Visiting Montana's Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

A place of solemn memories, the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, allows visitors the chance to explore the area where Lt. Col. George A. Custer and his 262 soldiers fought with approximately 1,500 Cheyenne, Sioux and Arapahos over the course of two days, June 25 and 26 of 1876. By the end of that fateful day Custer and his soldiers would lay dead. The Native Americans would be victorious in one of the last battles of the west but not without their own losses. They would lose approximately 100 people over the course of those two bloody days.

Within the confines of the park, visitors will be able to look upon the 18 ton granite monolith that was erected by First Lt. Charles F. Roe in 1881 to remember the solders who had died that fateful day. On the monument he had each man's name inscribed.

The National Park Service offers one hour guided tours of the park. Visitors can hear a narrative from the tour guide explaining the history and what occurred on each location.

Visitors to the park can also stroll the grounds at their own leisure to observe the various plaques that depict each step of the battle. Looking out across the rolling fields and listening to the peaceful wind allows the visitor a chance to drift back in time to envision what it must have been like.

The on site visitors center offers interpretive speeches and displays. Visitors who want an in depth history of the battlefield and the area may wish to make an advance appointment to visit the park historian housed in the stone house located by the visitors center (original superintendent's headquarters.) The building houses many historic documents, pictures and maps from the era.

Visitors to the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument will also want to take the time to visit the Custer National Cemetery which holds the remains of men and women from many historic outposts. The cemetery contains a vast amount of historical information for guests who wish to stroll through the rows of white markers.

The cemetery was first officially established in 1886. It contains the remains of 4,900 internments. The last non reservation person was laid to rest in the cemetery in 1978.

Custer and his men were re interred in 1881 a mass grave that is located on Last Stand Hill within the park.

Visitors to the park may wish to walk the trail system to visit the history Reno-Benteen Battlefield which sits approximately four miles from Custer's battlefield.

Visitors to the park are charged a fee which gains them admission into the park and visitors center.

Sources:

http://www.interment.net/data/us/mt/bighorn/custernatl/index.htm

http://www.nps.gov/libi/planyourvisit/directions.htm