Big Horn County is a largely rural county in northern Wyoming. The county is commonly referenced as Big Horn County in state and regional resources. It occupies part of the broad Bighorn Basin and lies within the northern tier of the state; maps and regional descriptions place it in northern Wyoming, often linked to broader conservation and land-management materials at state and federal sites. The county seat is the town of Basin, while the largest municipality by population is Lovell.

Geography and natural features

Big Horn County encompasses a mix of basin floor, river valleys and the lower flanks of nearby ranges. The Bighorn River and smaller tributaries thread irrigation networks across valley floors, supporting cultivated fields and pasture. Semi-arid plains rise toward foothills and canyons where native grasses, sagebrush and stands of cottonwood along waterways are common. The landscape is used for grazing, wildlife habitat and seasonal recreation.

History and origin

Indigenous peoples, including Crow and Shoshone groups, used the region for hunting and seasonal movement long before Euro‑American settlement. Non‑native settlement increased in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the expansion of ranching, homesteading and later irrigation projects that made dry lands productive. The county’s name derives from the nearby Bighorn Mountains and the Bighorn River, themselves named for the bighorn sheep native to the region.

Economy, land use and recreation

The local economy is dominated by agriculture and ranching, supported by irrigation where water is available. Energy development, including oil and gas activity in parts of the basin, has also been part of the county’s economic mix. Outdoor recreation—fishing, hunting, horseback riding and access to public lands and nearby forested high country—contributes to tourism and local livelihoods.

Communities and notable facts

The county is composed of small towns, unincorporated communities and wide rural areas. Principal towns include the county seat and administrative center, Basin, and Lovell, the region’s largest town. Other settlements provide local services for ranching and farming families. Community events, small museums and local fairgrounds reflect rural culture and western heritage.

  • Characteristics: rural, agriculture-centered, outdoor recreation.
  • Landscape: basin floors, river valleys, foothills.
  • Cultural notes: ties to Native American history, ranching traditions, small-town civic life.