Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area Admission Will Be Free

One of the country's national park attractions straddling Wyoming and Montana now will be free to visit.

The Powell Tribune reports Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, north of Lovell, will be free starting May 25.

Admission to Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area was $5 per car. But park officials, after completing a cost benefit analysis, made admission free after discovering they were actually losing money by collecting entrance fees.

Park officials say Bighorn Canyon spent $194,892 collecting fees and only brought in $95,538.

Christy Fleming, chief of interpretation for the park, says the switch to free admission will give the park's staff the opportunity and time to work on programs and services that draw visitors to the park.