Field trips are a great way to reboot a bad homeschooling week, get out of the house when everyone has cabin fever, and learn about your local area. Before heading out, check out Jeanne's tips for improving homeschool field trips.
Our listing of Montana field trips for homeschoolers is ordered alphabetically by city. If you would like to submit a Montana field trip destination, you may do so using the red button above.
Anaconda Smoke Stack State ParkAnaconda
The old Anaconda Copper Company smelter stack, completed in 1919, is one of the tallest free-standing brick structures in the world at 585 feet. The inside diameter is 75 feet at bottom, tapering to 60 feet at the top. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the stack may be viewed and photographed only from a distance. Interpretive signs that detail its history are located in the viewing site near Goodman Park.
Sluice Boxes State ParkBelt
The park' history includes the Barker mines and the Montana Central Railroad. Remains of mines, a railroad, and historic cabins line Belt Creek as it winds through a beautiful canyon carved in limestone.
Pictograph Cave State ParkBillings
Pictograph Cave State Park is a National Historic Landmark. The area was home to generations of prehistoric hunters. The hunters camped in Pictograph Cave and left behind artifacts and over 100 pictographs. The oldest rock art in the cave is over 2,000 years old. The park offers exhibits in archaeology, educational displays, hiking, picnicking, and wildlife viewing.
Rosebud BattlefieldBusby
This 3,000-acre Eastern Montana rolling prairie park preserves the site of the June 17, 1876, battle between the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians and General Crook's soldiers supported by the Crow and Shoshone Indians. The park includes prehistoric sites and the homestead ranch of the Kobold family.
Tower Rock State ParkCascade
Tower Rock was a landmark for native tribes, the Corps of Discovery, fur trappers, traders, and many more who followed in their footsteps. The 400-foot high igneous rock formation lies in a 140-acre site along the stretch of the Missouri River. Visitors can learn about the geology and history of the site with five interpretive panels located at the trail head.
Little Bighorn Battlefield National MonumentCrow Agency
This area memorializes one of the last armed efforts of the Northern Plains Indians to preserve their way of life. Here in 1876, 263 soldiers and attached personnel of the U.S. Army, including Lt. Col. George A. Custer, met death at the hands of several thousand Lakota and Cheyenne warriors. The website offers historical information about the park for those who cannot visit in person.
Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic SiteDeer Lodge
Wide open spaces, the hard-working cowboy, his spirited cow pony, and vast herds of cattle are among the strongest symbols of the American West. Once the headquarters of a 10-million-acre cattle empire, Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site is a working cattle ranch that preserves these symbols and commemorates the role of cattlemen in American history.
Beaverhead Rock State ParkDillon
Sacagawea recognized this huge landmark, resembling the head of a swimming beaver, while traveling with the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805. Site can be viewed and photographed from a distance but is not directly accessible. The site is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Bannack State ParkDillon
Bannack State Park is a registered historic landmark and the site of Montana's first major gold discovery on July 28, 1862. This strike set off a massive gold rush that swelled Bannack's population to over 3,000 by 1863. As the value of gold steadily dwindled, Bannack's bustling population was slowly snuffed out. There are over 50 buildings that line Main Street with their historic log and frame structures that recall Montana's formative years.
Medicine Rocks State ParkEkalaka
Weathering has given the soft sandstone rock formations a Swiss cheese look, providing a fascinating landscape filled with meaning and serenity. Visitors can witness thousands of inscriptions on the sandstone pillars dating back centuries. Medicine Rocks State Park is Montana's first International Dark Sky Sanctuary.
Elkhorn State ParkElkhorn
"Backcountry roads settle you into a 19th century mining landscape before you reach historic Fraternity Hall and Gilliam Hall nestled within the privately owned town of Elkhorn. Bring your camera to record these two picturesque structures from the early-day silver-mining ghost town, preserved as outstanding examples of frontier architecture. Each has been recorded in the Historic American Buildings Survey. Fraternity and Gilliam Halls are the only two buildings owned by MT FWP. These are open for the public to enter, but please be sure to close the doors when you leave. The rest of Elkhorn is privately owned. Interpretive signs are present along the streets, which visitors are welcome to walk around and view. Please respect all private property and DO NOT TRESPASS!"
