Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

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Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area The official NPS page of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area located in Wyoming & Montana.
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The vast, wild landscape of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area offers visitors unparalleled opportunities to immerse themselves in the natural world. Sheer cliffs towering 1,500 feet above a ribbon of blue water. World class fishing and a place where wild horses still run free. 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.

Did you know many of Bighorn Canyon’s animals use our roads just as much as cars? With changing temperatures and weather...
10/10/2026

Did you know many of Bighorn Canyon’s animals use our roads just as much as cars? With changing temperatures and weather, these areas can become highways for migrations or important crossings throughout our communities. Not to mention, a paved road is way better to walk on than dirt; at least some of the time!

Here are some tips to keep yourself on the road:
Stay vigilant at dawn and dusk when animals are most active.
Use your headlights at the right setting but be courteous of others.
Take it slow in known wildlife areas and take in the view.

You never know what you may see at Bighorn Canyon, especially around a blind turn.

Photo: An Ewe (female Bighorn Sheep) and lamb enjoy an evening dinner along the curb of Devil Canyon Overlook’s parking lot. NPS/Zachary Hubbard, 2026.

Take a walk on the ancient side with Bighorn Canyon VIP Greg Jones as he host’s a geology walk along the canyon walls of...
10/08/2026

Take a walk on the ancient side with Bighorn Canyon VIP Greg Jones as he host’s a geology walk along the canyon walls of Barry’s Landing from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Learn how the canyon was built, while looking for the many fossils and signs of ancient life along the “Fossil Wall.”

Participants will meet at Barry’s Landing Parking Lot.

Come dressed for the weather and bring some snacks and water source.

Winter Brings New Experiences to Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area.Fall has arrived at Bighorn Canyon National Rec...
10/08/2026

Winter Brings New Experiences to Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area.

Fall has arrived at Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, bringing crisp air and colder temperatures. The changing season offers visitors new opportunities to experience Bighorn Canyon while park facilities begin winterization preparations.

Lake and Marina Updates
As of Oct. 6, 2026, the lake level is 3,624.66 feet. Small boats can be launched at Horseshoe Bend when the lake is at least 3620 feet. Courtesy docks will remain available until ice begins to form.

Horseshoe Bend and Ok-A-Beh Marinas are now closed for the winter season.

Facilities and Campgrounds
Starting Oct. 1, 2026, all campgrounds are available on a first-come, first-served at designated sites and are free of charge throughout the 2026-2027 Winter Season.

Campsites have been winterized; water and electricity are no longer available.

The Cal S. Taggart Bighorn Canyon Visitor Center is open Tuesday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

October Programming
Oct.10: Join Volunteer in Park Greg Jones for a geology wall walk at Barry’s Landing in celebration of Geology Day. Explore the “Fossil Wall” from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Participants should meet at Barry’s Landing Parking Lot. Dress for the weather and bring snacks and water.

Oct. 24: What is spooky season without bats? Discover the bats of Bighorn Canyon with Ranger Zach at the Cal S. Taggart Visitor Center from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. This event is open to all ages.

Oct. 31: The Bighorn Canyon Book Club continues with Wyoming Ghost Stories by Debra D. Munn. Join the discussion at the Lovell Visitor Center from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. The book club series runs from September 2026 through February 2027, hosted by Western National Parks bookstore staff. A full list of books is available at the Lovell Visitor Center.

Plan Your Visit
Visitors are encouraged to plan ahead, check current conditions and confirm program details before arriving. For more information, please Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area or visit the park’s official website and social media channels. Link to our site: https://www.nps.gov/bica/index.htm

Photo courtesy of Zachary Hubbard. October along 3-Mile Trail, 2024.

It’s hiring season! We have positions on either side of the park if you’re interested. These positions are part of our F...
10/07/2026

It’s hiring season! We have positions on either side of the park if you’re interested. These positions are part of our Facilities Division. Reminder, these positions also include other parks as well.

Custodial Worker (MVO) (Seasonal)-Open 10/05/2026 to 10/19/2026 for applications or until 250 applicants are received. This seasonal position will perform general custodial and janitorial work, grounds-keeping, operate light duty motor vehicles, and assist in completing projects. Expected entry day will be March to July 2027. Length of work will be determined by weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Positions are available in both Fort Smith, MT and Lovell, WY.

For more information or to apply: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/886360600

Laborer (Seasonal)-Open 10/05/2026 to 10/13/2026 for applications or until 250 applicants received. This position performs recurring laboring work involving grounds, trails, roads, facilities, and developed areas. Entry date would be sometime between March-July 2027. Length of work will be determined by weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Positions are available in both Fort Smith, MT and Lovell, WY.

