Last updated: November 2026
Part of our Montana towns guide. Starting in Bozeman? See the Bozeman town guide.
Disclosure: We may earn a commission if you use some links on this page, at no extra cost to you. See the note at the bottom about how this guide was made.
The Montana Dinosaur Trail is a statewide route of 15 museums and sites, from the Montana Dinosaur Center in Bynum to the Carter County Museum in Ekalaka (Montana Dinosaur Trail). The trail’s passport page says the 15 facilities are in 13 Montana communities (Prehistoric Passport). Each location offers exhibits, programs, public field digs, or a mix, and the trail’s site marks which with icons (Montana Dinosaur Trail).
This guide lists every stop with its address, phone number, what the trail’s own page says you will see, and the hours each museum posted when we checked on November 2, 2026. Most stops are small, run by counties, volunteers or nonprofits, and many keep seasonal hours, so call before you drive to a stop, especially from late fall through spring. We are not quoting admission prices because they change.
A count note: The trail’s site and passport say 15 stops. Some stops’ own websites say 14 (“one of 14 stops”), and Visit Montana’s Carter County listing says 15. We follow the trail’s own count of 15.
The 15 stops at a glance
Listed roughly west to east, following the order of the trail’s own “where to next” pages.
| # | Stop | Town | Address | Phone | Trail page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Montana Dinosaur Center | Bynum | 120 2nd Ave S | (406) 469-2211 | page |
| 2 | Old Trail Museum | Choteau | 823 Main Ave N | (406) 466-5332 | page |
| 3 | Upper Musselshell Museum | Harlowton | 36 S Central Ave (see note) | (406) 632-5519 | page |
| 4 | Museum of the Rockies | Bozeman | 600 W Kagy Blvd | (406) 994-2251 | page |
| 5 | Musselshell Valley Historical Museum | Roundup | 524 1st St W | (406) 323-1525 | page |
| 6 | Depot Museum | Rudyard | 25 4th Ave NW | (406) 355-4356 | page |
| 7 | H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum | Havre | 2 Fifth Ave | (406) 265-4000 | page |
| 8 | Blaine County Museum | Chinook | 501 Indiana St | (406) 357-2590 | page |
| 9 | Phillips County Museum | Malta | 431 US Hwy 2 E | (406) 654-1037 | page |
| 10 | Great Plains Dinosaur Museum and Field Station | Malta | 405 US Hwy 2 E (see note) | (406) 654-5300 | page |
| 11 | Fort Peck Interpretive Center | Fort Peck | Lower Yellowstone Rd | (406) 526-3493 | page |
| 12 | Garfield County Museum | Jordan | 952 Jordan Ave (see note) | (406) 557-2544 | page |
| 13 | Frontier Gateway Museum | Glendive | 201 State St | (406) 377-8168 | page |
| 14 | Makoshika State Park | Glendive | 1301 Snyder Ave | (406) 377-6256 | page |
| 15 | Carter County Museum | Ekalaka | 306 N Main St | (406) 775-6886 | page |
Address and phone notes: Addresses and phone numbers are from each stop’s page on the trail’s site. A few other sources differ. Visit Montana lists the Upper Musselshell Museum at 11 S Central Ave and says it has two locations on South Central Avenue; the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum’s own site lists 405 North 1st St East in Malta; Visit Montana lists the Garfield County Museum at 942 Jordan Ave; and Visit Montana gives (406) 323-1662 for the Roundup museum. Use a map and call to confirm.
What each stop is known for, and hours as posted
Everything in the “known for” column is the trail’s own description of that stop. The hours column is what each museum or agency posted when we looked on November 2, 2026. “Not found” means we could not reach a posted schedule, so call.
