Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [425]
Until 1991, the battlefield was known as the Custer Battlefield in honor of the soldiers who fought there. However, when activists protested that the battlefield recognized only one side of what occurred on its dusty soil, Congress changed the name. In late 2001, Congress approved $2.3 million for construction of a memorial at the national monument to the American Indian warriors who fought at Little Big Horn. Dedicated in June 2003, the memorial includes bronze tracings of three warriors—a Sioux, a Cheyenne, and an Arapaho—and what is described as a "spirit gate."
JUST THE FACTS
When to Go. The national monument is popular, and visitation is highest between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The best advice if you wish to avoid crowds is to avoid these months, or to arrive early in the morning or late in the day. This is also good advice because
summers in eastern Montana can get very hot, and there is no shade on the battlefield.
Getting There. If you are coming from the west, from Billings, Montana, take I-90 east 61 miles to the Little Bighorn Battlefield off-ramp at U.S. 212 (Exit 510). If you are coming from the south, from Sheridan, Wyoming, take I-90 north (approximately 70 miles) to the same off-ramp at U.S. 212. If you are coming from the east, from the Black Hills of South Dakota, you will already be on U.S. 212. The battlefield is 42 miles west of Lame Deer, Montana.
The Nearest Airport. Billings is home to the busiest airport in Montana, Logan International. For more information, see "The Nearest Airports," earlier in this chapter.
Information & Visitor Center. Contact the Superintendent, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, P.O. Box 39, Crow Agency, MT 59022-0039 (☎ 406/638-3204; www.nps.gov/libi).
At the visitor center just inside the park entrance, you'll see actual uniforms worn by Custer, read about his life, and view an eerie reenactment of the battles on a small-scale replica of the battlefield.
Park Hours & Fees. The park is open daily 8am to 9pm from Memorial Day to Labor Day; spring and fall hours are 8am to 6pm; winter hours are 8am to 4:30pm. The visitor center is open the same hours. The park is closed on January 1, Thanksgiving, and December 25. The admission fee is $10 per vehicle, $5 per person on foot.
Ranger Programs & a Guided Tour. Hourly interpretive talks help visitors understand the battle and its participants. Subjects vary during the day and include discussion of the culture and life of the Northern Plains tribes that engaged in the battle, army life in the 1870s, weapons and tactics, and the significance of the battle.
For a unique perspective, take a guided tour with Apsaalooke Tours (☎ 406/638-7272), concessionaire at Little Bighorn Battlefield. American Indian guides lead 1-hour tours (summer only, five times daily) to the battle sites, starting at the visitor center. The cost is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $2 for children.
EXPLORING THE MONUMENT
It's possible to view the site in less than a half-hour, but you'll shortchange yourself with that approach. Instead, plan to spend enough time to explore the visitor center, listen to interpretive historical talks presented by rangers, and then tour the site. You'll leave with a greater appreciation for the monument and greater understanding of the history that led up to the battle.
After stopping at the visitor center, drive 4½ miles south to the Reno-Benteen Monument Entrenchment Trail, at the end of the monument road, and double back. Interpretive