Memorial Day weekend is supposed to be the big kickoff for the summer season in Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area and its main draw, Bighorn Lake.
People drag boats out of storage, load up coolers, hook pontoons to trucks and head for the canyon expecting a long weekend on the water.
This year there was one pretty major problem in carrying out those plans.
There’s no fuel available at the recreation area, and hasn’t been all weekend, according to park officials, who warned visitors to “plan accordingly” and said there’s no estimated timeline for when fuel service will return.
That’s making some marina operators nervous about one of the busiest boating weekends of the year.
“It’s a big deal,” said a staffer who identified herself only as Katy at Horseshoe Bend Marina near Lovell.
The weather is shaping up nice, people are eager to get outside after a long winter and opening weekend at the canyon is usually packed, she said.
“It’s beautiful and lots of people are planning to be out on the water,” she said.
But unlike a quick afternoon at a small lake, Bighorn Canyon can eat up a lot of fuel fast — especially for bigger recreational boats and pontoons.
A lot of visitors count on marina fuel once they get there, but this weekend, “We’re telling people they need to bring enough fuel for their entire trip,” the marina said. “They won’t be able to rely on the marina for fuel.”
And out there, running low on gas isn’t always a simple inconvenience.
‘It’s A Remote Area’
Bighorn Canyon stretches for miles through steep canyon walls and wide-open water where cellphone service can get “spotty,” according to marina staff.
Some stretches of water run roughly 14 miles from the marina.
That means people who miscalculate fuel — especially tourists unfamiliar with the area — could end up in a stressful situation pretty quickly.
“It’s a remote area,” said Katy.
If somebody runs out of gas deep in the canyon, they may end up relying on another boater for help, waiting around for a tow or trying to find enough signal to call somebody, she said.
Holiday weekends also tend to bring a lot of casual boaters and first-time visitors who may not realize how far they can get from services once they leave the dock.
The fuel shortage is already causing some frustration among businesses trying to kick off the summer season. Katy said some visitors have likely changed or canceled plans because of the uncertainty.
They declined to speculate on the exact cause of the shortage, though they said fuel disruptions can sometimes come down to supply chain problems.
Josh Elton, whose family has recreated in the area for four generations, said uncertainty surrounding fuel and marina operations has pushed some longtime visitors away from certain parts of the canyon altogether.
“You never knew if it was going to be open or have gas,” Elton said, adding that years ago the marina was known for dependable fuel service, food, clean facilities and a well-stocked store.
Elton contrasted that with Barry’s Landing, which he said appeared noticeably cleaner and better maintained last year under contracted operations he believes are held to specific standards.
“When things are contracted out they have standards to meet,” he said. “When the government is in charge there seems to be no accountability.”
Busy Weekend, Complicated Start
The fuel issue isn’t the only thing making Memorial Day weekend a little more complicated this year.
Park officials have also warned lake levels are lower than normal for the holiday weekend, and south district boaters are being directed to use Barry’s Landing instead.
Still, businesses around the canyon are trying to stay optimistic as summer tourism season gets underway.
Marina staff described the mood as “excited, but cautious.”
For boaters at Bighorn Canyon, local operators say the message was simple: don’t assume you’ll be able to gas up once you get there until fuel is delivered.
So far, the Big Horn County Sheriff's Office reports it has not responded to questions about potential safety concerns related to the fuel shortage, stranded boaters, or water rescues.
Contact Kolby Fedore at kolby@cowboystatedaily.com
Kolby Fedore can be reached at kolby@cowboystatedaily.com.