| Stop | Known for (per the trail’s page) | Hours and season as posted Nov 2, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Montana Dinosaur Center, Bynum | Local discoveries, including what the page calls the first baby dinosaurs found in North America; public dig programs in summer, advance registration required | Winter (Oct 1–Apr 30): by appointment only. Spring and fall: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Wednesday–Sunday. Summer (Friday of Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day): 9 a.m.–6 p.m. daily except July 4th. Digs run June–August (Montana Dinosaur Center) |
| Old Trail Museum, Choteau | Maiasaura and Einiosaurus skulls, nestling, hatchling and adult Maiasaura skeletons, and a real fossil “touch” bone | Seasonal. The museum’s 2026 notice: open May 23–Labor Day (Sept 7), Fri–Tue 9–5, Thu 12–4, closed Wednesdays. No 2027 dates posted (Old Trail Museum) |
| Upper Musselshell Museum, Harlowton | “Ava,” the Avaceratops lammersi discovered near Shawmut and described as the first of its kind found | Site says May–September, Tue–Sat 10 a.m.–noon and 1–5 p.m., and shows an off-season notice that still reads “We reopen May 1st, 2026,” so the notice looks out of date. Call (Upper Musselshell Museum) |
| Museum of the Rockies, Bozeman | A Smithsonian Affiliate; growth series of Triceratops and T. rex, the “Big Al” Allosaurus, and, per the trail’s page, the most T. rex specimens anywhere in the world | Open daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Closed or short days: Nov 25, 2026 (9–1), Nov 26 (closed), Dec 24 (9–1), Dec 25 (closed), Dec 31 (9–1), Jan 1, 2027 (closed), and Jan 25–27, 2027 (closed). Tickets sold on site only (Museum of the Rockies) |
| Musselshell Valley Historical Museum, Roundup | “Dino Depot” display of Late Cretaceous fossils from the Ingomar Oasis site, including a tyrannosaur skull replica (“Sir William”) and a triceratops (“Aimee”) | The trail says “seasonal hours.” Hours not found. Call |
| Depot Museum, Rudyard | The Rudyard Dinosaur Hall, with an articulated Gryposaurus (“Oldest Sorehead”) and a Maiasaura egg nest display | Hours not found; the museum’s site lists community events but no schedule. Call |
| H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum, Havre | 75-million-year-old dinosaur eggs and embryos, a Stygimoloch skull cast; the Wahkpa Chu’gn buffalo jump is next door | Hours not found. Call. See our Havre guide |
| Blaine County Museum, Chinook | Judith River Formation fossils, marine reptile exhibits and a hands-on fossil display; also an exhibit on the Bear Paw Battlefield | Winter and spring 2026–27: Mon–Fri 9–5. Summer 2027 (June 5–Oct 2): Mon–Sat 9–5. Closed state holidays. Free or by donation (Blaine County Museum) |
| Phillips County Museum, Malta | “Elvis,” a 33-foot Brachylophosaurus, plus an Albertosaurus, an Apatosaurus femur and a marine display | Site says Mon–Sat 10 a.m.–5 p.m., April through December. It does not say whether the museum opens January–March, so call (Phillips County Museum) |
| Great Plains Dinosaur Museum and Field Station, Malta | “Leonardo,” a mummified Brachylophosaurus canadensis; field digs and education programs in summer | September 2026: Tue–Sat 1–5. October–April: by appointment only, call (406) 654-5300 (minimum tour size 5 adults per the museum) (Great Plains Dinosaur Museum) |
| Fort Peck Interpretive Center, Fort Peck | “Peck’s Rex,” one of the most complete T. rex skeletons found, plus a Cretaceous sea display | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: May 22–October 31, 2026, Fri–Mon 9–4, so the 2026 season has ended. 2027 dates not posted (USFWS, Charles M. Russell NWR) |
| Garfield County Museum, Jordan | A full T. rex skull and a Triceratops cast; the page notes the first T. rex identified was found near Jordan in 1902 | Hours not found. Call. Visit Montana says it is free, with donations welcome |
| Frontier Gateway Museum, Glendive | A full-size cast of “Margie,” a Struthiomimus found near Glendive; fossils from the Hell Creek Formation | Hours not found (the museum’s website did not load for us). Call. Visit Montana says there are no admission fees |
| Makoshika State Park, Glendive | Montana’s largest state park; Hell Creek Formation badlands; over ten dinosaur species discovered; visitor center with a Triceratops skull | Park open daily 7 a.m.–10 p.m. Visitor center: May 1–Sept 30 daily 9–5; Oct 1–Apr 30 Wed–Sun 10–4; closed federal and state holidays except Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day. Day-use entrance fees apply to most visitors; see FWP for current rules (Montana FWP) |
| Carter County Museum, Ekalaka | Montana’s first county museum and the first to display dinosaurs found in the state; a mounted Edmontosaurus annectens and a Triceratops skull | Apr 1–Oct 31: Mon–Sat 9–5, Sun 1–5. Nov 1–Mar 31: Mon–Fri 9–5, Sat–Sun 1–5. Closed federal holidays. Admission free (Carter County Museum) |
What that means in early November 2026. Based on those postings, the stops with regular posted hours this week are the Museum of the Rockies, the Blaine County Museum, the Phillips County Museum, the Carter County Museum, and Makoshika State Park’s grounds (its visitor center is open Wednesday–Sunday). The Montana Dinosaur Center and the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum say they are by appointment only. The Fort Peck Interpretive Center’s 2026 season ended October 31, and the Old Trail Museum’s posted 2026 season ended September 7. For the rest (Upper Musselshell, Roundup, Rudyard, Havre, Jordan, Glendive), we could not confirm winter hours. For general winter driving, see our Montana in December and Montana in January guides.
