Makoshika State Park

Makoshika State Park ("ma-KO-sh(ih)kuh") is derived from the Lakota meaning "bad earth" or "land of bad spirits". Makoshika is one of the greatest probably little known places in Montana to go hiking, exploring, camping, blue bird watching, look for dinosaur bones, and much more. What does Montana's largest state park (11,531 sq acres) have to offer besides spectacular views, landscapes and rock formations? Amazing trails that wind through natural prehistoric landscapes offering up scenic vistas where you can see for miles, you may find dinosaur bones and maybe even an arrow head or two. (It is illegal to remove artifacts from the park, so please leave for others to find...but take all the pictures you want!) There is also RV camping on the lower portion and tent camping available on the upper portion. The best things to see can not be seen from your car window. Get out, walk the trails, explore and have fun! Oh, and bring water. Water is currently not easily accessible in the park. Check in at the visitor Center located at the entrance to the park. The rangers are knowledgeable and can give you information regarding trails and camping information. The gift shop is a great place to pick up a souvenir from your trip. All photographs are my own work unless stated otherwise. Please give credit if reposting.

Diane Gabriel Trail

Diane Gabriel Trail
 
The Diane Gabriel trailhead is located next to the restroom at the Diane Gabriel Campsite. According to the signs, the distance to the base of the steps leading up to the hadrosaur site is .7 or .5 depending on which route you chose. From that point going up the stairs, it is an additional .4 miles. Making the distance 1.1 or 2.2 round trip if taking the longer route. My pedometer says its not quite that far. This is a pretty easy hike with a few stairs, until you reach the staircase leading up to the hadrosaur site & park bench on top. The stairs are steep and treacherous when wet. If you can make it all the way to the top, I recommend checking out the hadrousaur site its pretty cool, and also take a short break on the parkbench before heading back down. The view from the top is amazing. You can see the campgrounds below, the shelter in the distance and even get a view of Glendive off in the distance. Watch out for the rather large sink hole forming on the stairs about 1/2 way up. The lower half of the trail is kid friendly, but if you are taking them up the second half, I recommend making them stay on the trail due to sharp drop-offs and sink holes. I use this trail as my workout trail because of the stairs. It's worth the hike!

Half way up the Diane Gabriel Trail

Diane Gabriel Trail. This area is very slick when wet.


Drainage pond to the left of the Diane Gabriel Trail.

Hadrosaur fossil site on the Diane Gabriel. Can you see it? (Answer is posted at bottom of page).

One of many caves in the Badlands of Makoshika. This one was tall enough to stand up in and spiraled around. Not very stable.
 
(Answer to the Hadrosaur fossil location: Lower left corner a darker brown color looks like a set of teeth. It's actually part of the vertebrae.

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