On July 17th, the Bighorn Basin Outdoor Recreation Collaborative (BBORC) held a kickoff event for the Bighorn River Blueway Trail Event in Manderson & Basin. Governor Mark Gordon not only was the guest speaker but took a float down the Bighorn as well.

What is the Bighorn River Blueway Trail? The Bighorn River Blueway Trail is a proposed river trail that would start at the Wedding of the Waters south of Thermopolis, Wyoming and end at Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area in Lovell, Wyoming. From there, recreationalists could continue all the way to the Yellowtail Dam in Fort Smith, Montana. This trail offers non-motorized water recreationalists a wide variety of opportunities, including wildlife watching, ever-changing scenery, fishing (over a dozen game fish inhabit the river) and camping.

The creation of this trail has the potential to bring significant recreation economic growth to the communities along the Bighorn River, including Thermopolis, Worland, Manderson, Greybull, Basin and Lovell. It could enhance revenue opportunities for businesses that sell or rent outdoor equipment, shuttle services, fishing guides and overnight accommodations.