Bighorn Mountain Trails

The Bighorn Mountains rise abruptly from the Great Plains in north-central Wyoming, creating a surprising mountain paradise that most travelers drive past on their way to Yellowstone. Red-walled canyons on the eastern slope give way to alpine meadows, dense forests, and mountain lakes above 9,000 feet. Forest roads are less traveled than those in more famous ranges, offering genuine solitude and wildlife encounters. The range's isolation from other mountain ranges creates unique ecological communities and a sense of remoteness that's increasingly rare in the American West.