Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

Custer Hill at Little Bighorn Battlefield

We slept well at the LaQuinta in Glendive but arose early and headed west on I-94 across Montana.  After driving for nearly two hours we stopped for our raisin bran and banana breakfast at a rest area along I-94 then got back on the interstate.  We dropped down to I-90 to visit the Little Big Horn Battlefield National Monument.  Once again, our National Park Pass got us entry into the area without the $25 fee.

After checking in at the gate and stopping by the visitor center, we walked around the National Cemetery located on the site of the skirmish at Cemetery Ridge.  The many graves here are not from the 220 soldiers who died in the June 1876 battle but rather military deaths from more recent action.  A helpful ranger at the visitor center told us that he would be doing a talk at the site where the last of Custer’s men died.  There were several tourists at the site, but not what one would expect in other National Parks on Labor Day holiday.

The ranger’s talk was one of the best that we have heard at historic sites.  He was very well informed on the known facts about the battle and all of the area events leading to the actions on those days and afterwards.  He cited Stephen Ambrose’s book, “Crazy Horse and Custer,” several times, but mentipointed out oned a few things that have become known since that book was published.  From the vantage point where we were standing we could see where troops led by Reno and Benteen fought.  The location of the native villages were just below.  We were standing on the high ground where Lt. Col. Custer and his remaining soldiers shot their horses to make a breastworks until their ammunition ran out and they were killed by the Arapaho, Cheyanne and Lakota. 

We walked to the nearby memorial for the natives who died in the battle and were especially interested in reading about a 1948 reunion and interview with surviving native warriors. After walking around the grounds a while, we mailed a couple of postcards that we bought at Theodore Roosevelt National Park at the Crow Agency post office and headed west on I-90. 

Graves of the 7th Cavelry

As we drove west through Montana, the smoke in the air became worse and worse.  Some of the smoke was from fires on the West Coas,t but some was from fires in Montana.  It has been a very dry year, and lightning has caused many acres of forest to burn in the mountain west. 

We had the Ritz crackers and Jif peanut butter from the squeeze bottle for lunch along with grapes and Aldi trail mix.  We stayed on I-90 west until Butte, Montana, where we picked up I-15 which took us south to Rt. 41 that we followed into Idaho.  We drove through a number of areas that had burned recently, including one section of pavement that was replaced because of damage from the fires this summer.  We could see smoke billowing from the mountains just to the west and south of us.  Smoke and ash from these fires filled the air. 

We had planned to stop at Big Hole National Battlefield in Wisdom, MT, near the Idaho border.  This was the site of the 1877 battle between federal troops and the Nez Perce tribe who were attempting to flee into Canada to escape persecution.   However, as we approached, we learned that the area was closed due to the fires.  We were disappointed but plan to return to the park on a future visit. 

We headed down U.S. 93 through Salmon, Idaho, to May, Idaho, where we found Mark and Cindy’s new home easily.  Their home is a beautiful log structure with vaulted ceilings, a large modern kitchen, a barn and walk-in meat locker.  They own approximately 150 acres, mostly leased alfalfa fields irrigated by a large pivot.  Most land surrounding their property is owned by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), so they have access to vast expanses of land.  Their well provides plenty of water to irrigate the alfalfa field and house as well as filling a deep pond near the barn.

Whittington's property showing pivot and house in north

Mark made a delicious dinner of chicken and beef enchiladas followed by his homemade ice cream. We chatted and enjoyed seeing them.