Makoshika State ParkGlendive
To the Sioux Indians, Ma-ko-shi-ka meant bad earth or bad land. Today, as Montana's largest state park, the pine and juniper studded badland formations house the fossil remains of such dinosaurs as tyrannosaurus rex and triceratops. You'll find a visitor center at the park entrance with exhibits explaining the site's geologic, fossil, and prehistoric stories. The park offers educational displays on archaeology, back-country camping, bird watching, bow hunting, camping, deer hunting, hiking, mountain biking, a museum, paleontology exhibits, picnicking, RV Camping, and wildlife viewing.
Lewis and Clark Interpretive CenterGreat Falls
The 25,000-square-foot Interpretive Center includes a permanent exhibit hall, a 158-seat theater, an education room for hands-on curriculum-based activities, and a retail store.
Greycliff Prairie Dog Town State ParkGreycliff
Greycliff is home to the playful, curious black-tailed prairie dog. Interpretive signs provide information on the important role of these entertaining animals in the prairie ecosystem. The park offers educational displays, picnicking, and wildlife viewing.
Montana Historical SocietyHelena
Montana's memory starts here! Established in 1865, the Montana Historical Society is one of the oldest institutions of its kind west of the Mississippi River. Learn more about Montana's Museum, the Montana Historical Society Press, Montana The Magazine of Western History, the Montana State Historic Preservation Office, and the MHS Research Center.
Nez Perce National Historical ParkLapwai
Since time immemorial, the Nimiipuu or Nez Perce have lived among the rivers, canyons and prairies of the inland northwest. Despite the cataclysmic change of the past two centuries, the Nez Perce are still here. Join us in exploring the park's thirty-eight sites and experiencing the story of a people who are still part of this landscape.
Travelers' Rest State ParkLolo
Travelers' Rest State Park (TRSP) marks the location of a centuries-old Native American gathering ground lying at a hub of ancient travel and trade routes. Lewis and Clark's 33-member party camped here in September of 1805 and again in late June 1806 while following one of these ancient routes on their 4,000-mile journey from St Louis to the mouth of the Columbia River and back. Meriweather Lewis called the nearby creek "Travellers Rest." In the summer of 2002, archeologists found evidence of the party's latrine and central fire here, positioning the Park as one of the few sites in the nation with physical confirmation of the group's visit—a truly unique designation. "Travelers’ Rest field trips offer fun, informal learning for students of all ages. To ensure great experiences for both children and adults on these field trips, we recommend a maximum of 20 students per station, though we can accommodate groups of 28 students when an additional chaperone accompanies them. (Classrooms may be split into two groups.) Note that certain field trip topics have a maximum capacity of 20 students to maintain student safety, assure program quality, and manage time. Thanks to the generosity of the members and donors of Travelers’ Rest Connection, all field trips are offered free of charge." Field trip topics include Lewis & Clark, Native American cultural history, and natural history. See the website for details.
Council Grove State ParkMissoula
In 1855, on this site, Issac Stevens negotiated the Hellgate Treaty between the U. S. government and the Salish, Kootenai, and Pend d'Orielle Indians to create the Flathead Reservation. The park offers bird watching, historical displays and exhibits, fishing, hiking, picnicking, and wildlife viewing.
Yellowstone National ParkMulti-state
Established in 1872, Yellowstone National Park is America's first national park. Located in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, it is home to a large variety of wildlife, including grizzly bears, wolves, bison, and elk. Preserved within Yellowstone National Park are Old Faithful and a collection of the world's most extraordinary geysers and hot springs, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
Lewis & Clark National Historic TrailMulti-state
The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail winds nearly 4,900 miles through the homelands of more than 60 Tribal nations. It follows the historic outbound and inbound routes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803-1806 from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the Pacific Ocean.
