Things to Do in Glendive, Montana
The best things to do in Glendive, Montana, are exploring the badlands and dinosaur fossils of Makoshika State Park, seeing “Margie” the Struthiomimus at the Frontier Gateway Museum, and walking the old Bell Street Bridge over the Yellowstone River. Glendive is a city of 4,873 people and the seat of Dawson County, set between the Yellowstone and the badlands.
The Northern Pacific Railway built the town around 1880 and made it headquarters of its Yellowstone Division. It took its name from a creek that Irish hunter Sir George Gore called “Glendive” in 1855, and in 1884, at the height of the cattle boom, 12,000 head a week arrived to stock the open range.
Makoshika State Park
At 11,538 acres, this is Montana’s largest state park, right on the southeast edge of town. Its pine- and juniper-studded badlands are part of the Hell Creek Formation, and Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus rex and a near-complete Thescelosaurus have been found here. The visitor center at the entrance shows a 5.5-foot Triceratops skull found in 1991.
★ Good to know Scenic drives, hiking trails, a disc golf course and 28 campsites are inside the park. Digging for or collecting fossils is not allowed.
Frontier Gateway Museum
This is the official Dawson County museum, with seven buildings on an acre of land at 201 State St. It covers everything from fossils to Native American artifacts, homesteaders, cattlemen and the railroad. The star is a full-size cast of “Margie,” a Struthiomimus found near Glendive in the early 1990s.
★ Good to know It’s one of Glendive’s two stops on the 14-site Montana Dinosaur Trail, along with Makoshika.
Bell Street Bridge
Finished in 1926, this 1,352-foot bridge crosses the Yellowstone on six steel Warren truss spans. It was the main highway bridge until 1992, when the state restored it for people on foot. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places.
★ Good to know Glendive holds a birthday celebration for the bridge every September.
Paddlefish at Intake Fishing Access Site
About 21 road miles north of town, paddlefish gather below the Intake Diversion Dam each spring, which is why Glendive calls itself the Paddlefish Capital of the World. The fish can top 150 pounds and have to be snagged with special gear sold in Glendive stores. The chamber cleans harvested fish for free in exchange for the roe, which becomes Yellowstone Caviar.
★ Good to know The season opens in mid-May during spring runoff. Check FWP’s paddlefish rules for harvest days, and get there early, because the bank gets crowded.
Merrill Avenue Historic District and the Bridger Bronze Statue Trail
Downtown’s Merrill Avenue district has 28 historic buildings in Classical Revival, Gothic Revival and Italianate styles, listed on the National Register in 1988. Along the street you’ll find life-size bronzes by local sculptor Pamela Harr of Bridger Bronze. The Gallery, a nonprofit art space, shows work by Montana artists downtown.
★ Good to know A 2023 fire destroyed the Jordan Inn and the Rose Theater in this district, so expect a gap in the streetscape.
Glendive Dinosaur & Fossil Museum
This large private museum at 139 State St. has more than 24 full-size dinosaurs plus a theater and gift shop. It’s run by a Young Earth creationist group, and its exhibits present a Biblical account of the fossil record and the age of the earth. Go in knowing that, and the mounted skeletons are still impressive.
★ Good to know It’s open May through September, closed Sundays.
Fossil digs near town
Dinodave Paleo Adventures runs hands-on sessions sifting a 66-million-year-old microsite, where teeth, claws and vertebrae of Triceratops, hadrosaurs and even mammal teeth turn up. Sessions run on Fridays and are capped at 10 people.
★ Good to know Call ahead to book, since space is limited and restrictions apply.
Also in town
Makoshika hosts Buzzard Day on the second Saturday in June, with races, a disc golf tournament and hikes, and in summer the park runs Friday night campfire programs and Montana Shakespeare in the Parks.
How big is Makoshika State Park?
It covers 11,538 acres, which makes it the largest state park in Montana. It sits on the southeast edge of Glendive, and the visitor center is at the entrance on Snyder Avenue.
Can you see dinosaur fossils in Glendive?
Yes. Makoshika’s visitor center has a Triceratops skull and other fossils, and the Frontier Gateway Museum displays a full-size cast of the Struthiomimus called Margie. Both are stops on the Montana Dinosaur Trail.
When is paddlefish season near Glendive?
It opens in mid-May, when paddlefish run up the Yellowstone during spring runoff, with the action at Intake Fishing Access Site north of town. Check Montana FWP’s paddlefish regulations for harvest and catch-and-release days before you go.
What other eastern Montana towns are worth a stop?
Sidney, north along the Yellowstone near the North Dakota line, pairs well with Glendive; see things to do in Sidney. For more ideas, see our small towns in Montana.
Where to find them
- Makoshika State Park 1301 Snyder Ave., Glendive, MT 59330 Website Directions
- Frontier Gateway Museum 201 State St., Glendive, MT 59330 Website Directions
- Bell Street Bridge Bell St., Glendive, MT 59330 Website Directions
- Intake Fishing Access Site Canal Rd. off MT-16, Glendive, MT 59330 Website Directions
- Merrill Avenue Historic District Merrill Ave., Glendive, MT 59330 Website Directions
- Glendive Dinosaur & Fossil Museum 139 State St., Glendive, MT 59330 Website Directions
Plan your trip: for events and current visitor info in Glendive, see Glendive Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture →
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