Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area is a National Recreation Area in Montana, Wyoming. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and nearby photo locations.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Bighorn Canyon the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:48 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:57 PM | 240° | 9h 09m |
| February | 7:15 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:41 PM | 253° | 10h 26m |
| March | 7:26 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:19 PM | 268° | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:28 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:58 PM | 285° | 13h 30m |
| May | 5:44 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:36 PM | 299° | 14h 52m |
| June | 5:26 AM | 6:11 AM | 8:17 PM | 9:02 PM | 305° | 15h 37m |
| July | 5:40 AM | 6:24 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:58 PM | 302° | 15h 18m |
| August | 6:15 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:21 PM | 291° | 14h 06m |
| September | 6:52 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:25 PM | 275° | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:29 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:29 PM | 259° | 11h 00m |
| November | 7:11 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:45 PM | 244° | 9h 33m |
| December | 7:45 AM | 8:34 AM | 3:43 PM | 4:32 PM | 237° | 8h 47m |
Computed for the park's reference point (45.1315, -108.1444); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Bighorn Canyon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | 5:18 AM – 5:38 AM | 0.3 | 12° |
| April | 3:17 AM – 4:37 AM | 1.3 | 15° |
| May | 1:16 AM – 3:26 AM | 2.2 | 16° |
| June | 11:38 PM – 2:48 AM | 3.2 | 16° |
| July | 11:21 PM – 1:31 AM | 2.2 | 16° |
| August | 10:17 PM – 11:27 PM | 1.2 | 15° |
| September | 9:07 PM – 9:27 PM | 0.3 | 12° |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
1 Estimated Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious.
Weather & best time to visit
North District: Semi-arid, receiving 18 to 20 inches of rain annually. South District: High-desert, receiving 6 to 10 inches of rain annually. Summer temperatures: Highs in the 80s (F) and 90s (F), lows in the 50s (F) and 60s (F). Summer temperatures can peak over 100 degrees. Winter temperatures: Range in the 20s and 30s with low temperatures averaging the 10s (F) and 20s (F). During the winter the thermometer can drop below 0 (F) with extreme wind chill factors.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (74%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Getting there
Bighorn Canyon has two districts that are separated by a three hour drive. To get to the North District at Fort Smith, MT from Billings, take Interstate 90 south to Hardin, MT. Turn at exit 495 onto State Highway 313 to St. Xavier and then to Fort Smith, Montana. To get to the South District at Lovell, WY from Billings, MT, take Interstate 90 west. Turn at exit 434 at Laurel, MT. Turn onto US 310 East/US 212 South. Turn at US 310 East to Lovell. The visitor center is on the east side of Lovell.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Theater
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Boating
- Motorized Boating
- Sailing
- Jet Skiing
- Boat Tour
- Camping
- Compass and GPS
- Fishing
- Freshwater Fishing
- Fly Fishing
- Food
- Dining
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Boat Tour
