← Back to Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

Drone Rules for Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

Fort Smith, Montana (MT) • United States
Fort Smith, MT 59035, USA
Lat: 45.0535 • Lng: -108.247
Ground Not allowed Last updated: May 29, 2026
Summary
Edit rules/place details on map

Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area under NPS regulations, controlled by the National Park Service. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit Special Use Permit from the park superintendent. Straddling the Montana-Wyoming border, the recreati

Authorization Status

  • Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned
  • Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit
  • Wild horses: ⚠️ Free-roaming Pryor Mountain herd — disturbance ban
  • WSR: ⚠️ Bighorn River Wild & Scenic corridor

Geographic Boundaries

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area is located in Big Horn and Carbon Counties, Montana, and Big Horn County, Wyoming.

  • Total area: ~120,296 acres
  • Coordinates: 45.1500° N, 107.9333° W
  • Includes Bighorn Lake (71-mile reservoir), Pryor Mountains, Devil Canyon Overlook (1,000 ft sheer walls), and Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range
  • Spans Montana-Wyoming state line
  • Nearest city: Lovell, WY (~5 miles south)

Regulations

  • NPS Management Policies § 8.2.2 prohibits UAS in all NPS units
  • 36 CFR § 1.5 — Superintendent's closure authority
  • 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3) — Prohibits air delivery/retrieval within park
  • Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (16 U.S.C. § 1331) — Pryor Mountain wild horse herd federally protected; UAS harassment constitutes federal violation
  • Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. § 1271) — Bighorn River
  • Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — Golden Eagle and Peregrine Falcon nesting in canyon walls
  • FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide
  • Airspace: Class G; no controlled airspace over recreation area

Penalties

  • NPS fines up to $5,000 per violation
  • Wild Horse Act violations: fines up to $2,000 + 1 year imprisonment per incident
  • WSR Act civil penalties for river corridor disturbance
  • MBTA fines up to $15,000 + 6 months per raptor disturbance
  • FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day
  • Equipment confiscation by park rangers

Special Permissions

  • NPS Special Use Permit required
  • Wild horse research: BLM + NPS Wild Horse Act coordination
  • Raptor nesting blackout: February–August canyon wall areas Submit requests to: Bighorn Canyon NRA Superintendent, 20 US-14A, Lovell, WY 82431
Map is not loaded yet
Load the map only when you need to view the rule outline.
This shows the latest mapped outline for this rules page. Click a shape to view its note when available.
Rule sources
Parent Rule Pages