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Bighorn Canyon National Recreation AreaRed, chugwater hills reflect off the water near the South Narrows
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Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
Weather

The North end of Bighorn Canyon is semi-arid receiving 18 to 20 inches of rain annually. The South end is in the rain shadow of the Rocky Mountains and is a high desert with average rainfall from 6 to 10 inches annually. The average temperatures are consistent throughout the park with summer highs in the 80s (F) and 90s (F), lows in the 50s (F) and 60s (F). Summer temperatures can peak over 100 degrees. High winter temperatures range in the 20s and 30s and low temperatures average in the 10s (F) and 20s (F). Winter temperatures can drop below 0 (F) with extreme wind chill factors.

 

Pallid bat photo by Doug Keinath  

Did You Know?
According to the 2004 Bat Inventory of the Greater Yellowstone Network, Bighorn Canyon has the richest, most densely abundant bat fauna of the three park units that make up the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem with potentially 13 species.
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Last Updated: May 15, 2009 at 17:25 EST