This area is abundant with fossilized dinosaur remains dating back as far as 65 million years. Paleontologists have had numerous finds, and even locals and tourists have turned up interesting fossils by chance. It is said that back when the dinosaurs roamed this area, the land was covered by large riverbeds and marshlands with a sandy floor. Throughout the years this turned into the sandstone formations seen in Makoshika State Park.
In 1990, a museum volunteer stumbled across the skull of a Triceratops that is now on display at the Makoshika State Park Visitor Center. In 1994, a student came across the fossilized remains of a duck-billed dinosaur just west of Hysham. In 1997, a volunteer at Makoshika State Park discovered a very rare species called the Thescelosaurus. This medium-sized dinosaur somewhat resembles a lizard and is displayed at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman.
These are a few examples of the exciting surrounding area that can be explored today. Much of this landscape has been valuable in helping give researchers a glimpse of what existed up to 65 million years ago. Now this area can be explored by you. Maybe you will stumble across something…
Dinosaur Remains in Montana