Public digs
Three stops offer public field digs in summer: the Montana Dinosaur Center, the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum and the Carter County Museum, according to the trail’s page for the Bynum stop. Advance registration is required at the Montana Dinosaur Center, which says its digs run June through August. Contact each museum directly; the trail asks dig participants to follow the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology’s Code of Ethics (Montana Dinosaur Trail; Montana Dinosaur Center). Makoshika State Park does not allow digging, collecting or removing fossils or artifacts, and it asks visitors not to bring metal detectors (Montana FWP).
The Prehistoric Passport
The trail’s Prehistoric Passport is a booklet with fossil facts, a field-notes section and a space for each stop’s “Dino Icon” stamp. The passport page says that once you collect all 15 stamps you receive a gold seal and an exclusive passport T-shirt, and that passport owners have five years from the purchase date to finish. It is sold at each trail facility and can be ordered online through the passport page; check that page for the current price. Questions go to the trail’s passport office at (406) 449-8644 (Prehistoric Passport).
Planning the drive
The trail runs across the state, not in a loop, and the legs between stops are long. The trail’s own pages give these drive distances to the nearest stops. The last column is our own routing check, which mostly agrees.
| Leg | Trail’s posted distance and time | Our routing check |
|---|---|---|
| Bynum to Choteau | 13–14 mi, 20 min | ~13 mi, 17 min |
| Choteau to Harlowton | 182 mi, 3 hr | ~182 mi, 3 hr 25 min |
| Harlowton to Bozeman | 105 mi, 2 hr | ~105 mi, 2 hr 15 min |
| Harlowton to Roundup | 69 mi, 1 hr | ~70 mi, 1 hr 30 min |
| Roundup to Jordan | 121 mi, 2 hr | ~121 mi, 2 hr 35 min |
| Jordan to Fort Peck | 94 mi, 1 hr 45 min | ~94 mi, 2 hr 20 min |
| Fort Peck to Malta | 89 mi, 1 hr 30 min | ~90 mi, 1 hr 55 min |
| Malta to Chinook | 67–69 mi, 1 hr | ~67 mi, 1 hr 20 min |
| Chinook to Havre | 22 mi, 30 min | ~22 mi, 26 min |
| Havre to Rudyard | 40–41 mi, 45 min | ~41 mi, 48 min |
| Rudyard to Bynum | 134 mi, 2 hr 15 min | ~117 mi, 2 hr 25 min (shorter route found; use the trail’s directions or a current map) |
| Jordan to Glendive | 115 mi, 2 hr | ~117 mi, 2 hr 10 min |
| Glendive to Ekalaka | 106–109 mi, 1 hr 45 min | ~107 mi, 2 hr 35 min |
| Bozeman to Ekalaka (via Billings and Miles City) | 400 mi, 6 hr 40 min | ~413 mi, 8 hr 10 min (measured from Bozeman’s airport) |
Our routing figures use the public OSRM router and OpenStreetMap geocodes, checked November 2, 2026. Treat every number as approximate; winter conditions add time, and several legs run on two-lane highways.
Stops that sit next to each other. The two Malta museums are across a parking lot from each other, according to the trail (Phillips County Museum page). In Glendive, the Frontier Gateway Museum and Makoshika State Park are a short drive apart (the trail’s page puts Makoshika a quarter mile southeast of downtown on Snyder Avenue) (Frontier Gateway Museum page). Bynum and Choteau are about 13 miles apart.
Getting to the trail.
- From the west or Bozeman: Museum of the Rockies is about 13 road miles from Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) by our routing estimate. If you are flying into Bozeman, you can compare rental cars at Bozeman airport (BZN). For Yellowstone from the same base, see Yellowstone from Montana.
- For the eastern stops: Billings Logan International Airport (BIL) is about 54 road miles from Roundup, 227 from Glendive and 264 from Ekalaka (our routing estimates). You can compare rental cars at Billings airport (BIL). Cape Air says it flies between Billings and both Glendive and Havre, year-round (Cape Air); check Cape Air for schedules and fares.
- By train: Amtrak’s Empire Builder serves Havre and Malta, among other Hi-Line stations (Visit Montana, Amtrak). We did not verify train times; check Amtrak.
