Castle Butte – One Tank Trips

One of my favorite things about living in Montana is our proximity to majestic natural wonders.  And they're not all up in the mountains, either.

This weekend, I got to check out a little known spot called "Castle Butte".  It's just about 40 minutes north of Billings, and 10 miles past the Pompey's Pillar Monument off old Highway 312.  If you continue on Old Bundy Road, you'll run into Castle Butte road, which leads to a stunning collection of jagged cliffs, boulders and ancient petroglyphs from Crowe tribes dating back over 1,000 years.

Castle Butte isn't a state park or natural landmark, however it is classified as an "Area of Critical Environmental Concern" by the Bureau of Land Management.  There are several trails around the formation.  I'm told the view from the top is breathtaking if you're willing to spend a few hours hiking up the rocks.

I'm too fat and lazy to hike all the way to the top.  It was tough enough just walking around the rocks.  But it made for a great day trip with my girlfriend and her dog Fred.  The best part, even on the nicest day of the year, we had the place all to ourselves.