Nez Perce National Historic TrailMulti-state
The Nez Perce (Nimiipuu or Nee-Me-Poo) National Historic Trail stretches from Wallowa Lake, Oregon, to the Bear Paw Battlefield near Chinook, Montana. It was added to the National Trails System by Congress as a National Historic Trail in 1986. The 1877 flight of the Nez Perce from their homelands while pursued by U.S. Army Generals Howard, Sturgis, and Miles, is one of the most fascinating and sorrowful events in Western U.S. history. Chief Joseph, Chief Looking Glass, Chief White Bird, Chief Ollokot, Chief Lean Elk, and others led nearly 750 Nez Perce men, women, and children and twice that many horses over 1,170 miles through the mountains, on a trip that lasted from June to October of 1877.
Granite Ghost Town State ParkPhillipsburg
The remnants of this once thriving 1890's silver boomtown bear stark witness to Montana's boom-and-bust mining history. The park preserves the Granite Mine Superintendent's House and ruins of the old miners' union hall which have been included in the Historic American Buildings Survey.
Chief Plenty Coups State ParkPryor
Situated within the Crow Reservation, this park was the home of Plenty Coups, last chief of the Crow. This day-use park preserves the log home, sacred spring, and farmstead of Chief Plenty Coups. Plan at least an hour to walk the grounds and browse through the small visitor center that traces the story of Chief Plenty Coups' life, and of the chief's efforts to lead his people in adopting the lifestyle of the white man.
MonDak Heritage CenterSidney
The MonDak Heritage Center is the MonDak region's premier museum and art gallery, with the largest available exhibit space of any such combined facility in the region. Their mission is to preserve the region's cultural heritage and support its artistic development through traditional museum exhibits and art shows, as well as through special programming.
Fort Owen State ParkStevensville
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Fort Owen's adobe and log remains preserve the site of the first permanent white settlement in Montana. Major John Owen established the fort as a regional trade center in 1850 and period furnishings and artifacts are displayed in the restored rooms of the east barracks.
Madison Buffalo Jump State ParkThree Forks
Prehistoric people "called" bison to jump to their death below the cliffs on the site this park now occupies. Interpretive displays help visitors understand the dramatic events that took place here for nearly 2,000 years. The park offers bird watching, interpretive exhibits, hiking, picnicking, and wildlife viewing.
First Peoples Buffalo Jump State ParkUlm
A visitor center and interpretive trails tell the story of this prehistoric bison kill site, one of the largest in the United States. For over six hundred years, Indians stampeded buffalo over the mile-long cliff. Now, the top of the jump gives you panoramic views of the Rocky Mountain Front, the Missouri River valley, and the buttes and grasslands that characterized this High Plains setting. The park offers bird watching, bow hunting, educational exhibits, hiking, horseback riding, a Museum, picnicking, upland bird hunting, and wildlife viewing.
Glacier National ParkWest Glacier
Come and experience Glacier's pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains, and spectacular lakes. With over 700 miles of trails, Glacier is a hiker's paradise for adventurous visitors seeking wilderness and solitude. Relive the days of old through historic chalets, lodges, transportation, and stories of Native Americans.
Lewis & Clark Caverns State ParkWhitehall
Montana's first and best-known state park showcases one of the most highly decorated limestone caverns in the Northwest. Naturally air-conditioned, these spectacular caves, lined with stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and helictites, date back through time. See the geologic development, the history of early exploration, and gain insight into the delicate ecology of this world without light. Plan to spend a minimum of two hours to hike two miles on a guided tour through the caverns.
Big Hole National BattlefieldWisdom
On August 9, 1877, gunshots shattered a chilly dawn on a sleeping camp of nımí·pu· (Nez Perce). By the time the smoke cleared on August 10, almost 90 nımí·pu· were dead, along with 31 soldiers and volunteers. Big Hole National Battlefield was created to honor all who were there.
