Montana's largest state park: 11,000-plus acres of pine-studded badlands outside Glendive, with dinosaur fossils, the Cap Rock natural bridge, scenic drives, and a small campground.
Before you go
It is an easy, low-friction stop: a free entry for residents, a scenic drive, short trails like Cap Rock, and a small 15-site campground. The main planning notes are heat and water in summer and the clay roads that turn slick after rain or snow.
Weather, crowds, and what the season changes about the trip.
Mild and green by badlands standards, with the best wildflowers and comfortable hiking.
Pack Layers, sturdy footwear for clay trails, and water.
Hot, dry, and exposed on the badlands, with little shade and afternoon heat.
Pack Lots of water, sun protection, and early or late hiking to dodge the heat.
Cool, clear, and excellent for hiking and the scenic drive, the calmest good window.
Pack Warm layer, headlamp for shorter days, and footwear for loose clay.
Cold and quiet, with snow, slick clay roads, and possible closures on the upper drive.
Pack Insulation, traction, and a check on road conditions before driving in.
Cap Rock Nature Trail
A short loop in the upper park to the Cap Rock formation, a natural bridge among the eroded badlands spires, with interpretive signs on the geology.
Badlands scenic drive
The main park road climbs from the visitor center through pine-and-juniper badlands to overlooks, trailheads, and the upper campground. The low-effort way to see the formations.
Dinosaur fossils and the visitor center
Makoshika has yielded fossils of Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, and other dinosaurs, and the visitor center displays a Triceratops skull and badlands interpretation.
Move exposed miles to the morning and keep water, shade, and storm checks ahead of the wish list. For one day in Makoshika State Park, make Cap Rock Nature Trail the non-negotiable, add Badlands scenic drive only if the first stop runs clean, and keep Dinosaur fossils and the visitor center as the flexible finish.
Turn Makoshika's conditions into water, pack, and sleep-system decisions.
Plan your trip
4 quick tools, already seeded for Makoshika State Park. Tune the numbers around temperature swings, footing, layers, and how much margin the route needs.
Start with the gear decisions this park changes: footing, weather, camping, and water.
Kit Authority
Makoshika State Park packing list
0 of 22 packed. Check items as you pack, then take this list to the store, trailhead, or campsite.
Pack planning
Use this as a constraint check while you are still shaping the trip. The active checklist becomes useful once your route, dates, and sleep plan are set.
Checklist mode
22 items, grouped for the trip you are actually taking.
The buying guides that match what Makoshika asks of your kit, with our current top picks across budget and use case.
Camp in the park's small campground for the badlands quiet and dark skies, or stay in Glendive a few minutes away for motels, food, and fuel. The campground is small, so on summer weekends or during the local dinosaur events, have a backup in town. There are no cabins or lodge here; it is a campground-or-town decision.
Camping reservations
Montana's largest state park has a modest campground of about 15 sites among the badlands, with a group shelter and an amphitheater. It is first come for some sites and reservable for others through Montana's system, and it can fill on summer weekends and event dates.
Reviewed June 8, 2026
Booking window
Montana state park campsites can be reserved up to three months in advance through montanastateparks.reserveamerica.com, with a one-day minimum. Verify which Makoshika sites are reservable versus first come before relying on a site.
Where to book or verify
Official Montana reservation portal for reservable state park campsites.
Park page with the campground, trails, scenic drive, fees, and visitor center.
Check for federal campground, backcountry, tour, and permit inventory tied to this park.
Campgrounds to know
Getting there
Arrival note
Makoshika sits just southeast of Glendive in far eastern Montana, a few minutes from Interstate 94 and the town's services.
Car strategy
Glendive is the practical base for fuel, food, and lodging, and a car is essential both to reach the park and to drive the scenic road up into the badlands.
Car strategy
After rain or snow, the clay roads can be too slick to drive safely.
Pair this with lodging: sleep where the park transfer is simple, especially if your route needs an early start.
It is Montana's largest state park, known for pine-studded badlands, dinosaur fossils including Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops, the Cap Rock natural bridge, a scenic drive, and dark night skies, all just outside Glendive in eastern Montana.
Yes, in a small campground of about 15 sites in the upper park, with some sites reservable through Montana's system and some first come. It can fill on summer weekends and during dinosaur events, so keep Glendive as a backup.
Day use is free for Montana-resident vehicles and $8 per non-resident vehicle. Camping fees run roughly $4 to $34 per night depending on the season and the site's amenities.
The lower road is improved, but the upper badlands road is largely unpaved clay that turns slick and can close after rain or snow. Check conditions before driving up, especially in spring, winter, or after a storm.