Medicine Rocks State Park, State park in Carter County, Montana, US.
Medicine Rocks State Park is a natural area in Montana featuring tall sandstone pillars that rise between 60 and 80 feet, with passages and hollows carved into the rock. The 330-acre site is defined by these dramatic stone structures scattered across the landscape.
The park gained official recognition when added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017. The site had drawn attention from notable visitors like former President Theodore Roosevelt before this designation honored its long-established importance.
The rock formations hold sacred meaning for Native American tribes, and visitors can still observe marks and signs on the stone surfaces that reflect this spiritual relationship with the land.
The area is open year-round and offers basic facilities including twelve campsites with tables and fire rings at each location. The exposed terrain can be challenging during severe weather, so planning visits during calmer seasons is advisable.
The sandstone pillars formed roughly 61 million years ago from ancient river deposits and hold fossils of extinct snakes and early mammal ancestors from the Paleocene epoch. These paleontological finds give the site a window into an early chapter of Earth's natural history.
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