Current Events and Programs

Montana State Parks has eight Visitor Centers that feature interpretive displays, educational programs, artifacts, gift shops and more.

• Bannack State Park
• Chief Plenty Coups State Park
• First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park
• Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park
• Lone Pine State Park
• Makoshika State Park
• Pictograph Cave State Park
• Travelers’ Rest State Park

Enjoy our outdoor interpretive exhibits at eleven of our state parks; they are like “storybooks” designed to enhance your understanding and connect you to the park’s special attributes and history.

• Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park
• Clark’s Lookout State Park
• Council Grove State Park(indoor and outdoor exhibits)
• Giant Springs State Park (outdoor exhibits, fish hatchery)
• Greycliff Prairie Dog Town State Park
• Madison Buffalo Jump State Park
• Missouri Headwaters State Park
• Pirogue Island State Park
• Rosebud Battlefield State Park
• Tower Rock State Park

Montana State Parks' Heritage Resources Program combines conservation, restoration, archaeology, history and architecture in the maintenance and preservation of significant cultural sites and physical heritage assets.

Our Heritage Resources Program oversees site management and heritage stewardship at more than 200 historic and archaeological sites, including seven National Historic Landmarks and 10 sites that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The Heritage Resources Program is also responsible for Montana State Parks’ compliance with the Montana Antiquities Act and for ensuring thousands of artifacts found in state parks are appropriately curated and stored.

Here are some recent, exciting projects:

Rosebud Battlefield State Park partnered with the University of Montana and received an American Battlefield Protection Program grant for survey and mapping work.

Montana State Parks is partnering with university archeological field schools on the following projects:

• Students from MSU-Billings are currently gathering data on 2000 historic and pre-contact sandstone engravings and petroglyphs at Medicine Rocks State Parks near Ekalaka to create an overall map of the images for future generations.
• Students from the University of Montana are currently gathering data on bullet fragments and artifacts found at Rosebud Battlefield State Park to further understand and create a GIS map of where the exact battles took place.

Montana State Parks collaborated with the University of Montana and Alter Enterprises on a distance learning satellite program originating from Pictograph Cave State Park for elementary and college students.

Indian Education for All

Montana is rich in Native American heritage. Montana State Parks feature amazing Native American cultural sites including: Chief Plenty Coups State Park, Rosebud Battlefield State Park, First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park and more.

Montana State Parks in partnership with the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) has created 21 lesson plans featuring our Native-American cultural parks for teachers of grades K-12. While visiting the parks enhances learning, the lesson plans can stand alone in a classroom.

Learn more »

Montana State Parks are excellent indoor/outdoor classrooms and an ideal place for a school field trip. Students can experience native-american culture, learn about Montana’s heritage, explore natural sciences and more. Parks’ staff can assist with programs geared toward your curriculum needs.

• Bannack State Park
• Chief Plenty Coups State Park
• First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park
• Giant Springs State Park
• Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park
• Lone Pine State Park
• Makoshika State Park
• Missouri Headwaters State Park
• Pictograph Cave State Park
• Travelers’ Rest State Park

Be sure your students know:

• Time and date of departure
• Point of departure
• Educational Objective of the field trip
• Necessary expenses
• Lunch Plan
• Appropriate dress
• Parental permission forms as required by the school
• Rules of the teacher and the park
• Field Trip Supplies (camera, notebook, pencils, art supplies, etc.)

We recommend that one adult accompany every 12-15 students. Chaperones should stay with the students during the field trip.

There are limited facilities at most parks to take shelter in bad weather. Keep in mind you may have to reschedule cancel or change your activity plans. Check with the park before visiting in such weather and notify park staff upon cancellation.