Little Bighorn Battlefield

The site of the Battle of the Little Bighorn (25 June 1876), about 65 miles east of Billings via I-90, is one of the most historically significant and atmospherically powerful places in the American West. White marble headstones mark where soldiers fell across the rolling grassland; red granite markers show where Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors died.

The visitor centre has excellent exhibits on both sides of the battle, and guided tours add considerable depth to what you see in the landscape. The view from Last Stand Hill across the undulating grassland toward the Wolf Mountains is genuinely affecting. Budget two to three hours, including the drive. The National Park Service site is open year-round.

things to do sight
A story
On 25 June 1876, Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer led 210 men of the 7th Cavalry into a valley where over 2,000 Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors were camped. Within an hour, Custer and all his men were dead — the most complete defeat ever inflicted on the US Army by Native American forces. For years the site only commemorated the soldiers. In 2003, a granite memorial was finally erected to honour the Native warriors who defended their territory and way of life.