2 Best Sights in Billings, Little Big Horn, and the Montana Plains, Montana

Named after the Lakota word for "bad land," Makoshika State Park encompasses more than 11,000 acres of Montana's badlands, distinct rock formations also found in Wyoming and the Dakotas. The bare rock walls and mesas of the park create an eerie moonscape that is only occasionally broken by a crooked pine or juniper tree warped by the hard rock and lack of water. Practically a desert, the badlands are excellent fossil grounds, and the remains of tyrannosaurs and triceratops have been found here.

The Observation tower, adjacent to the refuge headquarters, provides a good overview of the lakes in the refuge and the surrounding terrain. From above the trees and tall reeds you can see the distinct lakes and ponds, as well as the sand hills around the borders. Birders often congregate in the Grouse Observation Blind, 2¼ miles east of the refuge headquarters, to take a good look at the resident bird species. The covered area is also good for watching other wildlife.