Visit the Bighorn National Forest and enjoy the multiple reservoirs, 32 campgrounds, 3 scenic byways, 14 picnic areas, 7 lodges, miles and miles of streams, 189,000 acres of Wilderness, 1,500 miles of trails, and much more that provide a forest experience unique to the Big Horns.

Bits and Pieces About The Bighorn

• The Bighorn National Forest is 80 miles long and 30 miles wide.
• The Forest covers 1,115,073 acres.
• Elevations range from 5,500 feet to 13,175 feet
• Cloud Peak at 13,175 feet
• Black Tooth Mountain at 13,005 feet
• Most common tree is lodgepole pine.
• The Forest has 32 campgrounds, 14 picnic areas, 2 visitor centers, 2 ski areas 7 lodges, 2 recreation lakes, 3 Scenic Byways, and over 1,500 miles (2419 Km) of trails.
• The Bighorn River, flowing along the west side of the Forest, was first named by American Indians due to the great herds of bighorn sheep at its mouth. Lewis and Clark transferred the name to the mountain range in the early 1800’s.

100 Years, One thousand uses:
For thousands of years, human cultures have inhabited the Big Horn region, using mountain resources to improve their quality-of-life.

During the 1800’s the Big Horns provided teepee poles, lumber for nearby Fort Phil Kearny, beaver pelts, medicinal plants, abundant big game, summer grazing for cattle and sheep and clear, cool water. On February 22, 1897, Grover Cleveland signed legislation creating the Bighorn National Reserve, in recognition of the value these mountains hold for the American people and their livelihood.

Today, much remains the same. The Big Horns still provide products and uses like wood, water, livestock forage, and minerals. Of equal or even greater worth are the intangible resources that move our mind and soothe our souls — wildlife and wildflowers, magnificent scenic vistas, mountain trails, fresh air, and the freedom of wide open spaces.