Wyoming's Gateway To Bighorn Canyon Is An Outdoor Adventure Basecamp Nicknamed 'The Rose Town'

Ranching, roses, and recreation all bring visitors to Lovell, Wyoming. Like many small towns in America, one road goes in and out of town. Where Lovell stands out begins with the rose baskets hanging from lampposts, hinting at its nickname "Rose Town of Wyoming." It ends with the road being a scenic byway to some of the most Wild West experiences left in America, and there are a whole lot of mountains, scenic rivers, and wild horses in between. 

This is the Bighorn Basin, and Lovell is the Gateway to Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. The town is just a 20-minute drive from Montana, through the south entrance of Bighorn Canyon. Of the 230,000 annual visitors to the recreation area, this side sees the most traffic, with the busiest season between May and October. Lovell's location in northern Wyoming also means road access to Yellowstone National Park, the Pryor Mountains, and two rivers.

That said, nobody arrives in Lovell by accident. The closest airport is about 50 miles southwest, at Yellowstone Regional in Cody. Another option is to fly into Montana's Billings International and take the 90-mile drive south. In a state defined by small-town Western charm, Lovell really has a way to help guests stop and smell the roses before the next adventure.

Appreciating a trip to Lovell and the Bighorn Mountains means following legends, history, and two rivers through the Wild West. This region is the ancestral home of the Crow Nation. According to the National Park Service, legend has it that a young boy was left to die. A mystical bighorn sheep known as Big Metal saved him and demanded that the river be named Bighorn. He warned that if the name was ever changed, the "Crow People will be no more." The name stuck and was also assigned to the surrounding mountain range that is one of America's most picturesque.

While the name is tied to rams, it was cattle that put Lovell on the map. Famed local rancher Henry Clay Lovell's lent his name to the post office, and after his death, his name was stamped on the town in 1906. What's left of his former ranch remains preserved inside the recreation area. When Dr. William Watts Horsley came to town in the 1920s, he brought his M.D. and love of roses to the region, becoming known as the Rose Doctor. Gardens and flower pots still fill parks and gardens in the town today. 

The nearby Pryor Mountains are one of the largest wild horse ranges in America. Lovell visitors don't have to go far to learn more, since the Wild Mustang Center sits just about a mile from town. Seasonal tours are available that take guests on the rugged ride up the mountain where wild horses roam.

Next door is the Bighorn Canyon Lovell Visitor Center. It's worth noting that visiting Lovell means sticking to the reserve's South District, as only water and mountains connect the two ends of the recreation area. The drive to the North District and Yellowtail Dam takes up to three hours. 

While Bighorn Canyon is a lesser-known massive canyon offering water recreation, it's much easier to access the river than at Grand Canyon National Park, where a strenuous rim-to-river hike is required. Ready to keep exploring Wyoming? Head about two hours east over the mountains and along the Medicine Wheel Passage Scenic Byway. That will take you to Ranchester, another under-the-radar Bighorn Mountain gateway.