National Recreation Area · NPS · MT, WY
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
Photo: Sharron Genaux, Yellowtail Dam (Fort Smith, MT District)
Alerts and conditions
Park Closure No Water Available at Ok-A-Beh Marina - Flushing Restrooms Closed
Due to a water shortage, flushable toilets are currently unavailable at the Ok-A-Beh Marina. Vault toilets are available at the upper parking lot and a floating restroom is available on the courtesy dock.
Overview
The vast, wild landscape of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area offers visitors unparalleled opportunities to immerse themselves in the natural world, and experience the wonders of this extraordinary place. With over 120,000 acres, one can find an astounding diversity in ecosystems, wildlife, and more than 10,000 years of human history to explore.
From the National Park Service
History
The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.
What to see and do
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Theater
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Boating
- Motorized Boating
- Sailing
- Jet Skiing
- Boat Tour
- Camping
- Compass and GPS
- Fishing
- Freshwater Fishing
- Fly Fishing
- Food
- Dining
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Boat Tour
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Off-Trail Permitted Hiking
- Hunting and Gathering
- Hunting
- Paddling
- Canoeing
- Canoe or Kayak Camping
- Kayaking
- Stand Up Paddleboarding
- Junior Ranger Program
- Playground
- Skiing
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Snow Play
- Snowshoeing
- Swimming
- Freshwater Swimming
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
Plan your visit
Hours
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area: Bighorn Canyon NRA is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Getting there
Bighorn Canyon has two districts that are separated by a three hour drive. To get to the North District at Fort Smith, MT from Billings, take Interstate 90 south to Hardin, MT. Turn at exit 495 onto State Highway 313 to St. Xavier and then to Fort Smith, Montana. To get to the South District at Lovell, WY from Billings, MT, take Interstate 90 west. Turn at exit 434 at Laurel, MT. Turn onto US 310 East/US 212 South. Turn at US 310 East to Lovell. The visitor center is on the east side of Lovell.
Visitor centers
Campgrounds
- Horseshoe Bend Campground (68 sites) — reserve
- Barry's Landing & Trail Creek Campground (30 sites) — reserve
- Afterbay Campground (22 sites)
- Grapevine Campground (14 sites)
- Medicine Creek Campground (5 sites)
- Black Canyon Campground (17 sites)
- Dayboard 9 Campground (5 sites)
Weather
North District: Semi-arid, receiving 18 to 20 inches of rain annually. South District: High-desert, receiving 6 to 10 inches of rain annually. Summer temperatures: Highs in the 80s (F) and 90s (F), lows in the 50s (F) and 60s (F). Summer temperatures can peak over 100 degrees. Winter temperatures: Range in the 20s and 30s with low temperatures averaging the 10s (F) and 20s (F). During the winter the thermometer can drop below 0 (F) with extreme wind chill factors.
Phone: 3075485406
Whose lands these are
These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.
Photos
Pair it with
- Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument NPS · 46 miles
- Bighorn National Forest USFS · 56 miles
- Pompeys Pillar National Monument BLM · 60 miles
- Grass Lake National Wildlife Refuge FWS · 73 miles
- Custer National Forest USFS · 78 miles
- Hailstone National Wildlife Refuge FWS · 78 miles