Prospect Creek/Beaver Interpretive Site

Prospect Creek/Beaver Interpretive Site sits along the Bighorn Scenic Byway.

Mother Nature’s Dam-Builders

Signs of beaver are a common sight in the creeks and streams of the Bighorn National Forest.  Look for stick and mud dams across the creek, and mounds of sticks that are the visible portion of the beaver lodges, where the beaver make their homes.  Beaver are usually active at night, but occasionally can be seen during the day.   Beaver feed on bark and small twigs.  The ponds created by these dam-builders are essential habitat for birds, fish, and other animals. 

In the early 1800’s, the fashion of men’s top hats made of beaver fur spread through Europe and eastern American cities.  This fashion spurred a boom in the fur market and nearly wiped out the beaver population.  Hundreds of trappers and traders traveled to Wyoming seeking their fortunes in beaver pelts.  One of the most famous was Jim Bridger, who traveled and trapped extensively in the Bighorn Mountains.