bighorn-canyon | WY | Find park

Summer view of the Yellowtail Dam from the Ok-A-Beh road. (Fort Smith, MT District)

Spring Cactus

Four orange kayaks laying with their tips on the red rocks at Barry's Landing.

Kayaks at Barry's Landing ready to go. (Lovell, WY District)

Bighorn Sheep Overlooking the Canyon

Looking up canyon toward Devil Canyon from the rim at Sullivan's Kob.

Devil Canyon Overlook from Sullivan's Knob Trail (Lovell, WY District)

smooth water just south of Barry's Landing

A Great Day on the Lake

Red hills in the foreground with Bighorn Lake in the background with a brilliant blue sky.

Horseshoe Bend from the Sykes Mountain (Lovell, WY District)

Physical Address:

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area South District Visitor Center

20 US Hwy 14A

Lovell, WY 82431

Mailing Address:

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area South District Visitor Center

20 US Hwy 14A

Lovell, WY 82431

contact-details

Phone Number: 3075485406 Voice

Email Address: BICA_media@nps.gov
Description:

Fees

Entrance Fees

Entrance Passes

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.

park designation:National Recreation Area

Directions:

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.

For detailed directions, please visit this link.

Directions

Operating Hours:

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

The park is open every day. The Yellowtail Dam Visitor Center in Fort Smith, MT is only open in the summer from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The Cal S. Taggart visitor center in Lovell, WY operates on seasonal hours; Summer Hours (Memorial Day to Labor Day): 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM; Seven days a week. Winter Hours (Labor Day to Memorial Day): 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM; Tuesday through Saturday. Closed Sundays and Mondays.

Winter Hours: Lovell, WY Visitor Center

The Cal Taggart Visitor Center is opened Tuesday-Saturday from 8:30am-4:30pm. The Visitor Center is closed Mondays and Sundays during the Winter Season.

Yellowtail Dam Visitor Center Will Be Closed for the 2024 Season

Due to low staffing and current road projects at the park, Yellowtail Dam Visitor Center will be closed for the 2024 Summer Season. We hope to reopen for Memorial Day Weekend 2025. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Weather Information:

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.