Garryowen is on the Little Bighorn River a few miles south of the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument and is within the boundaries of the Crow Indian Reservation. The Custer Battlefield Museum is located on the former site of Sitting Bull's camp, on the famous Garryowen bend of the Little Bighorn River, a traditional summer hunting campsite for many Plains Indian tribes. As the Seventh Cavalry approached in late June of 1876, this was the site of one of the largest Indian gatherings ever recorded in North America.
150th Anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn
Crow Agency, MT
Jun 25
Dates: June 25, 26, and 27, 2026
• Gates Open: 8:00 a.m.
• Daily Programming Begins: 9:30 a.m.
• Programming Concludes: Approximately 5:00 p.m.
• Gates Close: 6:00 p.m.
EVENT DETAILS (see the website for any additional programming)
JUNE 25, 2026
Commemoration and Remembrance
Opening Ceremonies:
• Parade of Nations and Tribal Flags
• 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment Color Guard (Garryowen), 1st Cavalry Division
• Tribal Veteran Color Guards Representing Various Affiliated Tribal Nations
• Flyover by the Montana Air National Guard's 120th Airlift Wing
• Opening Prayer by Chief Arvol Looking Horse
• Welcome by Crow Tribal Chairman Frank Whiteclay
Featured Participants and Presentations:
• Chairman Ryman LeBeau – Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe
• Vice President Ernest Littlemouth – Northern Cheyenne Tribe
• Governor Reggie Wassana – Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma
• Dr. Leo Killsback
• Paul Hutton – Buffalo Bill Center of the West
• Henry Real Bird
• Trina Lone Hill
• Chief Phillip Whiteman Jr.
• Derek Fiddler and the Elk Head Family
• Dale Old Horn
• Gay Kingman
• Donovin Sprague
JUNE 26, 2026
Historical Perspectives and Legacy
Featured Participants and Presentations:
• Honoring Thomas Marquis – Eugene Little Coyote
• Douglas Scott & Melissa Connor – "Revealing the Battlefield: How Archaeology Shaped the Battle Narrative"
• Remembering Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell – Dion Killsback
• Crazy Horse Hunkpatila Oyate – Elvyn Douglas Bissonette and Howard Little Hawk
JUNE 27, 2026
Reflection and Continuing Legacy
Featured Participants and Presentations:
• Message from Friends of Little Bighorn President Bob Reece
• Parallels of Washita – National Park Service and Northern Cheyenne Perspectives
• Dr. Lilah Morton Pengra on Isaiah Dorman
• Dale Old Horn – Crow Historian
• 7th Cavalry Descendants Joseph J. Godfrey and Edward C. Godfrey
• Final Reflections: The Meaning of Little Bighorn 150 Years Later – A Panel of Tribal Voices
THROUGHOUT THE ANNIVERSARY
• Tribal Descendant Presentations
• Cavalry Descendant Presentations
• Tribal Cultural Demonstrations
• Traditional Drum Groups
• Youth and Community Programs
• Park Ranger Programs and Battlefield Interpretation
• Special Exhibits and Partner Organization Displays
Participating Organizations and Exhibitors (Education Booths):
• Brinton Museum
• Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe
• InterTribal Buffalo Council
• Museum of the Rockies
NO ENTRANCE FEES
Entrance to Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument will be free on June 25, 26, and 27.
PARKING AND ACCESS
• All visitor parking will be located off-site, with free shuttle service transporting visitors to and from the battlefield.
• The park will be closed to regular vehicle traffic during the event. Shuttle buses will operate throughout the day between parking areas, the main event venue, and key battlefield locations.
• The park will be closed Monday through Wednesday during the week of the Anniversary. Before and after the event, the park will only be open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument will return to a seven-day operating schedule beginning July 3, 2026.
• Please note that there will be no public access to the battlefield in the days immediately before and after the event while event infrastructure is being installed and removed.
• With multiple events occurring throughout the region during the Anniversary weekend, including Native Days, community celebrations, and other commemorative activities, visitors should anticipate heavy traffic and travel delays and plan accordingly.
OUTDOOR CONDITIONS
• All Anniversary programming will take place outdoors. The new visitor center remains under construction and will not be open during the event.
• Visitors should be prepared for summer weather conditions, including sun, heat, wind, and rapidly changing weather. We recommend bringing sunscreen, hats, protective clothing, and other weather-appropriate gear. Shade tents will be available in designated areas.
• Hydration stations will be available throughout the event. Visitors are encouraged to bring refillable water bottles.
• Food service will not be available within the park. The nearest food options will be located in Hardin and Crow Agency.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Battle of the Little Bighorn reenactments will be held on private property and will not take place within Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.
We appreciate the tremendous support and collaboration from Tribal Nations, descendants, partner organizations, community members, and the public as we prepare for this historic commemoration. If your Tribe, organization, drum group, color guard, or cultural program would like to participate, please contact us as soon as possible so we can incorporate those activities into the final schedule.
