BILLINGS AND THE BIG OPEN - Montana and Wyoming - page 85

educational centers, and field stations, all of which are committed to finding and pre-
serving dinosaur specimens. These sites have numerous well-preserved fossils, com-
plete dinosaur skeletons, perfectly honed replicas, and even some active dig sites that
are open to the public.
The Great Plains Dinosaur Museum and Field Station in Malta displays rare
fossils, including a “mummy” dinosaur considered to be the world's best preserved
dinosaur. The Fort Peck Interpretive Center and Museum boasts the most com-
plete T. rex skeleton ever found. You are greeted with a life-size model of the fero-
cious carnivore when you enter the museum. Glendive is home to the Makoshika
Dinosaur Museum and Makoshika State Park, where at least 10 different dinosaur
species have been found; the museum displays an impressive collection of dinosaur
fossils from around the world. The farthest eastern stop on the Dinosaur Trail is the
Carter County Museum in Ekalaka. This is Montana's first county museum and
displays complete dinosaur skeletons found in the nearby Hell Creek formation.
There are plenty of opportunities for bird-watching, and what you see will depend on
the time of year you visit. There are roads to cruise along and trails to explore. Hunting and
fishing are permitted on the refuge as well; get up-to-date information about seasons and
regulations, licensing, and necessary permits from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (223
North Shore Road, 406/789-2305, www.fws.gov/medicinelake ). Camping is not permitted
in the refuge, but sites are available in nearby Medicine Lake or Plentywood.
The refuge is located on Highway 16, just south of the tiny town of Medicine Lake,
which has very limited accommodations ( www.medicinelakemt.com ) , most of which are
modest rentals. The nearest towns with significant hotel and motel accommodations and
services—Plentywood and Culbertson—are 20-plus miles away to the north and south, re-
spectively, so bring what you need for the time you plan to spend exploring the refuge.
RECREATION
Since I-94 parallels the Yellowstone River from Billings to Glendive, there are ample fish-
ing opportunities at just about any exit. The Yellowstone is filled with trout and, oddly
enough, paddlefish: These prehistoric monstrosities in the sturgeon family can weigh more
than 100 pounds and are caught only by snagging and then fighting them, sometimes for
hours. The paddlefishing season on the Yellowstone runs from early to mid-May to mid- to
late June, assuming the target goal of 500 total fish is not met in that time (when the har-