Skip to content
lakeglance

MontanaReservoir, 12,423 acres, Big Horn County

Bighorn Lake conditions today

Bighorn Lake, Montana
Photo: NPS staff, Public domain

Right now on Bighorn

loading

Best window

0pm to 0pm

score

Wind

00kt

Gusts 00

Direction

NE

Blowing from

Air temp

00°F

High

Rain

Dry

next 6 hours

Water level

3,626.43ft

Up 0.11 ft this week

Sailing

Checking

Reading the forecast

Kayak and SUP

Checking

Reading the forecast

Power boating

Checking

Reading the forecast

Fishing

Checking

Reading the forecast

Hour by hour

Next 24 hours
Wind and gusts0 to 30+ ktScoreGood, caution, stay ashoreNightBest windowArrows point where the wind blows to.

Outlook. Monday: S wind 2 to 6 kt, gusts to 11 kt, high near 58°F. Tuesday: SW wind 13 to 22 kt, gusts to 31 kt, high near 58°F.

7-day wind forecast

Live radar

Loads when you scroll here

Radar will load here

LightHeavy

Last hour of NOAA MRMS radar, 1 km resolution. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, OpenMapTiles, OpenFreeMap.

Water level

3,626.43ft NGVD29

+0.11 ft in 7 days

8.78 ft below the October normal

Sep 26Oct 11Oct 26

Reading from Oct 26, 2026. Shaded band: range of October averages on record; dashed line is the typical level.

Bighorn Lake was at 3,626.43 ft on October 26, rising 0.11 ft over the past week. That is well below normal for October: the typical October level is 3,635.21 ft, so the lake is 8.78 ft below its usual mark.

Lake facts

Type
Reservoir
State
Montana
County
Big Horn County
Surface area
12,423 acres
Elevation
3,642 ft
Level source
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Yellowtail Dam & Reservoir
Coordinates
45.2161° N, 108.1117° W

About Bighorn Lake

Bighorn Lake covers about 12,423 acres in Big Horn County, Montana and is classed as a reservoir. The water surface sits about 3,642 ft above sea level.

Water level on this page comes from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reading at Yellowtail Dam & Reservoir, published through the Corps' CWMS data service. Wind, gusts and rain come from the National Weather Service forecast grid that covers the water.

On a lake this size the wind has miles of open water to work with, so a 15 kt breeze can stack up a steep chop in the main basin while sheltered coves stay flat. Reservoir levels move with releases and inflow, so ramps and beaches can change week to week. The water level page tracks that day by day.

The go or no-go calls above are a starting point, not a guarantee. Read how we score conditions, and always check local rules and posted warnings before you launch.

Bighorn Lake questions

Is it windy on Bighorn Lake today?

The National Weather Service forecast for the lake from October 26: Monday: S wind 2 to 6 kt, gusts to 11 kt, high near 58°F. The panel at the top of this page refreshes the current wind, gusts and direction when you open it and turns them into a call for sailing, paddling, power boating and fishing.

What is the water level at Bighorn Lake right now?

Bighorn Lake was at 3,626.43 ft on October 26, rising 0.11 ft over the past week. That is well below normal for October: the typical October level is 3,635.21 ft, so the lake is 8.78 ft below its usual mark.

How big is Bighorn Lake?

Bighorn Lake covers about 12,423 acres (19 square miles) of surface water.

Nearby lakes

If Bighorn is blown out, these are the closest alternatives. Tap through for their conditions.