Pictograph Cave State Park Schedules Summer Programs

Pictograph Cave State Park has scheduled a series of weekly and one-time educational programs for the summer.

Program starts at 8:30 a.m. at Pictograph Cave State Park.

Saturday, June 7, Cat Lynch will present a family-based nature program on the snakes and reptiles found in this area. The enlightening “Snakes Alive!” program about reptile identification and lifestyles starts at 7 p.m. at Pictograph Cave State Park.

Saturday, June 21, historian Howard Boggess will present a campfire program about the Crow Indians, who have lived in the Yellowstone River valley for more than 1,000 years. Paintings and carvings in the state park’s caves and sandstone cliffs were made by Crow Indians who recorded their stories over centuries. The “Indians of the Yellowstone” program starts at 7 p.m. at Pictograph Cave State Park.

Saturday, July 5, park staff will set up a Plains Indian teepee and talk about the history and tribal traditions that surround it. The “Crow Lodge” family program starts at 7 p.m. at Pictograph Cave State Park.

Saturday, July 19, Asa Mowery, a Boy Scout and student at Meadowlark Elementary School in Billings, will lead a geocache hunt with prizes and talk about this unique, high-tech outdoor adventure. The hands-on “Geocaching 101” program, practice and hunt will help participants understand the use of the Global Position System (GPS) and its use in leaving and finding hidden caches anywhere in the world. The free program starts at 7 p.m. at Pictograph Cave State Park.

Two educational programs will run weekly during the summer at Pictograph Cave State Park.

Mondays, from July 7 through Aug. 25, Pictograph Cave State Park staff will lead “Earth Stewardship for Young Folks” from 9 to 11 a.m. The programs are geared toward students and will feature stories and nature-based activities to help participants develop a relationship with the Earth. Each week, the program will have a new focus, so students are encouraged to participate frequently. Space is limited with reservations required by calling (406) 245-0227.

Saturdays and Sundays, June through August, rangers will lead hour-long interpretive trail tours of Pictograph Cave State Park from 10 a.m. to noon. Tours begin at the picnic area and follow the half-mile loop trail to Pictograph Cave and past Middle and Ghost caves. The family-friendly program will focus on the park’s geology, archeology, plants, wildlife and the early people who left their marks at Pictograph Cave. No reservations are required for the free tours.

Pictograph Cave State Park, southeast of Billings, is one of 50 state parks in Montana that offer people a chance to explore Real Montana and get away without leaving their backyard. For more information about Montana State Parks, please visit fwp.mt.gov <http://fwp.mt.gov/parks/default.html> and click on “Parks and Recreation <http://fwp.mt.

gov/parks/default.html>.”

Saturday, Aug. 9, the Yellowstone Valley Amateur Astronomers will set up their telescopes and show participants heavenly sites ranging from star clusters to distant galaxies. Weather permitting, the program will start at 8 p.m. and continue into the wee hours at Pictograph Cave State Park.

Saturday, Aug. 23, Mardell Plainfeather will demonstrate five different styles of Crow women’s clothing, using items she created herself. During the “Clothing as Art” program, she will share the history of the different styles and how they were made and evolved. The free family program starts at 7 p.m. at Pictograph Cave State Park.

Saturday, Sept. 13, park staff will demonstrate the time-honored method of “Dutch Oven Cooking” and share techniques and recipes. Participants will help prepare a meal in cast-iron Dutch ovens, then sample the breads, main course and dessert they cooked. The campfire program starts at 6 p.m. at Pictograph Cave State Park.

Friday, Oct. 31, the summer programs will wrap up with “Ghosts at Ghost Cave.” Participants at the Halloween program will gather around a campfire to hear stories about the park’s lesser-known inhabitants. The program will wrap up after dark with a guided interpretive candlelight and starlight tour or the Pictograph, Middle and Ghost caves. Participants should gather around the campfire at 6 p.m. at Pictograph Cave State Park.

Pictograph Cave Summer Hours

Pictograph Cave State Park south of Billings is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day through the summer.

Admission to the park is free for Montana residents, but park fees apply to non-residents.

During the summer, park rangers will guide interpretive tours between 10 a.m. and noon every Saturday and Sunday. Additional group guided tours and activities can be scheduled by calling the park at (406) 245-0227 or the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 5 office in Billings at (406) 247-2950.

Pictograph Cave State Park is one of 50 state parks in Montana. With numerous parks spread throughout the diverse terrain of the state, residents can experience Real Montana with free and unlimited access to each state park. Activities at state parks include boating, swimming, fishing, wildlife viewing, photography, geological wonders and a chance to get away without leaving your backyard. For more information about Montana State Parks, please visit fwp.mt.gov on the Web and click on “Parks and Recreation.”