Things to Do at Pictograph Cave State Park

Pictograph Cave State Park sits quietly on the outskirts of Billings, protecting what might be Montana's most significant archaeological site. The three sandstone caves here - Pictograph, Middle, and Ghost caves - served as shelters for Native American peoples for over 4,500 years, and you can still see some of the rock art they left behind. It's the kind of place that makes you pause and think about all the people who stood in these same spots centuries before you. The park itself is surprisingly compact - you're not talking about a massive wilderness area here, but rather a focused site that tells a specific story. The main draw is obviously the pictographs in the largest cave, though time and weather have faded many of them. What remains gives you a genuine sense of connection to the past, and the short interpretive trail does a decent job of putting everything in context without being overly academic about it.

The park sits 7 miles southeast of downtown Billings. Take I-90 east to Exit 452 (Lockwood), then follow signs south on Coburn Road for about 6 miles-you'll spot the entrance on your left. Easier than expected. The final stretch runs on gravel road that gets dusty. The drive winds through typical Montana rangeland with the Yellowstone River valley visible north. Pleasant enough.