - Full Moon Hike
• Saturday, May 8 - Where the Wild Things Bloom
• Wednesday, May 13 - Better the Badlands Stew Crew - every 3rd Wednesday, volunteers can assist with projects around the park.
• Saturday, May 16 - Kids to Park Day
• Sunday, May 17 - Bat Hike
• Friday, May 22 - Movies Under the Stars: Ghostbusters
• Saturday, May 23 - Meet Makoshika
• Tuesday, May 26 - Trivia in the Park (every other Tuesday throughout the season)
• Saturday, May 30 - National Dinosaur Day
• Sunday, May 31 - Full Moon Hike

All events are free.

Makoshika State Park is located on the outskirts of Glendive, MT. The small community has plenty to offer, including the Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum, the Frontier Gateway Museum, the historic Bell Bridge, several bars and restaurants, and multiple hotels.