With frontage on the north shore of middle thompson lake, logan is heavily forested with western larch, douglas-fir, and ponderosa pine. this park nestles on 17 acres adjacent to 3,000 acres of recreation opportunities within the "thompson chain of lakes", connecting and containing upper, middle and lower thompson lakes. it's a comfortable spot for swimming, boating, camping, water-skiing, and fishing.

The overlooks at lone pine state park present a dramatic view of the flathead valley. on a clear day, you can see flathead lake, big mountain, the jewel basin and glacier national park. a walk through the visitor center will provide information on living with wildlife in the wildland-urban interface, along with a look at wildlife and forest ecology within the park. at the park's gift store you can find a variety of informative books on area wildlife, wildflowers and more.

Lost creek state park brochure indian education for all lesson plan these spectacular gray limestone cliffs and pink and white granite formations rise 1,200 feet above the canyon floor a short way outside anaconda. you will enjoy a short hiking trail to lost creek falls cascading over a 50-foot drop to provide one of the most popular spots in the park. if you prefer a longer hike, walk up the forest service trail just north of the falls parking area. the trail winds for several miles along lost creek through forests and meadows with great views of the surrounding mountains. wildlife, especially mountain goats and bighorn sheep, are frequently seen on the cliffs above the park. check out the current weather conditions in anaconda.

You'll find this day-use-only park just seven graveled miles off interstate 90 at the logan exit. take a picnic along and hike to the top of the jump for impressive views of the madison river valley. imagine how the area might have looked when prehistoric people "called" bison to jump to their death below the cliffs. interpretive displays help visitors understand the dramatic events that took place here for nearly 2,000 years. download the madison buffalo jump state park brochure educators, this indian education for all lesson plan contains social studies, media literacy, and technology content for 8th graders.

To the sioux indians, ma-ko-shi-ka meant bad earth or bad land. today, as montana's largest state park, the pine and juniper studded badland formations house the fossil remains of such dinosaurs as tyrannosaurus rex and triceratops. you'll find a visitor center at the park entrance with exhibits explaining the site's geologic, fossil, and prehistoric stories. roads and hiking trails let you explore the park's whimsical badlands landscape. or try out the campground and the park's folf (frisbee golf) course.

As the name implies, medicine rocks was a place of "big medicine" where indian hunting parties conjured up magical spirits. weathering has given the soft sandstone rock formations a swiss-cheese look providing a unique landscape filled with greater meaning and serenity. you'll enjoy photography, hiking, and wildlife viewing in this remote and primitive site. for more information on medicine rocks state park, read Rock of Ages, 2005 montana outdoors article. educators, this Indian Education For All Lesson Plan contains social studies and language arts content for 4th graders.

Camp where lewis and clark stayed in 1805! this park encompasses the confluence of the jefferson, madison and gallatin rivers. the lewis and clark expedition anticipated this important headwaters all the way up the missouri river in 1804 and 1805. an easy three-mile drive off interstate 90 at three forks, this park provides outdoor interpretive signs, picnic spots, short hiking trails, a small campground, and a rental tipi. the saturday night speaker series showcases top notch presenters for your learning enjoyment. for more information about missouri headwaters state park, read confluence of cultures, a 2004 montana outdoors article. download the missouri headwaters state park brochure. check out the current weather conditions in three forks. educators, this indian education for all lesson plan contains social studies, science, and technology content for 4th graders.

Located in the scenic bitterroot mountains, this 23-acre park offers boating and water sport opportunities on the reservoir. the remote pine-forest setting is a great get-away for a weekend of camping, fishing and relaxation

