Distinctly Montana Magazine

w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m 13 1 2 MAKOSHIKA STATE PARK 1/4 MILE SOUTHEAST OF GLENDIVE Remember one of the opening scenes in the movie Juras- sic Park where Dr. Allan Grant and Ellie Sattler were busy uncovering new dinosaur skeletons at a dig site? While the scene itself was not filmed in Montana, real life dinosaur fossils are housed in one of Montana's most explore-worthy state parks. Located in the rugged badlands of eastern Montana is Makoshika State Park. Designated a state park in 1953, Makoshika claims the spot as Montana's largest state park at 11,538 acres. Featuring dinosaur bones, badland formations, mountain biking, and an annual celebration for local buzzards, it's not hard to see why USA Today voted the park as the #1 Montana tourist attraction in 2017. Makoshika takes its name from a variant spelling of a Lakota phrase meaning "bad land" or "bad spirits." The clay and sand soils in the area hold everything from dinosaur bones to ancient plant fossils. A total of 10 different dinosaur species have been discovered in the park, including Tyranno- saurus Rex and Triceratops. An expedition led by Jack Horner, former curator of paleontology at the Museum of the Rockies and consultant on the Jurassic Park films also made a rare finding of a nearly complete skeleton of Thescelosaur. Visitor amenities include a visitor's center, reservable campsites, nature trails, group use shelter, outdoor amphitheater, archery range, and disc golf course. The visitor's center features kid-friend- ly exhibits, including displays of fossils of invertebrates of early sea life and a Triceratops skull. Another well-known resident of the area is the turkey vulture, which the park celebrates annually with Buzzard Day. The event marks the vultures' migration to the area with events including a 10K and 5K run. Take a walk where dinosaurs once roamed at Makoshika State Park this fall. BANNACK STATE PARK 25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DILLON From gun-slinging cowboys, dastardly outlaws, swing- ing saloon doors, and tumbleweed-filled dirt streets, America's Wild West has long inspired curiosity. Today, the legend and lore of the Wild West lives on in Mon- tana. Take a walk in a cowboy's boots and experience an authentic western ghost town at Bannack State Park. Designated a state park in 1954, Bannack stands resilient as one of the best preserved ghost towns in Montana. Bannack doesn't just offer a glimpse into the past, but also supplies the history, feeling, and picturesque setting that the Wild West hailed back in its glory days. Bannack was the site of Mon- tana's first major gold discovery in 1862. While this gold strike caused Bannack's population to swell to over 3,000 by 1863, the eventual dwindling of gold reserves led to a mass exodus of people. Today, you can stroll the desert- ed streets and take in the over 60 brick, log, and frame structures still standing. Unlike Nevada City and Virginia City, who present more restored versions of Montana's ghost towns, Bannack is unique in that is has been carefully preserved and protected in its original state. Bannack Days is held annually the third weekend in July and features historic displays, re-enactors, horse-drawn wagon rides, music, and delicious treats. Tours are conducted from a visitor center from Memorial Day through Labor Day. There is also a 28-site camp- ground, rental tipi, and group picnic site in the 1,529-acre park. From gold town to ghost town, Bannack remains an emblem of Montana's wild and wooly frontier beginnings. MAKOSHIKA PLACID LAKE FIRST PEOPLE'S BUFFALO JUMP BANNACK LEWIS & CLARK CAVERNS T HERE'S A REASON MONTANA IS CALLED "THE LAST BEST PLACE." Its sprawling landscapes are dotted with some of the greatest natural and cultural treasures on earth. Recreational opportunities abound around every corner. Thanks to the creation of the Montana State Parks system in 1939, residents and visitors alike have been able to hike up, swim through, camp within, and just bask in the grandeur that is Montana for 81 years now. Today, there are 55 state parks, each worthy of admiration and exploration. Here is a snapshot of five of them. by LACEY MIDDLESTEAD BANNACK STATE PARK

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