Trip Planner: USA / Montana / Billings / Pictograph Cave State Park

Pictograph Cave State Park, Billings

3.6

#2 of 9 in Parks in Billings

Pictograph Cave is a 23acre area of three caves (Pictograph, Middle, and Ghost caves) located 5mi south of Billings, Montana, United States.Excavation of the three caves began in 1937, and they were the site of some of Montana's first professional archeological studies. Over 30,000 artifacts have been identified, with at least 20,000 animal remains recovered from the site. Species range from large mammalian species, including bison (Bos bison) and elk (Cervus elaphus), to various species of herpetiles (reptiles and amphibians) and avies (birds). The presence of these remains result from human predation, processing and consumption as well as non-human (carnivores and raptors) predation and individual species who lived and died in and around the site.Paintings known as pictographs are still visible in Pictograph Cave, which is the largest of the three caves. The pictographs are thought to be between 200 and 2,100 years old. However their interpretations are still debated over. The oldest pictograph is that of a turtle, radio-carbon dated to be approximately 2,100 years old. These pictographs are paintings of animals, warriors, and even rifles that document the story of the Native Americans of the area for thousands of years.The site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964.

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Pictograph Cave State Park Reviews

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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

311 reviews

Google

4.2

By sixty7gt500 On December 21, 2017

If you are a big fan of local history, this is cool as you can get right up to the art. It's nothing special though, and fairly boring in my mind. Easy to access. more »
By Boilrmkr On December 20, 2017

We went late on a Saturday and there were very few people. Climb the trail. See the paintings in one cave and take in the information panels. Walk the trail over to the next cave and more handiwork of... more »
By Alice i On December 15, 2017

You should definitely see! It may not be a huge hike, however it has a lot of history and it's very interesting. more »

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By Jean T On November 24, 2017

Very nice little park. The walk is a bit steep but easy and short, less than a mile. The walk to ghost cave has a few steps, which could be navigated with a stroller if adventurous. We just parked it and walked. I don't think a wheelchair could do it, at least not easily. Half the walk is paved, half is gravel. The visitor center is small, cute, and sells a few things, but no binoculars. I'd suggest bringing your own. There are a few picnic tables, so you can bring food and eat. This is not a large park, but it's worth the trip, especially if you are in the area. Non residents pay $6 per car.

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By b. bright On December 30, 2017

A great opportunity to explore hallowed Native American tribal grounds and glimpse into history

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By Samuel Garcia On December 27, 2017

This was well worth the stop we made while traveling from California to Georgia.

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By Paige Conrad On June 19, 2017

Definitely pack some water and good hiking shoes. The walk up is quite steep but quick. Great views. Doesn't take very long to walk through the whole thing. The drawings on the caves are pretty faded so don't get your hopes up for seeing a ton of images, but still a nice little trip.

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By James On November 20, 2017

Very cool and free for Montana residents. Some great history.

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