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Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area➤

While staying in Cody, Wyoming, we took a day trip East to visit Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. Bighorn Canyon straddles southern Montana and Northeastern Wyoming. The park is characterized by its vast canyons, rugged landscapes, and the Bighorn River, which flows through the area. The canyon itself stretches over 120 miles, making it one of the longest and most impressive in the United States. The Fort Smith, Montana and Lovell, Wyoming sections of the park do not connect. We spent the day exploring from the Lovell entrance, including Devil Canyon Overlook. We stopped at the visitor center in Lovell before continuing a few miles up the road into the park.

Devil Canyon Overlook➤

After the visitor center, we visited the Devil Canyon Overlook just north of the Horseshoe Bend turnoff. The overlook provides breathtaking views of the confluence of the Bighorn and Devil Canyons. The narrow, winding, colorful canyon cliffs tower 1,000 feet above the lake level.

We saw a herd of bighorn sheep climbing the cliffs and grazing by the road while we were there. These wild sheep are native to the area. Both male and females possess horns, though they are larger and curled on adult males. This herd appeared to be all females and juvenile males.

Bighorn Canyon NRA Posts➤

• Devil Canyon Overlook
• Barry’s Landing
• Lockhart Ranch
• Ewing-Snell Ranch
• Two Eagles Interpretive Trail
• Sullivan’s Knob Trail
• Horseshoe Bend

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Location: Canyon Overlook Road, Montana
Designation: National Recreation Area
Date designated/established: October 15, 1966
Date of my visit: September 26, 2023