Our recommendation
Visit Bighorn Canyon in September
September offers best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight. For comparison, July is the most crowded month (~2.6× the average month) and December is the quietest.
Annual visits
228K
2025
Busiest month
Jul
2.6× avg
Quietest month
Dec
0.3× avg
10-yr trend
falling
-7.2%
How crowded is Bighorn Canyon by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1979–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Very quiet | 42 Poor | 39°F / 20°F | 8.9 h |
| February | Very quiet | 44 Poor | 40°F / 21°F | 10.2 h |
| March | Very quiet | 44 Poor | 50°F / 28°F | 11.6 h |
| April | Quiet | 54 Fair | 58°F / 36°F | 13.3 h |
| May | Busy | 65 Good | 68°F / 44°F | 14.7 h |
| June | Very busy | 65 Good | 78°F / 53°F | 15.4 h |
| July | Very busy | 50 Fair | 89°F / 59°F | 15.1 h |
| August | Very busy | 55 Fair | 87°F / 57°F | 13.9 h |
| September★ best | Busy | 68 Good | 76°F / 49°F | 12.3 h |
| October | Quiet | 56 Fair | 61°F / 38°F | 10.7 h |
| November | Very quiet | 42 Poor | 48°F / 28°F | 9.3 h |
| December | Very quiet | 41 Poor | 39°F / 21°F | 8.6 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USC00249240, ~16 mi away).
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About visiting Bighorn Canyon
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area is a National Recreation Area in MT, WY and a relatively quiet park, drawing about 228,000 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has eased over the past decade, down about 7.2%. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: July is the busiest month at about 2.6× the park's average month, while December is the calmest at roughly 0.3× — a 10-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 57% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 74°F in July down to about 29°F in January, with the wettest stretch in May. About 5 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is September: best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight. Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the July rush. Daylight ranges from about 8.6 hours in midwinter to 15.4 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. These crowd figures are drawn from 1979–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
The vast, wild landscape of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area offers visitors unparalleled opportunities to immerse themselves in the natural world, and experience the wonders of this extraordinary place. With over 120,000 acres, one can find an astounding diversity in ecosystems, wildlife, and more than 10,000 years of human history to explore.
Weather & conditions
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.
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Bighorn Canyon
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area — live availability and prices to plan your trip. September is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather.
Top-rated places to stay near Bighorn Canyon
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Getting to Bighorn Canyon
The nearest airport is Billings Logan International Airport (BIL), about 143 mi (7 hr 12 min drive) away. Most visitors reach Bighorn Canyon by car.
Frequently Asked Questions
September offers best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight at Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. The park is busiest in July (about 2.6× the average month) and quietest in December.
July is the busiest month at Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, running roughly 2.6 times the park's average monthly visitation.
December is the quietest month at Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, at about 0.3× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area recorded about 228,382 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has been falling over the past decade (-7.2%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area averages about 74°F (July). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Billings Logan International Airport (BIL) is the closest airport to Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, about 143 mi (7 hr 12 min drive) away.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near Bighorn Canyon
If you are planning to swim, paddle or fish on this trip, these graded lakes are within a 40-mile drive. Grades are A–F from EPA and state-agency sampling.
- Deaver Reservoir -D water qualityGrade B · 29 mi · WY
- Bighorn Lake water qualityGrade C · 2 mi · MT
- Bighorn Lake water qualityGrade C · 15 mi · WY
- Yellowtail Reservoir Rpd water qualityGrade D · 13 mi · WY
- Horseshoe Reservoir water qualityGrade D · 18 mi · WY
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.