Captivating Visit to Montana's Little Big Horn National Park

How could you NOT want to visit a place like this? So many wide open spaces and endless blue skies in Montana. Quick...hop on a plane or jump in your car. You simply must visit at least once. 

Oh Montana! You were everything we dreamed you would be and so much more! This past June we embarked on a three-week road trip from Florida to "out west" to see the sights. The idea is that our three kids need, no MUST, see all fifty states. Who am I kidding? It is really my need and everyone else is along for the ride. It is not as if our 22, 17 and 10 year old have a burning desire to see places like North Dakota or Kansas. They would be perfectly happy to travel to far off places like Europe, Costa Rica and China. But...they already have been to those places. I am all for foreign travel and have a huge wish-list of places still to see, but I often feel that we forget how beautiful our own country is and how we tend to ignore it in favor of places like Paris and Rome. There is soooo much to see right here in our own backyard. Even if you have to drive for a week straight to get to that backyard. Newsflash...the USA really is HUGE.

One of the places we stopped along the way was Little Big Horn. It was at the top of my husband's list since he is the worlds biggest history buff. Honestly, I was not at all prepared for Little Big Horn. Initially, I just considered it a minor detour in our journey between North Dakota and our stop for the night in Bozeman, Montana. I put it on the itinerary (yes I do an itinerary for family trips- I am a travel advisor after all) and alotted a couple of hours for what I thought would be just another battlefield. Boy, was I wrong! We have been to so many battlefields over the years. We have visited Gettysburg so often that the kids actually notice when a new store or restaurant opens. Can you say...that is way too much? As we planned this summer's trip, my husband kept pointing to the map and saying we have to go there even if it is out of the way.

I am not sure what I was expecting. Another battlefield in the list of many. I did my homework. I figured out how to get us to Crow Agency, Montana where the park is located. The name alone intrigued me. And yes, you are entering the Crow Indian Reservation when you visit. Something about Indian reservations both fascinates me and saddens me at the same time, but that is a subject for a different kind of post. Suffice it to say that I am completely enthralled with Native American culture as a whole. Maybe that is why I felt Little Big Horn was so different. It was moving in a way no other battlefield has ever been to me. The grave markers above are what greet you when park and step out of your car. Immediately you feel a sense of reverence for the place. It really kind of hits you in the face.

Before you walk or drive around the park, it really is a good idea to start at the visitors center. My kids would tell you that it is ALWAYS a good idea to start at the visitors center in every national park. Two words... gift store. Our two oldest spent the entire trip collecting NP stickers for their computers along with multiple t-shirts. My youngest was on the hunt for the perfect stuffed animal from each state. Let's just say there are a lot of stuffed animals out there and she possesses far too many of them.  Beyond the gift store, Little Big Horn has a small museum highlighting the history of the park. There was also a park ranger doing a talk about the history of the battlefield at the pavilion attached to the museum while we were visiting.

I am not going to give you a huge history lesson here. That is what your visit to the park is for and I really do hope you consider making the trek. It is so worth it. For now, let's just say that many lost their lives during this bloody battle and the landscape of the park is a stark reminder of what war really looks like. Whether it was General Custer himself and the men of the 7th Cavalry, the brave Sioux and Cheyenne who were fighting to preserve their way of life or even their horses. One thing that makes this national park unique is the individual grave markers.

They are everywhere and the most haunting part is they mark the exact spot where the men (or horses) on both sides fell in battle.

Yep, they are buried right where they fell. Kind of puts things into perspective for you and really makes you "see" what happened here. As you drive through the grassy, windswept park, white markers pop up in random places all over the place almost like game pieces on a board. That is until you begin to fully grasp that these were real men and real lives lost.

We loved that both sides were really well represented here. The circular Native American memorial was so interesting.

The native artwork set against the bright blue Montana sky was captivating.

The history of the different tribes who inhabited the area and participated in the battle was equally captivating!

And while there was a really well-done memorial for the Native Americans who fought and died here, somehow this tribute seemed much more personal. Little, brightly colored pieces of fabric tied to the trees in the areas where only they were buried. I am guessing that when one of their ancestors or a member of their tribe comes to visit, this is what they leave behind in remembrance. It always amazes me how cultures cross. When we were in Boston after the Boston Marathon bombing, we saw the same type of tribute down an wrought iron fence where one of the bombs had gone off.

One thing is for sure. As you walk and drive throughout the park, you feel a very deep sense of reverence. And strangely, a deep sense of peace as well. Maybe it is the lush green rolling fields or the wind blowing across the grass or it may just be that the ghosts have settled and become a part of our history. Whatever it is, it is definitely worth a visit!

Interested in Big Sky Country? Give me a shout and I would be happy to help you plan a trip or answer your questions. I love seeing your comments too!

Happy Travels,