For the Western history buff – Depart Billings on I-94 east. Recommended stops: Pompeys Pillar, where Custer’s troops were surprised by non-treaty Indians in 1873; towns of Custer, Hysham, and Forsyth for fuel/food; and Hysham’s Yucca Theater. From I-94 exit 87, south to Colstrip, visit the Schoolhouse History and Art Center for exhibits and historical perspective on the town’s power production for states throughout the west.
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Pompeys Pillar Loop
For Lewis and Clark enthusiasts – Depart Billings on I-94 east to follow The Yellowstone River, much of which was an important leg on the Journey of Discovery of Captains Lewis and Clark. Recommended stops: Just 28 miles east of Billings on I-94 is Pompeys Pillar and its new interpretive center. The Pillar, signed by Capt. Clark in 1806, holds the only remaining physical evidence along the trail of Lewis and Clark’s Journey of Discovery. Pompeys Pillar is also a stop on Custer Country’s Southeast Montana Birding Trail.
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Bighorn Mtn Vista Loop
For stunning scenic landscapes – Depart Billings on I-90 east for an ever-changing panoramic view of the Bighorn and the Pryor Mountains. Recommended stops: Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, and The Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range, one of the few wild horse herds left in the United States; Hardin, offers lunch and unique shopping, and a stroll through the Big Horn County Historical Museum.
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Fossil Footsteps Loop
It’s all about dinosaurs – including 3 key locations on the Montana Dinosaur Trail, with a few added elements of local and national historical significance. Begin in Miles City, the “Cow Capitol of Montana,” and home to the World Famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale. Defining western hospitality, Miles City’s hotels, eateries, and unique shopping are a warm and welcome starting place for a dinosaur adventure.
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Custer's Last Loop
Relive the history of the Indian Wars - every mile of this tour contains a piece of the history of conflicts between soldiers and warriors, and much of the landscape is largely unchanged from those historic times of the mid-19th century. Depart Billings on I-94 east. Recommended stops: Fort Custer, Fort Keough, Miles City, Custer, Hysham, Forsyth, then south on Hwy 59 to Broadus and the Powder River Country, west onto Hwy 212 through the Northern Cheyenne and Crow Reservations.
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Best of The West Loop
Fun and unique – especially for motorcyclists and RVers. Depart Billings on US Hwy 87 north through the scenic beauty of the Bull Mountains. Recommended stops: Roundup, 53 miles north of Billings, stroll The River Walk on Custer Country’s Southeast Montana Birding Trail, to view wildlife and birds. Take U.S. Highway 12 southeast to Ingomar for an unforgettable meal at the Jersey Lilly Bar that includes “sheep herder’s hors d’oeuvres.” Consider an overnight at the Bunk and Biscuit, and visit the souvenir shop.
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Big Sky Back Country Byway
Tired of the fast pace of the Interstate System? In eastern Montana you can try the new Big Sky Byway travel route, which links the two major rivers in the state, the Yellowstone and the Missouri. This route follows a section of the historic Regina-Yellowstone (R-Y) Trail, which tourists from Canada used to reach Yellowstone National Park. The north-south orientation of the trail will give you a glimpse of dry land farming, rolling prairie grassland, scenic scoria buttes, and badlands terrain. The Byway has information kiosks located in Terry, Circle, and Wolf Point to inform you of local opportunities and history of the area.
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