BILLINGS — The Montana State Parks Foundation recently received 109 acres of land in north-central Montana through a gift from American Prairie and plans to donate the parcel to Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to establish the Treasure State’s 56th state park.
On Friday afternoon, the Montana State Parks & Recreation Board approved the acquisition of a 109-acre parcel of land near the confluence of the Missouri and Judith rivers, which will be donated to the state.
The future Judith Landing State Park will not only provide public access to the Missouri River but is also steeped in history.
These buildings were once part of the historic P-N Ranch, one of the state’s first and largest private cattle ranches.
There are also remnants of a stone warehouse once used to store goods shipped along the Missouri River during the steamboat era. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
“It began millennia ago with the Indigenous people who inhabited that land for decades and decades, and generations and generations," said Megan Buecking of the Montana State Parks Foundation. "Important treaties were held there, and following that, there was also a dinosaur discovery, the first military camp in Montana, and it was also an important stop on Lewis and Clark’s journey west.”
Development is scheduled to include:
- Perpetual public access to the land
- Interpretive opportunities to the public related to the surrounding historic district
- Expanding the State Park System in a portion of the state with limited access to state parks.
- Recreation opportunities include camping, wildlife-watching, hiking, access to the Judith and Missouri rivers for fishing, and other water-based recreation.
- A state park in north-central Montana with the potential to benefit the surrounding small communities due to increased tourism
- The preservation of historic structures and cultural resources found on the property
