In Big Horn County, history takes many different forms: a preserved doctor’s office, a place of remembrance, and cultural events. The Bighorn Canyon and a vast regional landscape complete the picture. When planning your visit, you can choose between historical insights, cultural experiences, and activities on the water.
Museums and Historic Sites
The Big Horn County Historical Museum in Hardin is located off Interstate 90 at Exit 497. You can step inside a doctor’s office dating from 1915. The museum is also home to the Will James Studio. A Crow tipi is also open to visitors; the Crow call it their “second mother.” These sites offer different perspectives, from the concrete setting of a doctor’s office to a tipi whose significance is reflected in its traditional name.
Another historical highlight awaits you at Chief Plenty Coups State Park. Chief Plenty Coups’s log cabin and store are designated as a National Historic Landmark. There is also a large picnic area beside Pryor Creek. The park’s visitor center is accessible and has flush toilets; check these facilities before your visit.
Culture and Remembrance
Crow Native Days is an annual cultural celebration in Crow Agency. The Crow Fair program includes cultural exhibits and arts and crafts markets. The works on display include beadwork and quillwork, as well as traditional clothing and contemporary art. If you plan to visit around the Crow Fair, check the current program for its exhibits and market offerings.
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument commemorates the battle of June 25 and 26, 1876. Those involved included Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors, as well as the U.S. Army’s 7th Cavalry. The Indian Memorial was dedicated on June 25, 2003, to honor all the tribes involved in the battle.
A 4.5-mile loop route at the monument leads to the Reno-Benteen position. Another way to explore the site is on interpretive bus tours with Apsáalooke Tours in Crow Agency. The air-conditioned tours are led by Indigenous guides. Apsáalooke Tours operates from Memorial Day through Labor Day; check the current seasonal schedule before your trip. As of August 9, 2026, the Little Bighorn Battlefield visitor center remained closed for construction. Check its current status before your visit.
Bighorn Canyon: Trails, Water and Views
The Bighorn Canyon’s North District in Big Horn County is near Fort Smith; a visitor center is located at Yellowtail Dam. From Fort Smith, Montana, the northern end of Bighorn Lake is accessible at Ok-A-Beh. The canyon offers motorized and non-motorized water activities, including boating, kayaking, and canoeing. This range of options lets you experience the water in different ways without limiting you to a single mode of transport.
There are also specific options to consider on land. The route through the North District near Fort Smith includes a nine-mile drive along Ok-A-Beh Road, with a 360-degree view of the landscape around the canyon. The Head Gate Trail reveals an irrigation canal built by the Crow Tribe before construction of the dam. In summer, the National Park Service offers ranger-led programs at the Afterbay Campground theater, at the Ok-A-Beh Marina, and along the Bighorn Canyon hiking trails. If you want to plan your trip around these programs, check the summer schedule.
The Regional Landscape
In the broader regional context, the landscape of Big Horn County includes the Big Horn, Pryor, and Wolf Mountain ranges. The Big Horn, Little Big Horn, and Tongue rivers flow through the region. Together with the historic sites and opportunities at Bighorn Canyon, these regional features offer different ways to shape your visit: you can focus on history and culture or make the canyon, its trails, and the water the centerpiece.
Discover more destinations: Hardin, Powell County, Lake County, Ravalli County, Cascade, Carter County, Deer Lodge, Chouteau County.
For the full travel overview: Montana.