For more information or to apply: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/887416900

Everyone has a role to play when it comes to healthy, diverse ecosystems.On World Animal Day, we celebrate these diverse...
10/04/2026

Everyone has a role to play when it comes to healthy, diverse ecosystems.
On World Animal Day, we celebrate these diverse groups of animals that call the canyon home, from the smallest to the largest, to the beautiful and the brave. These are the foundations of life you can find at Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, along with many others.

How do our actions or inactions show appreciation for these champions of diversity?

Images-
1. A chipmuck on Ranger Delight Trail. NPS/Zachary Hubbard, 2026.
2. Black turkey vulture flies up from the Devil Canyon towards the Pryor Mountains. Courtesy of Zachary Hubbard, 2026.
3. A snake on the steps of Ok-A-Beh Marina. NPS/Zachary Hubbard, 2026.
4. Young Rams enjoy an evening meal at Trail Creek Campground. Courtesy of Zachary Hubbard.

Have you thanked a bat today?There are about 12 different bat species that call Bighorn Canyon’s cliffs, caves and trees...
10/01/2026

Have you thanked a bat today?
There are about 12 different bat species that call Bighorn Canyon’s cliffs, caves and trees home. One of the most seen is the Little Brown Bat, an insect ace who helps control the population of biting and stinging insects like mosquitoes, while also pollenating plants along the way.

Remember if you see a bat this Bat Appreciation month, give it a thumbs up!

NPS/Erickson Smith. Photoetrieved from: https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/ad565bdb-6bf4-4771-b5df-36683151beac

Did you know? Bighorn Canyon has a native wildflower who shares its name! Bighorn Fleabane (Erigeron allocotus) is a sub...
09/30/2026

Did you know? Bighorn Canyon has a native wildflower who shares its name!

Bighorn Fleabane (Erigeron allocotus) is a subspecies endemic almost exclusively to Bighorn Canyon and the nearby Pryor and Bighorn Mountains.

Bighorn Fleabane is in the family Asteraceae, and its genus, Erigeron, is closely related to Asters and Daisies! It thrives in the dry, rocky soil throughout the recreation area, and seems to prefer the limestone and sandstone of the cliffs. It has long, thin, tiny little leaves with 3 lobes at the end of each one.
One big difference between Bighorn Fleabane and its more common Fleabane cousins is that Bighorn Fleabane often has at least 2-3 white-to-pinkish flowers per stem. Compare that to the nearby Alpine Fleabane’s usual average of one-flower per stem!

Bighorn Fleabane is one of 44 subspecies in Wyoming and one of 38 subspecies in Montana. You can find them all the way from Horseshoe Bend to Lockhart Ranch, and even further into the Pryor Mountains. Keep an eye out for these tiny beauties!



📸Photos courtesy of Matt Lavin

“To go fishing is the chance to wash one’s soul with pure air, with the rush of the brook, or with the shimmer of sun on...
09/27/2026

“To go fishing is the chance to wash one’s soul with pure air, with the rush of the brook, or with the shimmer of sun on blue water.” – Herbert Hoover

Some “Reel Fun Adventures” were had a Bighorn Canyon this summer! We hope that they continue into fall and winter.

Be sure to keep an eye out for new and improved fishing programs and opportunities coming Spring and Summer 2027!

Share your favorite Bighorn Canyon fishing stories below!



📸NPS/Zachary Hubbard
📸 NPS Photo
📸 NPS Photo

Fall is upon us!Though colder days may be on the way, it’s still warm enough for one more cast on the Bighorn River or o...
09/22/2026

Fall is upon us!
Though colder days may be on the way, it’s still warm enough for one more cast on the Bighorn River or one more mile on the trail as we celebrate the first day of Autumn at Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area.

What is your favorite way to recreate at Bighorn Canyon in the fall?



📸Photo courtesy of Zachary Hubbard

Throughout the year, you may see a group of park employees gathered around streams, lakes, and other parts of the ecosys...
09/18/2026

Throughout the year, you may see a group of park employees gathered around streams, lakes, and other parts of the ecosystems found in Bighorn Canyon. You may think to yourself, what are they doing?

The answer: Inventorying and Monitoring!

Bighorn Canyon employees in partnership with the Greater Yellowstone Network work diligently to monitor the water quality of the water bodies found in the park. Whether monitoring for Aquatic Invasive Species or general water quality trends overtime, long-term monitoring is key to managing parks and understanding ecosystem dynamics.

To learn more about water and environmental monitoring in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem visit, https://www.nps.gov/im/gryn/index.htm



📸NPS/Jenna Schauer

Address

20 US Highway 14A E
Lovell, WY
82431

Telephone

+13075485406

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