Bighorn Canyon road and lake update

FORT SMITH, MONT. — Road crews continue to work on both the North District and South District of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area.

The week of August 5, crews will be finishing up the Horseshoe Bend upper parking area paving project. The upper parking lot was to be closed August 5-7 to allow crews to complete their work quickly. The Marina parking area remains open.

Crews will also be working on the Lovell Bighorn Canyon Visitor Center parking area. To allow crews to complete their work quickly, the visitor center will be closed, and all visitor services will move to the Crooked Creek Ranger station near Horseshoe Bend. The closure began on August 5. Staff is planning to be at the Crooked Creek Ranger station through August 8 or until the project is completed. Staff is planning to be back at the visitor center at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, August 9.

Chip sealing has begun on the Bad Pass Road between Horseshoe Bend and Barry’s Landing. There will be single lane closures during the day. 

The week of August 12, crews will move chip sealing to the North District near Fort Smith, Montana. Crews will be working on Highway 313, Ok-A-Beh Road and Afterbay Road. There will be single lane closures during daytime. Pavement marking will be conducted throughout the park and will result in single lane closures.

Schedules and locations of work are subject to change based on weather. Visitors are encouraged to check park social media accounts for the latest updates. 

Lake conditions

The lake level as of August 6 was 3633.8. The driftwood continues to be minimal but can cause serious damage to boat props and lower units. Dayboard 9 docks and floating restrooms have been installed, and the campground is open. The Black Canyon floating restrooms have been installed for day use, but the campground remains closed due to bear activity. The floating restroom at Devil Canyon will remain out for the season for repairs. Floating restrooms are available at Barry’s Landing and Dryhead. There will be no fuel on the lake this summer. 

If you have questions, call the Bighorn Canyon Visitor Center at 307-548-5406.