Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

At a glance

Visual character

“The Bighorn River locked between near-vertical canyon walls 1,000 feet high — one of the most dramatic canyon-lake environments in Wyoming. Wild mustangs in the Pryor Mountain herd.”

About

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area on the Wyoming-Montana border contains one of the most visually dramatic canyon lake environments in the Northern Rocky Mountain region. Bighorn Lake, formed by Yellowtail Dam, fills a canyon where vertical limestone walls rise nearly 1,000 feet directly from the water's surface — creating a confined, dramatic filming environment with extraordinary vertical scale. The nearby Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range, managed by BLM, contains one of the most genetically distinct mustang herds in the country. Wild horses on canyon-country ridgelines are visible from the south unit. The NPS manages two separate access sections — the Wyoming south unit and Montana north unit. Commercial filming permits required; contact the park at 307-548-5406. Lovell, Wyoming provides limited but functional production services. Billings, Montana (70 miles north) is the nearest production hub. A lesser-known gem for canyon and wild horse cinematography.

Where you'll be