A new, sandstone-hued interpretive center rises at the foot of rimrocks where pictograph cave has drawn human beings for over 3,000 years. designed for high energy efficiency, the center features a classroom, restrooms, gift shop and indoor exhibits with replicas of artifacts - such as a wooden paint applicator and a bone turtle effigy - found during a works progress administration excavation. a short 5-mile drive from billings, the park is an ideal spot to enjoy a shady picnic, add to your birding life list, attend an interpretive program, or just take a stroll in the quiet outdoors. the pictograph, middle and ghost cave complex was home to generations of prehistoric hunters. with its abundant wildlife and vegetation, the fertile river valley provided an ideal campsite for travelers. these caves were the site of montana's first professional archaeological studies and excavations beginning in 1937. over 30,000 artifacts have been identified from the park. a short paved trail allows visitors to view the rock paintings, known as pictographs, that are still visible in pictograph cave, the largest of the three. interpretive signs tell the story of the archaelogical studies. park and visitor center hours: june through august, park open 8 am-8 pm, visitor center open 9 am-7 pm, 7 days a week. september, april and may, park open 10 am-6 pm, visitor center open 10 am- 5 pm, 7 days a week. october through march, park open 10 am-5 pm, visitor center open 10 am-4 pm, wednesday-sunday. for more information about archaeology and artwork images from the caves, visit www.pictographcave.org. teachers, here's an indian education for all lesson plan for 4th graders that includes art, language arts, and social studies content

Isolated and shaded by cottonwood trees, this yellowstone river island offers visitors an excellent spot to view wildlife and to hunt for moss agates. because this rich riparian area contains abundant water and plant life, it provides the perfect habitat for a variety of wildlife. the site is a haven for waterfowl, bald eagles, fox squirrels, and whitetail and mule deer. captain william clark and his men, sacagawea and baby pomp, are believed to have camped on pirogue island on their return trip east to st. louis on july 29, 1806. interpretive signs in the park discuss the lewis and clark corps of discovery and more history of this island. the island can be accessed by floating or, during low water, by foot through a small channel.

Located in the beautiful clearwater/swan river valley, this popular campground park is known for its smooth water for good fishing and water sports. use this site as a base for other recreational opportunities in the area, watch for wildlife, and check out the interpretive panels that give an account of the early-day logging practices attested to by the massive western larch stumps in the area.

This national historic landmark on the rolling prairie of eastern montana preserves the site of the june 17, 1876, battle between lakota (sioux) and cheyenne warriors and general george crook's soldiers supported by crow and shoshone indians. the army was there to enforce the u.s. government's recent reservation proclamation. the lakota and cheyenne were defending their families and way of life. both sides fought bravely. the battle was a draw, with each side claiming victory. eight days later, many of the same lakota and cheyenne met lt. colonel george armstrong custer at the battle of the little bighorn, about 25 miles to the northwest. the cheyenne call this spot kase'eetsevo' estaneveosehaesta'tanemo - where the girl saved her brother. of the many heroic acts that occurred during the battle, the story of buffalo calf trail woman saving her older brother, chief comes in sight, has been passed down through the generations. remote, quiet, and undeveloped, the 3,000-acre park includes prehistoric sites and the homestead ranch of the kobold family. take a picnic, your camera, and plenty of time to appreciate a slice of time and place. hear the Lakota perspective on the battle with aaron ten bears or take a virtual tour with this history buff. A Big Prelude to the Little Bighorn is a 2004 montana outdoors article about the park. this Indian Education For All Lesson Plan for 8th graders contains language arts, history, and social studies content. to understand the modern challenges at this site, review the management plan.

Immediately adjacent to montana 83, this park is an access point to one of the beautiful lakes in the clearwater river chain of lakes. plan to fish, picnic, launch your boat, water-ski, read, review interpretive signs, or let your children get the wiggles out after a long drive in this woodland setting of western larch, ponderosa pine and douglas-fir.

Remains of mines, a railroad, and historic cabins line belt creek as it winds through a beautiful canyon carved in limestone. this rugged area has seen its share of prospectors searching for precious metals, miners, muleskinners, smeltermen, and railroaders building bridges. the barker mines and the montana central railroad are just a part of the rich history of this park. long before the mines opened, the railroad was built and white settlers and ranchers came to what now comprises sluice boxes state park. several tribes of indians that still live in present-day montana occupied and managed the natural resources of the area. these tribes include the blackfeet, salish, pend d'oreille, kootenai, gros ventre, crow, assiniboine, chippewa-cree, and little shell band of chippewa. a primitive, unmaintained trail provides access to fishing, challenging floats, and wildlife viewing. steep cliffs, rugged terrain, and cold, swift water may pose risks to visitors.

