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In Montana, Bighorn Lake is a reservoir used for time on and around the water. Sitting at around 3,640 feet of elevation, it drops to a maximum depth near 475 feet. At around 17,200 acres (about 27 square miles), it is a large waterbody. Research-grade observations nearby include Smallmouth Bass, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, and Common Carp. A nearby water gauge supplies level and temperature readings where available. Coverage here includes an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, water readings, fishing conditions, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. Forecasts for Bighorn Lake come from the National Weather Service and refresh several times a day.
Updated
Latest source update is older than expected. Use caution and check the official source.
The last automated check (Oct 11, 8:35 AM MDT) found no active alerts for this lake, but that check is older than LakeRadar's alert freshness window, so the current alert status could not be confirmed.
Confirm before heading out: official alerts for this area or weather.gov/alerts. LakeRadar scores summarize available conditions and are not a substitute for official warnings, local rules, or on-water judgment.
Overall Fair (73/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Sailing (81/100).
How the score is calculated →Best good fishing window, averaging 88/100 across these hours. Wind 6 mph from the northeast. Dusk hours (18:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 42° | 42° | 43° | 43° | 44° | 44° | 44° | 44° | 44° | 43° | 43° | 42° | 42° | 41° | 41° | 40° | 40° | 39° | 38° | 37° | 36° | 36° | 35° | 35° |
| Wind (kts) | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 10 |
| Direction | E | E | E | E | E | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | NW |
| Gusts (kts) | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 15 |
| Precip % | 85% | 85% | 85% | 99% | 99% | 99% | 90% | 90% | 90% | 92% | 92% | 92% | 87% | 87% | 87% | 91% | 91% | 91% | 96% | 96% | 96% | 68% | 68% | 68% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, 9 AM MDT | 42°F | 10 mph ENE (68°) | 20 mph | 85% | 95% | Light Rain |
| Sun, 10 AM MDT | 42°F | 10 mph ENE (68°) | 20 mph | 85% | 92% | Light Rain |
| Sun, 11 AM MDT | 43°F | 10 mph ENE (68°) | 18 mph | 85% | 94% | Light Rain |
| Sun, 12 PM MDT | 43°F | 10 mph ENE (68°) | 18 mph | 99% | 92% | Rain |
| Sun, 1 PM MDT | 44°F | 10 mph ENE (68°) | 18 mph | 99% | 92% | Rain |
| Sun, 2 PM MDT | 44°F | 10 mph NE (45°) | 17 mph | 99% | 94% | Rain |
| Sun, 3 PM MDT | 44°F | 10 mph NE (45°) | 17 mph | 90% | 92% | Rain |
| Sun, 4 PM MDT | 44°F | 10 mph NNE (23°) | 18 mph | 90% | 96% | Rain |
| Sun, 5 PM MDT | 44°F | 12 mph NNE (23°) | 18 mph | 90% | 100% | Rain |
| Sun, 6 PM MDT | 43°F | 12 mph NNE (23°) | 20 mph | 92% | 95% | Rain |
| Sun, 7 PM MDT | 43°F | 12 mph N (0°) | 20 mph | 92% | 96% | Rain |
| Sun, 8 PM MDT | 42°F | 13 mph N (0°) | 20 mph | 92% | 98% | Rain |
| Sun, 9 PM MDT | 42°F | 13 mph N (0°) | 20 mph | 87% | 97% | Rain |
| Sun, 10 PM MDT | 41°F | 12 mph N (0°) | 18 mph | 87% | 100% | Rain |
| Sun, 11 PM MDT | 41°F | 12 mph N (0°) | 16 mph | 87% | 96% | Rain |
| Mon, 12 AM MDT | 40°F | 10 mph N (0°) | 15 mph | 91% | 95% | Rain |
| Mon, 1 AM MDT | 40°F | 10 mph N (0°) | 15 mph | 91% | 96% | Rain |
| Mon, 2 AM MDT | 39°F | 12 mph NNW (338°) | 15 mph | 91% | 98% | Rain |
| Mon, 3 AM MDT | 38°F | 12 mph NNW (338°) | 16 mph | 96% | 98% | Rain And Snow |
| Mon, 4 AM MDT | 37°F | 13 mph NNW (338°) | 17 mph | 96% | 98% | Rain And Snow |
| Mon, 5 AM MDT | 36°F | 13 mph NNW (338°) | 17 mph | 96% | 98% | Rain And Snow |
| Mon, 6 AM MDT | 36°F | 15 mph NNW (338°) | 21 mph | 68% | 98% | Rain And Snow Likely |
| Mon, 7 AM MDT | 35°F | 14 mph NNW (338°) | 20 mph | 68% | 99% | Rain And Snow Likely |
| Mon, 8 AM MDT | 35°F | 12 mph NW (315°) | 17 mph | 68% | 99% | Rain And Snow Likely |
| Mon, 9 AM MDT | 35°F | 10 mph NW (315°) | 15 mph | 26% | 94% | Chance Rain And Snow |
Official National Weather Service hourly forecast. Showing 10 of 25 hours. Wind arrows point the way the wind is blowing; the compass point and degrees show where it comes from.
