Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area - Facilities

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area by National Parks Service

Afterbay Contact Station

Open

Hours may vary depending on staffing

Crooked Creek Contact Station

Open

Hours may vary depending on staffing

Location

On Highway 37, just past the south entrance into the park.

Exhibits

Display on four historic ranches found in the Recreation Area. Map of the park.

Available Facilities

Restrooms available from sunup to sunset. Ranger Station is handicapped accessible.

VISITOR CENTERS

Bighorn Canyon Visitor Center

Open

Open All Year

Open From Memorial Day to Labor Day 8:00AM-6:00PM

Open From Labor Day to Memorial Day 8:30AM-4:30pm

New Summer hours - May 23, 2010 to Labor Day 2010: Open Daily 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Phone

307-548-2251

Location

Located 11 miles south and west of the south entrance to Bighorn Canyon in the town of Lovell, Wyoming at the junction of Highways 14A and 310.

Closures

Open all year except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Years Day.

Special Programs

Choice of a 20 minute film on Bighorn Canyon and two videos, one on the Pryor Mountain Wild Horses and one on the Medicine Wheel are shown upon request.

Exhibits

Relief map of Bighorn Canyon and the surrounding areas. Some geological, historical and photo exhibits on the natural and cultural history of the area.

Available Facilities

Books and other items available for sale through the Western National Parks Association.

Yellowtail Dam Visitor Center

Closed

Closed for 2009 season.

Phone

406-666-3218

Location

Fort Smith, Montana. Continue through the town of Fort Smith and past the government housing. Follow the road up the hill to the parking lot for the Visitor Center

Closures

Closed after Labor Day

Special Programs

A variety of films are shown upon request.

Exhibit

s

Exhibits on -construction and workings of the Yellowtail Dam. -the unique geology of the area -details of the life of Robert Yellowtail, the Crow tribal leader when the dam was built and for whom the dam was named. -the Crow Indians and the famed leader Chief Plenty Coups -the history of Bighorn River and Bighorn Lake -examples of fish that one may expect to catch at Bighorn Canyon NRA.

Available Facilities

The visitor center and top of the dam are wheelchair accessable but the tour of the dam requires ascending two flights of stairs in the dam and one flight in the power house. Books and other items available for sale through the Western National Parks Association sales facility at the visitor center. Restroom facilities are available at the visitor center and two locations along the tour route.