The smith river is a unique 59-mile river corridor. permits are required to float the stretch of smith river between camp baker and eden bridge. noted for its spectacular scenery and renowned trout fishery, the smith river is unique in that it has only one public put-in and one public take-out for the entire 59-mile segment of river. boat camps located along the remote river canyon help preserve the unique quality of this area. visit the Smith River Floating web page for more information. the smith river between camp baker (launch site) and eden bridge (take-out site) is the only river corridor managed by montana fish, wildlife & parks as a permitted river. permits for private floats on the smith river are allocated to the public via a lottery system prior to the spring season. permit applications are typically available the first week of january each year, with the application deadline of mid-february. educators, this Indian Education For All Lesson Plan (pdf) contains united states history, technology, and library media content for 11th and 12th graders.

This urban, day-use-only park minutes from helena fed by natural springs, is a popular spot for family afternoons of swimming, sunbathing, scuba diving, fishing, birdwatching, and pure play. when you tire of the beach, walk the park's easy nature trail that circles the lake, home to a wide variety of birds and other wildlife. in winter, you can still stroll along the trail and, if it's cold enough, ice-skate on the lake. check out the current weather conditions in helena.

This shaded, quiet campground is located on the clark fork river near the town of thompson falls in the rugged and beautiful clark fork valley. this site provides excellent fishing and boating opportunities on the clark fork river or the noxon rapids reservoir. it is also a nice place to walk, bird watch, or just relax. kids can fish for trout in the fishpond, and a riverside trail provides ample river access. a small boat launch is provided, and a full-sized launch for larger boats is available ½ mile from the park.

The 12-mile long reservoir is situated among scenic red shale, juniper canyons, and the open prairies of southeastern montana. the park is loved by montana and wyoming anglers, campers, and boaters. water sports are popular here and the park boasts excellent fishing as four state record fish have been pulled from its waters.

Tower rock state park is one of montana's newest state parks. the 400-foot high igneous rock formation lies in a 140-acre site along the stretch of the missouri river near cascade, montana. the public can park their vehicle in the spacious parking lot, then learn about the geology and history of the site with interpretive panels located at the trail head. the trail to the base of the saddle is maintained for a quarter-mile.

ravelers' Rest State Park Brochure Located at an ancient crossroads of commerce and culture, Travelers' Rest embraces the cross-cultural history that has shaped the Bitterroot and Missoula valleys. This National Historic Landmark, located just 8 miles south of Missoula, is the only archeologically verified campsite of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the nation.

Folks in the know will tell you that the best sunsets on flathead lake can be viewed from wayfarers state park. to be sure, the rocky cliffs along the shoreline offer beautiful vistas of the lake at any time of day.

Glacially carved rock outcrops rise from flathead lake to overlooks with spectacular views of the lakeshore and the swan and mission mountains. considered the most quiet park on flathead lake, this site is distinguished by a mature fir, pine, and larch forest. the beach is rocky but you can still swim, boat, and camp here. campsites in b-loop have electric hookups.

Although it's right on the outskirts of whitefish, this small park provides a mature forest and a pleasant campground and beach. boating, swimming and fishing are popular activities and the lake is rarely windy so it provides ideal conditions for waterskiing. children love the trains that rumble along the park's edge.

The largest island in flathead lake preserves an endangered palouse prairie environment, an old growth ponderosa pine forest historic and cultural resources, and offers incredible wildlife viewing opportunities. boat access is required to reach this day-use-only 2,160-acre island.

Yellow bay is in the heart of the famous montana sweet cherry orchards, where blossoms color the hillsides during the spring. the park includes yellow bay creek, four walk-in tent camping spots and a wide, sandy beach for swimming, sunbathing, scuba diving, boating, fishing, and bird watching.