Bighorn Head Gate Trail

The beginning of Bighorn Head Gate Trail with wildflowers in bloom
The beginning of Bighorn Head Gate Trail with wildflowers in bloom
NPS
 
Difficulty: Easy
Length: .10 mile Round Trip

Drive through the Afterbay campground past the sign that says “No Camping Beyond this Point”  to the bathroom at the end of the road. From here a short hike down the gravel path takes you to a quiet picnic area. This is near what remains of the Bighorn Head Gate.

The Bighorn Head Gate was part of the system that irrigated the lands in the upper Bighorn Valley in the early 1900’s before the dam was built in 1965.  This is a great place to brush up on your tracking skills and do some bird watching.

Did You Know?

Catch of the Day, photo by Doug Haacke

The Bighorn River is a tailwater, which means the water temperature doesn’t fluctuate like a freestone river, and rarely freezes.  This means float and wade fishing is available year round, and anglers can be found on the water 365 days a year. More...