The Bighorn River in Montana presents the Fort Smith Fly Shop and Cabins and Bighorn River Guides for flyfishing float trips - To Do

Yellowtail Dam

Named in honor of Robert Yellowtail, former Crow tribal chairman and reservation superintendent. The dam creates one of the largest reservoirs on the Missouri River tributary system. The dam is 160 meters (525 feet) high and of the arch type.
Big Horn Canyon Landmark

Yellowtail DAM tour hours at the visitor center vary but even when it is closed you may walk out on the dam and discover the splendid view. The barrier gate, across the road, is usually locked from 5pm to 8am, but it is still open to foot traffic.

Drive, walk or ride your bike up to the OK-A-BEH Big Horn Canyon Marina. It is a beautiful 10 mile winding road with spectacular vistas. While at the marina you can swim, sun, boat, take photos, fish, and even collect unusual pieces of driftwood.

Hike the OM-NE-A-TRAIL which starts at the dam and ends at the marina. It is a three mile long hike and awesome, although it can be a bit muddy depending on weather conditions.

Check out the old HEAD GATES – a tiny little path leading to a nice place to sit, ponder and skip stones.

Bighorn Wildlife

The wildlife of the Bighorn Canyon is as varied as the land, Big Horn Canyon
which can be divided into four specific climate or vegetative
zones. In the south is desert shrub land inhabited by wild horses, snakes and small rodents. Midway is juniper woodland with coyotes, deer, bighorn sheep, beaver, wood rats and porcupine. Along the flanks of the canyon is pine and fir woodland with mountain lions, bear, elk, and mule deer.
Big Horn Canyon

To the north is short grass prairie, once home to the herds of buffalo. Many of the smaller animals, such as skunks, cottontails, coyotes, and rattlesnakes, are seen frequently throughout the park. More than 200 species of birds, including many kinds of waterfowl, have been seen in the park. Each plant and animal species is adapted to the particular conditions of temperature, moisture, and landform within one or more of the park’s four primary zones.

GOLF. Yes, there is a golf course in Fort Smith. There are no greens fees and you can play whenever you want.

At the Government Camp, there is a playground with swings, slides and other gym equipment.

Tennis is available at the tennis courts. The court is a little rough but there is usually no wait.

Basketball and volleyball are also available.

There are beautiful rocks to collect at the Afterbay. The water is a little cold for swimming, but a great place to wade, boat, float and bird watch.

Go Shopping! There are several shops in town. Make sure you stop by the Fort Smith Fly Shop & Cabins for the best tied flies in town.

Only a 40 minute drive from Fort Smith is the historic Little Bighorn Battlefield.

Battle of the Little Bighorn, commonly known as Custer's Last Stand, American military engagement fought on June 25, 1876, in what is now Montana, between a regiment of the Seventh United States Cavalry led by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer and a force of Sioux and Northern Cheyenne warriors. The discovery of gold in the nearby Black Hills in 1874 had led to an influx of white prospectors into Native American territory and to attacks on the prospectors by the Sioux, under Chiefs Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Gall.

In 1876 the army planned a campaign against the hostile Native Americans, then centered in southeastern Montana Territory. Custer's regiment of 655 men formed the advance guard of a force under General Alfred Howe Terry. On June 25 Custer's scouts located the Sioux on the Little Bighorn River. Unaware of the Native American strength, between 2500 and 4000 men, Custer disregarded arrangements to join Terry at the junction of the Bighorn and Little Bighorn rivers and prepared to attack at once. In the hope of surrounding the Native Americans, he formed his troops into a frontal-assault force of about 260 men under his personal command and two flanking columns. The center column encountered the numerically superior Sioux and Cheyenne. Cut off from the flanking columns and completely surrounded, Custer and his men fought desperately but all were killed. Later Terry's troops relieved the remainder of the regiment. The battlefield, now known as the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, was established as a national monument in 1886 and was known, until 1991, as the Custer Battlefield National Monument. (From Encarta ’98 Encyclopedia)

Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range

This area was established in 1968 to provide a well maintained sanctuary for wild horses. The herd size, now about 120-140, is managed by Bureau of Land Management.

(This information is taken from the National Park Service Brochure on the Bighorn Canyon)

Views of the Dam

--- Fort Smith Fly Shop & Cabins offer boat rentals and shuttle services--
Also, please read about parking fees and regulations when visiting or fishing.

click here for details

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Fort Smith Fly Shop & Cabins
PO Box 7872 Fort Smith, MT 59035 Ph 406-666-2550 E-mail: 2flyfish@nemont.net

Yellowtail Dam	Hike	Volleyball	Shopping
BigHorn Canyon	Tennis	Golf	Shuttle Service
Little Bighorn Battlefield	Basketball	Swimming	Parking Fees & Regulations
Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range			Boat Rentals