The Mesozoic Era—the “Age of the Dinosaurs”—spanned 186 million years. To date, over 1,000 distinct species of dinosaurs have been discovered, along with multitudes of prehistoric reptiles, fish, and other creatures. On average, a new species is discovered every two weeks. If there’s one thing clear in paleontology it’s this: the story of the dinosaurs is far from fully written.
This incomplete story is great news for Montana and its visitors. It means that every year there’s something new to learn, new to see, new to explore. For the past twenty years, the Montana Dinosaur Trail has made the most of its resources, sharing with the public the ever-evolving story of prehistoric life in Big Sky Country.
As of March 2026, those resources have grown exponentially. The Montana Commerce Department awarded the Montana Dinosaur Trail Partnership a two-year $1.25 million Montana Tourism Development Grant, more than double what’s been invested in the Trail over the last two decades.
“What a great way to celebrate twenty years of working together to promote Montana’s Paleo Story and making things better for our Trail Facilities and Communities across central and eastern Montana,” says Victor Bjornberg, volunteer Coordinator for the Trail.
Grant funding will be utilized for an array of upgrades, including new Trail-focused exhibits, better marketing tools, and facility improvements. If the Trail partners successfully complete their proposed projects in the first two years, they will be eligible for another three-year $1.5 million award to support these projects and others.
This will no doubt prove to be a pivotal moment in the history of the Montana Dinosaur Trail. With funding from Montana Tourism Development and other generous grants, each Trail facility can more effectively showcase what makes their paleo story unique and what makes their community a destination.
Some Highlights of Things to Come
Old Trail Museum (Choteau)
A new Rocky Mountain Front Interpretive Center will break ground on the museum campus in 2026, with completion in 2027. (Construction should not impact the museum’s operation.) The old, worn boardwalk connecting the museum’s exhibit buildings is due for a replacement, and new and more prominent signage will be installed as well.
Montana Dinosaur Center (Bynum)
The Montana Dinosaur Center isn’t lacking on fossils, but it is lacking on space. An additional 1,250 square feet will be added to its Museum/Paleo Lab/ Fossil Storage building. Visitors will notice a completely refreshed and newly painted gift shop, along with exciting new exhibits, showcasing Montana’s prehistoric past in the Two Medicine and Judith River Formations.
Depot Museum (Rudyard)
The completion of Rudyard’s HiLine Community Center will serve not only the Depot Museum and its community, but neighboring communities on the HiLine as well. Available funds will help to create a standing replica of
the museum’s featured Gryposaurus display. Plans are in the works to expand the Dinosaur Hall with a 1,200-square-foot addition.
Great Plains Dinosaur Museum (Malta)
Thee three fiberglass dinosaur statues on the museum grounds are in need of repainting and repair. Additionally, a secure storage container is being purchased and installed for the museum’s fossil collection/exhibit materials in preparation for a major building expansion in 2028.
Fort Peck Interpretive Center (Fort Peck)
A Triceratops skull found in the Fort Peck area in 1977 has been removed from the Fort Peck Dam Powerhouse Museum, refurbished by Museum of the Rockies staff, and will be placed in a new exhibit display at the Interpretive Center. A Triceratops cast display will be moved from behind railings to the main floor for closer visitor viewing.
Carter County Museum (Ekalaka)
In addition to the Trail’s grant award, the Carter County Museum also received a separate two-year, $1.25 million Montana Tourism Development Grant Award from the Montana Commerce Department for a major 15,000-square-foot expansion of their museum building, set to break ground in fall 2026.
The Carter County award also includes projects to improve community services and facilities in Ekalaka, both for residents and an anticipated 10,000 annual visitors attracted to the new facility and its programming.
Initial facility improvements planned include 3D printing two replica mounts of dinosaurs originally found in Carter County. (“Thomas,” the first, most complete, and geologically youngest T. rex from Carter County is currently on display at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, and “Horridus,” the World’s most complete Triceratops is at the Museums Victoria in Melbourne, Australia.)
Garfield County Museum (Jordan)
A juvenile T.rex, a replica Nanotyrannus skull, and a Triceratops femur have been donated to the Garfield County Museum and will be on display in 2026.
Musselshell Valley Historical Museum (Roundup)
The newest partner on the Trail, Musselshell Valley Historical Museum, is developing a Montana Rocks Exhibit, featuring twelve rocks and fossils from around the state. New signage for the Dino Depot exhibits and better storytelling are in the works. Small displays for placement around Roundup are in development, part of an outreach effort and promo for the museum.
A Sample Trail Travel Itinerary, providing mileage and points of interest, is available for download at mtdinotrail.org.