Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area is a national recreation area established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, following the construction of the Yellowtail Dam by the Bureau of Reclamation.
A national recreation area, 1 mi east of Lovell
68% of visits come in Jun–Sep
July is the busiest month, with about 49,785 visitors. December sees about 4,218. When to go ↓
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 9°, with about 13" of snow a year. When to go ↓
You can sleep inside the park
10 places to stay are inside the park: Bighorn River View Lodge and Cottonwood Camp. The nearest town with more is Lovell. Where to stay ↓
Fort Smith is inside the park
Fort Smith sits inside the park’s boundary. Where to stay ↓
Best months: May, Jun and Sep
May, June and September are the mild months, with highs of 69–79°. When to go ↓
Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.
Crowds and weather, month by month
Bars: average monthly visitors, 2022–2025. Line: the typical afternoon high. Green months are mild and quieter than average.
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area is a national recreation area established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, following the construction of the Yellowtail Dam by the Bureau of Reclamation. It is one of over 420 sites managed by the U.S. National Park Service. The recreation area spans 120,296.22 acres, straddling the border between Wyoming and Montana. It is divided into two distinct areas, the North District accessed via Fort Smith, Montana and the South District accessed through Lovell, Wyoming. There is no thru road inside the recreation area connecting the two districts. The Yellowtail Dam is located in the North District. It is named after the famous Crow leader Robert Yellowtail, harnesses the waters of the Bighorn River by turning that variable watercourse into Bighorn Lake.
- Type
- National Recreation Area
- Established
- 1966
- Area
- 188 square miles
- Elevation
- 4,488 ft
- Run by
- National Park Service
- Wikipedia readers
- 4.4K a year
- Official site
- nps.gov/bica
Before you go
Where to stay near Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
You can sleep inside the park (10 places). The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Lovell (5) and Cody (48).
Stay in the park
- Bighorn River View Lodge lodge or cabins
- Cottonwood Camp lodge or cabins
- Bighorn River View Lodge and Cabins lodge or cabins
- Bighorn River Lodge lodge or cabins
- Bighorn Trout Shop and Lodge lodge or cabins
- Three Mile Lodge lodge or cabins
Lovell
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
2,351 people
1 mi west of Cal S. Taggart Bighorn Canyon Visitor Center (Lovell, WY) · at the park edge
Cody
10,377 people
40 mi southwest of Cal S. Taggart Bighorn Canyon Visitor Center (Lovell, WY) · 40 mi to the park
Powell
6,574 people
19 mi west of Cal S. Taggart Bighorn Canyon Visitor Center (Lovell, WY) · 19 mi to the park
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From the visitor center | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lovell | 1 mi west | — | 5 4 motels · 1 campground | 2,351 | $210K | — |
| Cody | 40 mi southwest | 1 hr | 48 19 hotels · 7 motels · 11 inns & B&Bs · 5 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 10,377 | $379K | B |
| Powell | 19 mi west | 30 min | 5 2 hotels · 3 motels | 6,574 | $289K | B− |
| Greybull | 29 mi southeast | 45 min | 9 2 hotels · 4 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 2 campgrounds | 1,700 | $170K | — |
| Red Lodge 24% vacation homes | 49 mi northwest | 1 hr | 20 8 hotels · 3 motels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 5 lodges & cabins · 1 campground | 2,723 | $381K | B− |
| Fort Smith 39% vacation homes | inside the park | 1 hr | 8 1 hotel · 7 lodges & cabins | 78 | $120K | — |
| Shell | 36 mi southeast | 55 min | 3 1 lodge or cabins · 2 campgrounds | 36 | — | — |
| Ralston | 27 mi west | 40 min | 1 1 lodge or cabins | 107 | — | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center
Also near Bighorn Canyon
Other well-known places within 64 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
152 mi National MonumentLittle Bighorn Battlefield National Monument42K visitors a year
60 mi Scenic driveBeartooth Highway
64 mi Park & preserveLewis and Clark National Historic Trail
63 mi Park & preservePompeys Pillar National Monument
56 mi MuseumBuffalo Bill Center of the West
59 mi National forestBighorn National Forest54 mi Ski areaRed Lodge Mountain58 runs · 2,294 ft vertical
247 mi Zoo & aquariumZooMontanaPhoto credits
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument: 1025wil, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Beartooth Highway: Phil Armitage, Public domain · Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail: United States Army Center of Military History, Public domain · Pompeys Pillar National Monument: BLM photo, Public domain · Buffalo Bill Center of the West: Paul Hermans, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Bighorn National Forest: Fabien Fivaz, CC BY 2.0 · ZooMontana: Montanabw, CC BY-SA 3.0
228,382 visitors in 2025
Every full year the Park Service has counted. 2020 (gold) was the pandemic year. Green is the record (2016).
Visiting Bighorn Canyon
What town is Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area near?
Lovell, WY, about 1 miles west.
When is the best time to visit Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area?
May, June and September, with highs of 69–79°. July is the busiest month (about 49,785 visitors).
How many people visit Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area each year?
228,382 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 259,485, set in 2016.
What is the closest airport to Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area?
Yellowstone Regional (COD), about 39 miles away.
Where should I stay near Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area?
Inside the park: Bighorn River View Lodge, Cottonwood Camp and Bighorn River View Lodge and Cabins. Nearby: Lovell (1 mi, 5 places to stay), Cody (40 mi, 48 places to stay) and Powell (19 mi, 5 places to stay).
Tips from people in Lovell
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Lovell’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.