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Medicine Rocks
Overview
Medicine Rocks State Park is a hidden gem in Southeastern Montana, known for its otherworldly sandstone pillars and deep cultural history. Once a sacred gathering place for Native American tribes, the park now offers a serene escape for RVers seeking a primitive camping experience. The landscape is defined by weathered formations that rise abruptly from the prairie, creating a labyrinth of Swiss cheese rocks that have fascinated travelers for centuries, including Theodore Roosevelt, who called the area fantastically beautiful.
Location & Surroundings
The park is located approximately 11 miles north of Ekalaka, MT, situated in the vast rolling grasslands of Carter County. This is a remote destination where the horizon stretches for miles and the silence is only broken by the wind. The surroundings are sparsely populated, offering a true sense of isolation and tranquility. Travelers arriving here should be prepared for a rustic environment where the natural beauty of the High Plains takes center stage against a backdrop of unique geological sculptures.
Amenities & Park Features
As a state park focused on preservation, the amenities are intentionally basic. There are 12 primitive campsites available on a first-come, first-served basis. RVers should note there are no hookups, so come prepared for dry camping. Facilities include vault toilets and a hand pump for potable water. The park features designated picnic areas and well-marked trails that weave through the rock formations. The lack of artificial light makes this a certified International Dark Sky Sanctuary, providing some of the best stargazing in the country.
Nearby Attractions & Things to Do
Hiking is the primary activity, with miles of trails allowing visitors to explore the arches and inscriptions found throughout the rocks. Wildlife enthusiasts can often spot mule deer and pronghorn antelope grazing in the nearby meadows. Just a short drive away, the town of Ekalaka offers the Carter County Museum, which is famous for its impressive dinosaur fossil collection and local history. For photographers, the golden hour light hitting the sandstone pillars provides an incredible opportunity to capture the essence of the Montana wilderness.
Who This Park Is Best For
Medicine Rocks is ideal for travelers who prefer solitude and natural beauty over resort-style amenities. It is a perfect fit for smaller RVs, truck campers, or van lifers who are equipped for boondocking and want to disconnect from the modern world. If you are a stargazing enthusiast or a history buff interested in unique geological wonders, this park is a bucket-list destination. It is best suited for those looking for a quiet stopover or a meditative retreat in one of Montana's most unique landscapes.
Amenities
- Policies
- Other Amenities & Services
- Facility
- On-Site Rentals
- Sites
- Recreation Nearby (within 10 miles)
- Hunting Nearby (within 20 miles)
User Reviews
Tim Poven
Needed a place to stay the night midway between Theodore Roosevelt NP and Devil's Tower. This state park came up on Google Maps and was a perfect destination for the night and a quick visit. Small Park with not much nearby, don't think I'd spend a full weekend here, but my quick visit for one night was perfect. Had the place to myself.
Gwendolyn Rickauer
VERY COOL. Want to go back for camping. Lots of cool rocks that you can climb around and on. We took a short trip there and didn’t cover a lot of ground cause there’s so much to see. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. I wish it was more well known.
Amanda Monahan
Such an amazing place to stop. It is in the middle of nowhere, but worth a stop if you are in the area. Lots of neat rock formations to explore. It also had some of the cleanest outhouses that I've been too. 🙂
Donny Hacker
Nice state park with hiking trails, camping, and some facilities (like vault toilets, etc.). Only thing keeping me from giving this five stars is the simple fact that people have been carving on the rocks for years which takes away from the natural beauty. Give humans a chance to screw something up and they'll take it.
Mark Short
Amazing Park! Found this while “Doing the 2 Lanes” 10 years ago, but didn’t get any photos. Made a special trip to see it again. Love the sites & History of the park.
J J
We arrived on Monday, May 12, 2025. There was a park ranger taking a water sample from the hand pump. Water is checked monthly, and they have had no problems with contamination. The water tastes great. As others have stated, many people have carved their names into the beautiful sandstone formations. Names date back to the late 1880s with many from the 1950s and 60s. If you ignore the carvings and admire the rock formation....it is absolutely stunning. The campsites are natural sand/dirt and the roads are well maintained gravel. It is great for small self- contained rigs as there is no electric, no dumpstation, no water in the campground. There are clean vault toilets. There is water from the handpump about one mile from the campground at the entrance. As far as safety, we saw 2 different park rangers and a game warden.
Brad D
I am really enjoying walking around this campground. It is very windy which explains the erosion on the exposed sandstone. This erosion process has been progressing for eons. It's a shame people have been defacing the stones, the oldest graffiti I saw was from the 1960s. So it's not like it's a recent thing. I wouldn't even know where to look for the original petroglyphs, if any still exist. If there were no more people, how many years do you think it would take for the graffiti to wear away?
Stephen
Heading from Regina Saskatchewan to Rapid City this is a great place to stop along the way. Very desolate and beautiful. My son wanted to spend the whole day here exploring and climbing on the rocks.
ja berg
May have significance and history worth checking out for some people but it was a bust for us. Graffiti on sandstone and the park was empty when we were there. We were going to stay in the campground but did not feel it would be safe with it deserted and no Internet service.
Kellina Pinar
Just happened to be driving past this place and decided to pull in and drive through. Very cool little Park to drive through and walk around (they did appear to have camping as well). Beware the mosquitoes, I was covered in bites after about a half hour. Well worth the detour though.