Most People Don't Know Montana Has A Dinosaur Trail And It's A Marvel You Need To See
By Jessica Wick|Published October 25, 2016
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Jessica Wick
Author
Jessica Wick is a writer and travel enthusiast who loves exploring new places, meeting new people and, of course, beautiful Big Sky Country and every part of Washington State.
Along with being the most physically beautiful place on Earth, Montana happens to have a lot of fascinating history that dates back to prehistoric times. If you’ve lived in the Treasure State your entire life, you’re probably familiar with the Dinosaur Trail… and for those that aren’t, you should experience it for yourself as soon as possible.
The Montana Dinosaur Trail is a series of 14 museums, state parks, and other dinosaur-themed attractions in 12 different communities. The trail was established to increase tourism and expand people’s dinosaur knowledge. Over 300,000 people visit some or all of the sites each year.
Here’s a list of all 14 Dinosaur Trail stops to help you plan your trip:
1. The Upper Musselshell Museum, 11 South Central Ave., Harlowton
Open from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend, the old Trail Museum has a life-size Maiasaura, the Montana state fossil as well as dinosaur footprints, eggs and nests.
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4. Montana Dinosaur Center, 120 2nd Ave South, Bynum
The Montana Dinosaur Center operates under the philosophy that the best way to learn about something is to experience it. The encourage public participation in their scientific research by offering group dig programs for school groups and the general public.
The Rudyard area has provided dinosaur specimens for the Museum of the Rockies for years. You’ll find a lifelike duckbill dinosaur and egg nest here along with items from Montana’s early homesteading days.
6. H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum, 1753 US-2, Havre
You’ll find all kinds of rare fossils here: Fish, invertebrates, plants, and of course, dinosaur species. The museum offers summer field digs for anyone who’s interested.
Phillips County has a rich historical heritage…. But before cowboys, pioneers and Native Americans, there were the dinosaurs. You’ll see artifacts from every part of our history here.
This museum has a full-sized Triceratops on display that was discovered a few miles north of Jordan. There are other fossils here as well including an enormous T-Rex head.
11. Fort Peck Interpretive Center, Yellowstone Road
This part of Montana has been a mecca for fossil discovery. Visitors entering the main lobby of the Fort Peck Interpretive Center are greeted by a life-sized model of Peck's Rex, the Tyrannosaurus Rex discovered 20 miles southeast of Fort Peck in 1997.
12. Frontier Gateway Museum, 201 State St., Glendive
You'll find artifacts from prehistoric times all the way up to the 20th century in the seven buildings that house this museum. They're open from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekend every year.
You can walk a real dinosaur trail here. Montana's largest state park holds the fossil remains of Tyrannosaurus Rex and Triceratops, among other dinos.
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14. Carter County Museum, 306 Main St. North, Ekalaka