| Period | Overnight October 11, 2026 | Overnight October 11, 2026 | Today October 11, 2026 | Tonight October 11, 2026 | Columbus Day October 12, 2026 | Monday Night October 12, 2026 | Tuesday October 13, 2026 | Tuesday Night October 13, 2026 | Wednesday October 14, 2026 | Wednesday Night October 14, 2026 | Thursday October 15, 2026 | Thursday Night October 15, 2026 | Friday October 16, 2026 | Friday Night October 16, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 39° | 39° | 44° | 34° | 41° | 33° | 51° | 37° | 57° | 41° | 56° | 35° | 60° | 41° |
| Wind | NNE 15 mph | NE 15 mph | NE 13 mph | N 13 mph | NW 8 to 15 mph | SE 2 to 6 mph | WSW 1 to 6 mph | WNW 3 mph | SE 2 to 7 mph | W 5 to 8 mph | NW 9 to 14 mph | NW 7 mph | SSW 7 mph | S 6 to 16 mph |
| Gusts | 21 mph | 21 mph | 20 mph | 20 mph | 21 mph | 10 mph | 9 mph | 7 mph | 12 mph | 12 mph | 20 mph | 12 mph | 12 mph | 20 mph |
| Precip % | 94% | 78% | 99% | 96% | 68% | 17% | 35% | 14% | 13% | 15% | 15% | 12% | 3% | 2% |
| Forecast |
Nearby river temperature: 51.6°F at Bighorn River at bridge, at St. Xavier, MT (17.8 mi away) · Oct 11, 2:30 PM UTC
Fair for fishing (69/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 10 mph from the east-northeast. Morning hours (09:00 local). Working against it: 85% chance of precipitation is likely. Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend, water temperature. Confidence is moderate (74%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Fair for boating (73/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. Wind 10 mph from the east-northeast. Working against it: 85% chance of precipitation is likely. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility and conditions, verified water access. Confidence is moderate (84%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Good for sailing (81/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 10 mph from the ENE is in the preferred sailing range. No active official alerts for this lake. Working against it: 85% chance of precipitation is likely. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Fair for kayaking (72/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 10 mph from the east-northeast. No active official alerts for this lake. Working against it: 85% chance of precipitation is likely. Confidence is high (90%).
Water temperature is not available from a verified source for this lake. No swimming score is shown without it.
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Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of MT Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Bighorn Lake serves as a key recreational and ecological freshwater reservoir in MT & WY, overseen by state and local natural resource agencies. The waterbody supports active boating, angling, and shoreline access throughout the open season. Visitors are encouraged to verify current launch conditions, water levels, and local regulations before heading out onto the water.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) is required for anglers age 12+. Digital license on mobile is accepted.
Mandatory Clean, Drain & Dry inspection. Out-of-area craft require on-site Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS Quagga/Zebra) inspection or decontamination before launch. USCG life jackets required for all.
Public shoreline and boating access managed by State & Local Authorities. Verify seasonal gate hours, launch fees, and parking rules before travel.
High-speed motorboating, pontoon cruising, wakeboarding, and water skiing across main channels. Target gamefish include Smallmouth Bass, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Common Carp. Morning hours typically provide optimal glassy conditions for kayak and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) touring.
Warm water temperatures, peak swimming, active watersports, and open full-service campgrounds. Highest weekly attendance; plan early arrivals on summer weekends.
Spring pre-spawn and fall feeding transitions create prime trophy angling conditions. Cooler air, lower boat traffic, and vibrant seasonal shoreline foliage.
High-altitude mountain winter climate (elevation 3,640 ft MSL). Freezing temperatures, potential snowpack or ice cover, and reduced seasonal amenities. Winter safety caution advised.
No external source rows are cited by the data currently shown on this page.
Updated
Scores are heuristics, not safety guarantees. LakeRadar scores summarize available conditions and are not a substitute for official warnings, local rules, or on-water judgment.
All telemetry for Bighorn Lake is synchronized directly from authorized federal and state monitoring networks (USGS, NWS, NOAA, and state environmental authorities). Observations are strictly instrumented readings — unmonitored sensors are transparently disclosed rather than synthetic estimates.
Last source audit: Oct 11, 9:02 AM MDT