Rising jaggedly against the horizon near Grey Cliff and Big Timber, the Crazy Mountains are a scenic landmark on Interstate 90. Called Awaxaawippiia by the Apsaalooka (Crow) Indians, the Crazy Mountains are an igneous formation forged about 50 million years ago. For the Apsaalooka, they are the most sacred and revered mountains on the northern Great Plains. Awaxaawippiia was a place of refuge and protection. The Apsaalooka’s enemies would not follow them into the mountains. Because of their great spiritual power, Awaxaawippiia continues to be an important vision quest site for the tribe. Famed Chief Plenty Coups had a vision there in 1857 in which, he said, the end of the plains Indian way-of-life was shown to him.
There are several stories about how the mountains received their current name. The most popular story indicates that a woman traveling across the lonely plains with a wagon train went insane. She escaped from the party and was found near these mountains. So they were called the Crazy Woman Mountains, a name which was eventually shortened. Perhaps the mountains were named, as others have claimed, because of their crazy appearance.
However they received their title, it is an undisputed fact that the Crazy Mountains were an important landmark for Bozeman Trail emigrants in the Yellowstone Valley. This district was great cow and sheep country in the days of the open range, and there are still a number of large ranches in the vicinity, though now under fence. Today, the mountains also provide a recreational sanctuary for backcountry enthusiasts to retreat into one of Montana’s many wild places.
Partially reprinted from “The Ultimate Montana Atlas and Travel Encyclopedia”
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