Pompeys Pillar National Monument

Pompeys Pillar National Monument

Pompeys Pillar National Monument is a rock formation. The pillar itself stands 150 feet (45 m) above the Yellowstone River and consists of sandstone from the late Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation, 75 - 66 million years ago.

The pillar features an abundance of Native American petroglyphs, as well as the signature of William Clark, co-leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Clark's inscription is the only remaining physical evidence found along the route that was followed by the expedition.

The pillar gets 50,000 visitors annually. Archeological evidence suggests that the outcropping has been witness to 11,000 years of human involvement in the area. Consequently, in addition to the pictographs and the signature of William Clark, hundreds of other people have carved their initials into the rock, including early pioneers to the area.

Location

Yellowstone County
Montana, USA

Getting There

Pompeys Pillar National Monument is located in south-central Montana, about 30 miles east of Billings. Unfortunately, there is no public transportation that goes directly to the monument, but there are some options to get there by a combination of bus and taxi or car rental.

The closest bus station to Pompeys Pillar is the Billings Greyhound Bus Station. From there, you can take a taxi or ride-sharing service like Uber or Lyft for the remaining 30-mile journey to the monument. Alternatively, you can rent a car at the Billings airport or downtown and drive to the monument yourself.

Keep in mind that there is limited cell phone service in the area around the monument, so it's important to plan your transportation ahead of time and bring necessary supplies like water and snacks.

Nearby Airports

This is a list of primary airports in Montana that have scheduled passenger service on commercial airlines.