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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
Rules Edit History: Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
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May 29, 2026 12:57 AM
Approved
• Added drone restriction profile for Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area based on NPS Policy Memorandum 14-05, 36 CFR § 1.5, Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act 16 U.S.C. § 1331 Pryor Mountain herd, WSR Act Bighorn River, and MBTA raptor nesting cliff protections.
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Approved
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Your proposed edit to restrict drone operations at Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area has been approved. The information is accurate and well-supported by official sources, and the outline appropriately matches the selected location. Thank you for your contribution.
Sources
- https://www.nps.gov/bica/planyourvisit/unmanned-aircraft.htm — NPS Policy Memorandum 14-05 and 36 CFR § 1.5 prohibit all drone operations within Bighorn Canyon NRA. Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act Pryor Mountain herd protections, WSR Act Bighorn River corridor, and MBTA raptor nesting add multi-layer federal restrictions.
- https://www.nps.gov/bica/learn/management/lawsandpolicies.htm — Official NPS policy page confirms management and restrictions.
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| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Flight status | Unknown | NoFly |
| Summary | — | 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 |
| Mapped shapes | — | 950d1947-8f97-4012-9c4e-4108c3e482b3 |
Before
After
## 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
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+ ## 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
May 27, 2026 2:53 AM
Approved
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Changed fields
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| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Rule category | Air | Ground |
| Flight status | Permission | Unknown |
| Summary | Drone use restricted. Follow NPS rules. | — |
| Mapped shapes | ab55d340-67a0-4886-a98b-e736f02fedb7 | — |
Before
This canyon system protects wildlife habitat and steep terrain used by visitors. Drone use can disturb animals and create hazards in confined canyon spaces.
After
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- This canyon system protects wildlife habitat and steep terrain used by visitors. Drone use can disturb animals and create hazards in confined canyon spaces.