If you haven’t made it out to Makoshika State Park yet, you may want to put it on your radar…especially if you like the movie Jurassic Park. Makoshika is officially the largest state park in Montana, covering about 11,538 acres of rugged badlands and open sky in Glendive.
The name Makoshika comes from a Lakota phrase meaning “bad land” or “bad earth,” and once you see the sweeping hoodoos, eroded caprocks, and pine-studded hills, that name starts to make sense — in the best way possible. But it’s not just scenery; the park sits on part of the famous Hell Creek Formation, one of the richest dinosaur fossil areas in the world. Remains of giants like Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops have been found there, and many discoveries tell the prehistoric story of this landscape.
There’s plenty to do once you’re there: hike trails, take the park’s scenic drive, camp under the stars, explore the visitor center, or even play a round of disc golf right there in the badlands. From chasing the sunrise and sunset shadows on the rock formations or imagining what this place looked like 65 million years ago, Makoshika is one of those unique places that is worth checking out.
Feature photo via Montana, Fish, Wildlife, and Parks
