Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

Infobox_protected_area | name = Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
iucn_category = V

---

caption =
locator_x = 85
locator_y = 40
location = Big Horn and Carbon counties, Montana & Big Horn County, Wyoming, USA
nearest_city = Billings, MT
lat_degrees = 45
lat_minutes = 11
lat_seconds = 40
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 108
long_minutes = 7
long_seconds = 50
long_direction = W
area = 120,296 acres (487 km²)
established = October 15, 1966
visitation_num = 203,747
visitation_year = 2007
governing_body = National Park Service

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, following the construction of the Yellowtail Dam by the Bureau of Reclamation. This dam, named after the famous Crow chairman Robert Yellowtail, harnessed the waters of the Bighorn River and turned this variable stream into a lake. Archeological and historical resources complement the natural scene. About one third of the area is within the Crow Indian Reservation.

Bighorn Lake extends 71 miles (114 km) through Wyoming and Montana, 55 miles (89 km) of which are held within spectacular Bighorn Canyon. The Recreation Area straddles the northern Wyoming and southern Montana borders. There are two visitor centers and other developed facilities; one in Fort Smith, Montana, and one near Lovell, Wyoming. The Afterbay Lake below the Yellowtail Dam is a good spot for trout fishing and wildlife viewing for ducks, geese and other animals. The Bighorn River below the Afterbay Dam is a world class trout fishing area. North of Lovell, there is a spot where one can stand on the canyon rim, shout, and hear a "triple echo."

References

* "The National Parks: Index 2001-2003". Washington: U.S. Department of the Interior.

External links

* [http://www.nps.gov/bica/index.htm National Park Service: Bighorn National Recreation Area]