Explore Sheridan County

History in Plentywood

For a glimpse into the past, Plentywood is a specific point of reference: the town served people in northeastern Montana as a trading post. The present-day site of Plentywood is also connected with the surrender of Sioux Chief Sitting Bull and his people to the U.S. Army. These connections tell different sides of regional history—from everyday exchange to a historic event linked to the present-day town.

The Sheridan County Museum displays original post office boxes from the Dooley Post Office. The museum also includes a general store from the 1920s, and its collection contains fossils. Objects related to communication and supplies sit alongside natural-history items. If you enjoy exploring history through tangible objects, there is more than one way in: the post office boxes and store draw attention to everyday life and trade, while the fossils reveal a much older natural history.

Other historical connections include the Outlaw Trail, which ran north of Plentywood across the border into Canada, and a way station that Butch Cassidy established in Big Muddy Valley west of Plentywood. These place references point in different directions: north across the border for the trail, and west into Big Muddy Valley for the way station.

In the wider region, the Missouri River Country route passes through Plentywood; the Sheridan County Museum is also on the route. If you are planning specific stops, it is a good idea to check the latest information, as regional route details can change.

Activities and choosing a place to stay

Sher-Wood Airport is northeast of Plentywood. The pilot’s lounge has seating, a restroom, and a telephone. It also provides information on how to obtain the keys to a vehicle available for free use.

In the area around the host community of Plentywood is Plentywood Golf Club, a public 9-hole golf course. This adds a different kind of activity to the historical focus. When choosing a vacation rental, you can consider whether Plentywood’s historical sites or the golf course near the community will play a bigger part in your stay.

Nature in northeastern Montana

Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located on heavily glaciated, rolling plains in northeastern Montana. Established in 1935, the refuge provides breeding and resting habitat for many migratory birds. A large pelican colony has been present there since at least 1939, with about 3,000 to 5,000 nests each year; it is one of the largest colonies in the United States.

Medicine Lake Wilderness was established by the U.S. Congress in 1976 within the main area of the refuge. It encompasses the main body of Medicine Lake, the islands within it, and the 2,320-acre Sandhills Unit. At the refuge, Pelican Overlook at Bridgerman Point offers views of nesting colonial birds. An observation tower at Medicine Lake is 99 feet tall and offers views of the lake.

A 14-mile driving loop passes through the refuge’s grassland and wetland habitats. It is open about eight months of the year; seasonal conditions can change. So check current conditions before setting out. The recreation area also includes a hiking trail—a different way to experience the landscape than from the driving loop.

A visitor brochure from April 2025 states that motorboats and sailboats are not permitted on Medicine Lake. Check the current boating rules before your trip.

More destinations

Explore more destinations: Daniels County, Deer Lodge, Valley County, Powder River County, Roosevelt County, Carbon County, Custer County.

For the main travel overview: Montana.