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Photo: National Park Service, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
National recreation area around Bighorn Lake, created by the Yellowtail Dam (named after the Crow leader Robert Yellowtail). The area straddles the border to Wyoming. Part of the area is in the Crow Indian Reservation. Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range is partly in the park.
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area is a national recreation area established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, following the construction of the Yellowtail Dam by the Bureau of Reclamation. It is one of over 420 sites managed by the U.S. National Park Service. The recreation area spans 120,296.22 acres, straddling the border between Wyoming and Montana. It is divided into two distinct areas, the North District accessed via Fort Smith, Montana and the South District accessed through Lovell, Wyoming. There is no thru road inside the recreation area connecting the two districts. The Yellowtail Dam is located in the North District. It is named after the famous Crow leader Robert Yellowtail, harnesses the waters of the Bighorn River by turning that variable watercourse into Bighorn Lake. The lake extends 71 miles (114 km) through Wyoming and Montana, 55 miles (89 km) of which lie within the national recreation area. The lake provides recreational boating, fishing, water skiing, kayaking, and birding opportunities to visitors. About one third of the park unit is located on the Crow Indian Reservation. Nearly one-quarter of the Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range lies within the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Reenactment on a site that was part of the actual battle. The unfolding of the war and the battle is largely told from Native American perspectives, by members of the tribes that participated in the conflict. The show features impressive displays of horseback riding by cavalry reenactors. Arrive early, bleacher seating gets crowded. Prepare for any weather. There's a few food and crafts vendors, but options are limited.
Walk along the graves of about 5,000 American veterans, including women and children from isolated frontier posts, Indian scouts, and Medal of Honor recipients.
The visitor center is a temporary structure, beside a new building that is expected to open in 2026.
Here is where 41 Army soldiers, including Custer, dug in as they were overcome by Indian forces. There are a variety of memorial structures, including the 7th Cavalry Memorial and the Indian Memorial.
Major Marcus Reno's detachment retreated to this hill after attempting to attack an Indian encampment across the river, and were surrounded here until the next day. From this vantage point, you can piece together the early stages of the battle.