Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument Park

Website: https://www.nps.gov/libi/index.htm

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in southeastern Montana commemorates the 1876 engagement commonly known as Custer’s Last Stand. The site preserves battlefield terrain, memorials and a national cemetery associated with the battle.

Interpretive trails and markers guide visitors across primary engagement areas, including a raised area known as Last Stand Hill, while a visitor center offers exhibits and an orientation film. The site includes a national cemetery where soldiers killed in the fighting are buried and marked locations that interpret troop positions and actions.

On June 25-26, 1876, the 7th U.S. Cavalry under Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer engaged a large force of Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho, resulting in a significant defeat for Custer’s command. Over subsequent decades the site was memorialized with monuments, burials and preservation efforts that formalized the battlefield as a protected historic area.

The monument lies along the Little Bighorn River in southeastern Montana, east of the Crow Agency and north of the modern town of Hardin; it is accessed by road from regional towns and highways.

• Battle date and combatants: The Battle of the Little Bighorn occurred on June 25-26, 1876, between the 7th Cavalry and a coalition of Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho forces.
• Site features: The site preserves battlefield topography and memorial markers; walking routes allow visitors to follow key engagement points across the field.

What to See#

• Last Stand Hill: Known as Last Stand Hill, the raised area marks the primary locus of the 1876 fighting and contains field markers and interpretive signage.
• Custer National Cemetery: Custer National Cemetery occupies a portion of the site and contains graves and memorials for soldiers who died in the 1876 battle.
• Visitor Center and Trails: A visitor center provides exhibits, a short orientation film and a bookstore; trails and interpretive panels lead across the battlefield.

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument is reached by road near Crow Agency/Hardin, Montana. From I‑90 (the Billings area) follow the exits toward Hardin and then US‑212 south/local routes toward Crow Agency; the monument is signed off US‑212 and is most easily visited by car. The site is rural and has parking at the visitor center; allow roughly an hour or more driving time from the Billings area depending on route and conditions.

• Start at the Little Bighorn visitor center to watch the orientation film and pick up the map, then drive the marked battlefield loop clockwise so you reach Last Stand Hill after the interpretive stops have provided context.
• Plan your visit for cooler morning hours and allow a couple of hours for the self-guided driving loop and short walks to monuments-cell service is spotty in the area, so download maps or bring a paper map from the visitor center.