• Red cliffs descend into the water of Bighorn Canyon

    Bighorn Canyon

    National Recreation Area MT,WY

Trees and Shrubs

Fall colors in the South District of Bighorn Canyon
Fall colors in the South District of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
NPS (Henthorne)
 

One of the most fascinating aspects of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area are the diverse species of trees and shrubs found in a relatively small area. There are three major groups of plants in the park:

  • Great Basin
  • Rocky Mountain
  • Great Plains

Each of these groups contains trees and shrubs that thrive in extreme conditions.
Vegetation from the Great Basin group, found throughout the southern portion of the park, occupies the largest part of the recreation area. Utah juniper and sagebrush are indicative species in this harsh and unforgiving environment. All the species found in this area have one common characteristic: survival. Some of the oldest specimens in the park can be found here, clinging to life, in some cases, for hundreds of years.

The Rocky Mountain plant group dominates the central and northern areas in the park. Shrubland in this climatic zone gives way to limber and ponderosa pines. On Black Canyon's north facing (shadowed) slopes Douglas Fir can be found.

At the north end of the recreation area, Great Plains species are abundant. They require greater moisture then species to the south. Most prominently, thick, hardy, cottonwoods line the banks of the Bighorn River.

(Sources include: Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area by Paul Gordon)

Did You Know?

Aerial view of Bighorn Canyon

Long before the Bighorn River was tamed by the Yellowtail Dam, the roiling waters through the canyon were feared. During spring snowmelt, the water turned into a raging torrent, a combination of whirlpools, rapids, and eddies. Conversely, the river through the canyon had a reputation for being placid by late summer, when dry heat and lack of rainfall turned it into a sedate stream. More...