Things to do near the stops
The trail’s pages list nearby attractions for each stop. A sample, all from those pages:
| Near | Also nearby, per the trail’s page |
|---|---|
| Bynum / Choteau | Trex Agate Shop (a family-owned rock shop in Bynum), Freezout Lake Wildlife Management Area (8 miles south of Choteau), Rocky Mountain Front access |
| Harlowton | Harlowton Railroad Depot Museum, Chief Joseph Park, Smoking Boomer Rail Trail |
| Bozeman | Hyalite Canyon Recreation Area, Bridger Bowl Ski Area, downtown Bozeman |
| Roundup | Musselshell River walk, Little Snowy Mountains |
| Havre | Beaver Creek Park, Havre Beneath the Streets, Fort Assinniboine, Wahkpa Chu’gn Buffalo Jump (see our Havre guide) |
| Chinook | Bear Paw Battlefield, Blaine County Wildlife Museum |
| Malta | Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge (6 miles east), CM Russell National Wildlife Refuge, Sleeping Buffalo Hot Springs (see our Montana hot springs guide) |
| Fort Peck | Fort Peck Dam and Powerplant Museum, Fort Peck Lake, Fort Peck Theatre |
| Jordan | Hell Creek State Park (25 miles north on Highway 543) |
| Glendive | Historic Bell Street Bridge, Yellowstone River |
| Ekalaka | Capitol Rock National Natural Landmark (30 miles southeast), Medicine Rocks State Park, Custer National Forest |
Frequently asked questions
How many stops are on the Montana Dinosaur Trail?
15 locations in 13 Montana communities, according to the trail’s site and passport page (Montana Dinosaur Trail; Prehistoric Passport).
Where does the trail start and end?
The trail’s site describes it as running from the Montana Dinosaur Center in Bynum to the Carter County Museum in Ekalaka (Montana Dinosaur Trail). The stops are spread across the state, and you can visit them in any order.
Is the Montana Dinosaur Trail open in winter?
There is no single schedule: each stop sets its own hours. As of November 2, 2026, some stops are on regular hours and others are seasonal or by appointment; see the table above, and call ahead.
Which stops offer public dinosaur digs?
The Montana Dinosaur Center, the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum and the Carter County Museum, per the trail’s page. Contact each directly for dates and registration.
What is the Prehistoric Passport?
A stamp booklet for the 15 stops, sold at the facilities and online. Collect all 15 stamps within five years for a gold seal and a T-shirt, per the passport page.
Which stop has the most complete T. rex?
The Fort Peck Interpretive Center’s page calls “Peck’s Rex” one of the most complete T. rex skeletons ever found. We have not ranked stops against each other.
How long does the whole trail take?
The trail’s site does not give a total time. Bozeman to Ekalaka alone is 400 miles (about 6 hours 40 minutes) according to the trail’s pages, so most trips cover one region at a time.
Sources
- Montana Dinosaur Trail (home, passport and all 15 stop pages): https://mtdinotrail.org/ ; https://mtdinotrail.org/prehistoric-passport/
- The Montana Dinosaur Center: https://tmdinosaurcenter.org/
- Old Trail Museum: https://oldtrailmuseum.org/about-the-museum/
- Upper Musselshell Museum: https://harlowtonmuseum.org/ ; Visit Montana listing: https://www.visitmt.com/listing/upper-musselshell-museum
- Museum of the Rockies: https://museumoftherockies.org/visit/
- Musselshell Valley Historical Museum, Visit Montana listing: https://www.visitmt.com/listing/musselshell-valley-historical-museum
- Rudyard Depot Museum: https://rudyardmuseum.wordpress.com/
- Blaine County Museum: https://blainecountymuseum.com/
- Phillips County Museum: https://phillipscountymuseum.org/
- Great Plains Dinosaur Museum and Field Station: https://greatplainsdinosaurs.org/
- USFWS Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge (Fort Peck Interpretive Center hours): https://www.fws.gov/locations/charles-m-russell-national-wildlife-refuge
- Visit Montana listings: Garfield County Museum https://www.visitmt.com/listing/garfield-county-museum ; Frontier Gateway Museum https://www.visitmt.com/listing/frontier-gateway-museum ; Carter County Museum https://www.visitmt.com/listing/carter-county-museum ; Amtrak https://visitmt.com/plan-your-trip/amtrak
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Makoshika State Park: https://fwp.mt.gov/stateparks/makoshika
- Carter County Museum, plan your visit: https://cartercountymuseum.org/plan-your-visit
- Cape Air, Montana routes: https://www.capeair.com/where_we_fly/Montana/montana.html
- Drive times: OSRM public router with OpenStreetMap/Nominatim geocodes, Nov. 2, 2026
Cole Bennett edits MontanaHelp, a research-driven guide to moving to and living in Montana. Articles cite official and public sources and are updated as rules and data change. AI tools help research and draft them; a person runs the editorial process and spot-checks one article per batch before it’s published.
AI tools helped research and draft this article. A person runs MontanaHelp’s editorial process and spot-checks one article per batch before it’s published.
This guide is general travel information, not professional advice. Hours, seasons and access change; confirm with each stop before you travel. We do not quote admission or passport prices.
[…] on the trail: the Montana Dinosaur Trail guide lists every stop. From Havre, the trail’s own pages put Chinook 22 miles east (about 30 […]