Big Sky

Big Sky is an alpine ski and golf resort community in Montana. The community's two large ski resorts, Big Sky Resort and Moonlight Basin, merged in 2013. In 2020, it was home to about 3,600 people.

Understand
Big Sky was a ranch up until the early 1970s, when TV newscaster Chet Huntley decided to turn it into a ski hill and resort area. It has grown considerably since then but still is relatively uncrowded as most of the lodging in the area is houses and condos that are used infrequently.

Get in
Big Sky is approximately midway between West Yellowstone and Bozeman on U.S. Highway 191 and 15 miles (24 km) from the northwestern border of Yellowstone National Park.

You can fly into Bozeman and take a 45-minute drive down the canyon along the Gallatin River, or the Skyline bus.

Get around
Big Sky is divided between the Mountain Village (at the base of the Big Sky Ski Resort) and the Meadow Village (that is a 10-minute car ride and several thousand vertical feet below the Mountain).

See
Near the Meadow Village there is a beautiful 30-foot falls, Ousel Falls, that freezes up in the winter. You can usually hear/see water running beneath the ice on the far right side. The trail to the falls is fairly well maintained and receives regular use. As you head from Highway 191 to Big Sky, you will see the golf course on your right. Soon after, there will be a left turn onto Ousel Falls Road. Travel about 2 miles to the obvious parking area and trail head on the left side. The trail to the falls follows a stream and is about 1½ miles long.

Do
There is great skiing and boarding, in particular for more advanced skiers. The lifts are never crowded. Top runs are.
 * Cruisers - Calamity Jane, Elk Park Ridge, and Big Horn
 * Moguls - Crazy Raven, Mad Wolf, Moonlight, and Bad Dog
 * Glades - Wounded Knee, Congo, and Blackfoot
 * Steeps - Anything off the Tram, War Dance, Big Rock Tongue, and Snake Pit

This is a big mountain with lots of area to explore. Rocks are not marked very well, so use caution when off the groomers. There are also several good terrain parks for shred-heads and freestylers.

Stay safe
Big Sky is adjacent to the historic Karst Asbestos mine, which is dubiously marked out as "Asbestos Mine Trail". The mine, which is no longer active, has never been cleaned up, and visitors should stay away from the area due to the danger of breathing asbestos dust.

Go next

 * Bozeman Hot Springs & Fitness Center (36 miles north) 9 natural hot springs pools with temperatures ranging from 59 to 106 degrees and both dry and wet saunas.