Makoshika State Park

Open — Open year-round with first-come, first-served camping. Water available year-round. Park gates open daily 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

About

Makoshika State Park, meaning 'bad land' or 'bad earth' in Lakota, is Montana's largest state park at 11,538 acres. Located just outside Glendive in eastern Montana, the park showcases stunning badland formations studded with pine and juniper trees. The park is part of the late Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation and has yielded significant dinosaur discoveries including Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops, and a nearly complete Thescelosaurus skeleton. Over ten different dinosaur species have been found here. The visitor center at the park entrance houses fossil displays including a Triceratops and T-Rex along with interpretive exhibits about the badlands and the K-T boundary line dating back 65.5 million years. The park offers 28 camping sites available first-come, first-served, along with scenic drives, hiking trails, an outdoor amphitheater, and disc golf. Special events include Montana Shakespeare in the Park, Friday night campfire programs in summer, and the annual Buzzard Day festival in June. Water is available year-round. RVs and campers over 20 feet are restricted to the first two miles and not allowed beyond the switchbacks.

Directions

Located 1/4 mile southeast of Glendive at 1301 Snyder Avenue.

Nearby Campgrounds