Nature

"The purpose of Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument is to preserve, protect, memorialize, and interpret the cultural and natural resources, including landscape, pertaining to the Battle of the Little Bighorn"….-Little Bighorn National Monument Foundation Document.

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument is more than a battlefield and monuments. The park's 765 acres are situated between true grasslands and the shrub-steppe ecosystem of the intermountain west. This integration of habitat types allows more species to coexist in a very dynamic landscape.

Volcanism, uplift, erosion and other geologic forces have determined the topography and soils at the battlefield. Advancing and retreating glaciers further transformed the landscape while cooling and warming conditions created new possibilities for life. Through ecological succession (the gradual process by which ecosystems change and develop over time), the natural appearance of the landscape and historic battlefield have changed, but remain similar to how it looked in 1876.

We invite you to explore Little Bighorn Battlefield's natural resources in person, or on these pages:

Amphibians

Learn about our cold blooded friends!
Night Sky

Learn more about the night sky, and what the NPS is doing to protect it.
Wildland Fire

Learn about what fire does, and why it is important to the health of the grasslands within the battlefield.

Wildlife

Interested in the wildlife here at the Little Bighorn Battlefield?
Ethical Wildlife Viewing

Remember to view wildlife at a safe distance.
Explore Our Wildlife Photo Gallery

Check out our impressive wildlife photo gallery!