Makoshika State Park
4.8(777)google
5.0(15)yelp
HikingCampingScenic LookoutVisitor CenterOutdoorQuirkyGeologyFossilsRock Formation
Overview
Makoshika State Park ("ma-KO-sh(ih)kuh" from the Lakota Mako sica, meaning 'bad land' or 'land that is bad') is a nature preserve and public recreation area located on the southeast side of Glendive in Dawson County, Montana. The state park encompasses badlands containing dinosaur fossils and rock from the Hell Creek Formation. It is the largest of Montana's state parks at more than 11,000 acres (45 km2).
Practical Info
Every day9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Suggested Duration3-5 hours
Best TimeMay through October is excellent, with late afternoon from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM under a big sky sunset delivering the ultimate visual drama. The low-angled sun casts deep, contrast-heavy shadows across the vast badlands topography, rendering the bizarre bentonite clay caprocks, exposed dinosaur fossil beds, and jagged hoodoos in brilliant hues of crimson and gold, evoking an otherworldly Martian environment.
Getting ThereSituated right on the southern edge of Glendive in far eastern Montana. Self-drivers follow highway I-94 straight to Exit 215, merge onto West Towne Street, and turn left onto Snyder Avenue, following the state park signs for 2 miles to 3423 Makoshika Park Road; the state-of-the-art visitor center offers vast paved parking plots. No public transit routes run to this rugged badlands reserve.
Travel Tips
- The park's active badlands clay turns into an impassable gummy mire immediately upon rainfall; all unpaved dirt roads close instantly to prevent systemic vehicle strandings.
- The landscape exposes critical Cretaceous fossil matrices; state law strictly bans excavating, collecting, or defacing any paleontological materials under heavy penalty.
- Summer canyon temperatures regularly exceed 100°F with intense radial heat and zero shade; hikers must carry a minimum of 4 liters of hydration per person daily.
Reviews
Positive
- Montana's largest state park features visually stunning badlands; rugged colorful strata, caprocks, and T-Rex fossil remains blend perfectly, making you feel like you are on Mars.
- The Visitor Center is excellently managed, displaying intact dinosaur skeletons excavated right inside the park, thoughtfully providing detailed multilingual info pamphlets.
- A high-value mecca for driving, camping, and shooting badlands sunsets; passes cost just a few dollars, and RV campgrounds are highly tidy and regulated with modern restrooms.
- Thanks to its eastern location, user density is extremely low with zero tourist noise. Wandering primitive badland loops rewards you with absolute quiet and pristine night skies.
Heads up
- The terrain gets baking hot in July/August, with ground temps piercing 100°F; the entire park features near zero shade trees outside the visitor center, risking heatstroke.
- Inner roads to core overlooks like Cap Rock are bumpy dirt lanes; sudden rain instantly turns the soil into sticky 'gumbo mud,' leaving ordinary sedans slipping or stuck.
- Being on the eastern border near Glendive, the location is isolated; there are no luxury lodgings or fine dining for miles, requiring guests to strictly pack plenty of food and water.
- Select footpaths deep into clay canyons are gravelly, with faded signs, and whip up massive dust clouds during gusts; they lack safety railings, making them unfeasible for wheelchairs.