This Montana State Park Is a Year-round Destination—But Here’s Why Winter Is Especially Magical

Anyone tasked with describing Montana often focuses on the sheer vastness of the state, from its expansive skies to its rugged landscapes. And while most travelers center their trips on classic destinations such as Big Sky or Yellowstone National Park, very few venture eastward into the Great Plains.

Tucked in this wide-open sprawl is Medicine Rocks State Park, a 330-acre parcel of land that usually slips right under most travelers’ radars. Here, the landscape is dominated by the Great Plains Badlands, and the atmosphere is quiet, peaceful, and remote. As Teddy Roosevelt wrote in his 1885 book “Hunting Trips of a Ranchman” after visiting the area, it is “as fantastically beautiful a place as I have ever seen.”

Located between the city of Baker and the small town of Ekalaka, Medicine Rocks State Park is about a 3.5-hour drive from the nearest major airport, Billings-Logan International Airport (BIL). It’s relatively difficult to reach, yet in 2024, Medicine Rocks welcomed more than 21,000 visitors. For comparison, around 3.2 million people visited Glacier National Park during the same year. But the lack of visitors is part of the state park’s charm.

People come to Medicine Rocks State Park to get away from it all and to camp beneath its unique, Swiss cheese-like sandstone pillar rock formations. It was also designated as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary in 2020, and many visit the park to admire some of the clearest views of the night sky in the country. For those interested in seeing wildlife, the park is a haven for mule deer, antelope, and grouse, among other creatures.

For an even greater sense of solitude, plan a trip here during the winter, which is considered to be the park’s off-season. Not only can you camp year-round, but as General Manager Garrett Jericoff noted, when you visit in the winter, you’ll have it mostly to yourself—that’s a lot of land, stars, and wildlife to enjoy in peace.

Travelers who make the journey east to the Great Plains of Montana can stay at one of Medicine Rocks State Park’s eight campsites, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Dogs are allowed at Medicine Rocks (as long as they are on a leash that’s no longer than eight feet in length) and drinking water is available year-round. 

Campsite fees at Medicine Rocks range from $4 to $34 per night but tend to be on the lower end during the winter and spring months. Similarly, the park’s day-use entry fee is $8 for out-of-state visitors and free for Montana residents, whose annual vehicle registration covers the $9 state parks fee.