The next morning, go east on I-90 to the plains town of Hardin adjacent to the Crow Indian Reservation. Get a dose of homesteader lore at the Big Horn County Historical Museum, with more than two dozen buildings, including a 1917 Lutheran church and farmhouse, then push on to Crow Agency. Each August, the Crow Fair Celebration Powwow and Rodeo transforms these rolling grasslands into the Teepee Capital of the World - nearly 1,800 teepees are erected for the week-long cultural celebration.
At Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, the mood is more somber. In the 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn, Lt. Col. George Custer and his 7th Cavalry were outwitted by thousands of Lakota Sioux and Northern Cheyenne warriors led by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. Visit the Indian Memorial and the 7th Cavalry Monument on Last Stand Hill, explore the visitors center, and listen to a cell phone audio tour. Crow Indian guides from Apsaalooke Tours lead one-hour journeys, offering their perspective on the battle and the events that led to it.
Across from the monument's entrance, browse modern Crow and Northern Cheyenne art, jewelry, and beadwork at the Custer Battlefield Trading Post and Cafe, and sample buffalo burgers. Then hop back in the car for a two-hour jaunt northeast to Miles City, set at the confluence of the Tongue and Yellowstone rivers. Farmers and ranchers populate this town year-round, but their numbers swell in May for the annual Bucking Horse Sale. A tradition since 1951, the event includes a bustling auction of untamed horses as well as western barbecues, horse races, and street dances.
The Range Riders Museum commemorates the era of the open range with its trove of rare firearms, Native American artifacts, and 13 authentic Old West buildings. View western art inside the water-holding tanks at the WaterWorks Art Museum, then mosey over to Black Iron Grill for "cowboy candy" - locally ranched beef tips. Rest overnight in remodeled rooms at Miles City Hotel and Suites.