Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area |
|
|---|---|
Snowfall on the Bighorn Canyon in the North District
|
|
 Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
Location in Montana
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Big Horn and Carbon counties, Montana & Big Horn County, Wyoming, USA |
| Nearest city | Billings, Montana |
| Area | 120,296.22 acres (486.8215 km2) |
| Established | October 15, 1966 |
| Visitors | 201,010 (in 2011) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area |
The Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area is a special place for outdoor fun. It was created by law on October 15, 1966. This happened after the Yellowtail Dam was built. The dam was made by the Bureau of Reclamation, a U.S. government agency that manages water.
This recreation area stretches across the states of Wyoming and Montana. The Yellowtail Dam was named after Robert Yellowtail, a famous leader of the Crow people. The dam helps control the Bighorn River. It turned the river into a large body of water called Bighorn Lake. This lake is about 71 miles long. About 55 miles of the lake are inside the recreation area. A big part of the park is also on the Crow Indian Reservation. Plus, nearly a quarter of the Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range is found here. This means you might see wild horses!
Contents
What Can You Do at Bighorn Canyon?
There are many exciting things to do and see at Bighorn Canyon. It's a great place for nature lovers and history buffs.
Fun Activities and Sights
Afterbay Lake is located just below the Yellowtail Dam. It's a popular spot for fishing, especially for trout. You can also see many ducks, geese, and other animals here. The Bighorn River below the dam is also famous for its excellent trout fishing.
The area also has many important historical sites. These places show us how people lived long ago. You can find visitor centers and other facilities in Fort Smith, Montana and near Lovell, Wyoming. These centers can help you plan your visit.
Exploring Historic Ranches
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area is home to four old ranches. Each ranch has its own interesting story.
The L Slash Heart Ranch
This ranch belonged to Caroline Lockhart. She was a well-known writer and journalist in the early 1900s. Two of her books were even made into silent movies back in the 1920s!
The Mason-Lovell Ranch
The Mason-Lovell Ranch was active in the 1880s. This was during the time of "open range" ranching. At one point, this ranch had about 25,000 cattle. They roamed all over the huge Bighorn Basin!
The Cedarvale Ranch
The Cedarvale Ranch is located in a ghost town called Hillsboro, Montana. It was a "dude ranch." This means it was a place where people could come for vacations. Grosvener W. "Doc" Barry, who owned the ranch, was from New York. His friend, President Teddy Roosevelt, even visited here!
The Ewing-Snell Ranch
The Ewing-Snell Ranch was a family ranch started by Erastus Ewing. He first went west hoping to find gold. But when gold mining didn't work out, he decided to become a rancher instead.
The Amazing Triple Echo
North of Lovell, you can find the Sullivan Knob's Trail. This trail leads to one of the most unusual spots in the recreation area. If you stand in a certain place on the canyon rim and shout, you will hear a "triple echo" in reply! It's a really cool experience.
