Big Sky, Montana
Lone Peak, a big ski mountain, huskies and sleigh rides in winter; waterfalls, horses and whitewater in summer. All about an hour from Bozeman’s airport.
Photo: Dennis Matheson · CC BY-SA 2.5
Big Sky sits in the mountains above the Gallatin Canyon, about an hour south of Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN). From Belgrade it’s 59–65 minutes by our estimate, via US-191 through the canyon. Use it as a ski base in winter, or as a jumping-off point for rafting, riding and Yellowstone in summer.
Plan your visit
Hours, dates and seasons change. Check with each business before you go.
Plan your runs with the official Big Sky Resort trail maps ↗
5,850 skiable acres, 4,350 vertical feet and Lone Peak’s 11,166-ft summit, with 40 lifts including the Lone Peak Tram and about 400 inches of snow a year. Opening day is Nov 25, 2026, and the resort is open daily through Apr 11, 2027 (conditions permitting).
Spirit of the North (Moonlight Basin, 406-682-7994) teaches you to drive your own team of Alaskan huskies. Yellowstone Dog Sled Adventures (406-223-5134) runs a roughly 2-hour “Learn to Mush” trip for all ages. Book directly.
At Lone Mountain Ranch, a horse-drawn sleigh takes you to the historic North Fork Cabin for a prime-rib dinner with live cowboy music, typically December to April. Reserve with the ranch (406-995-4644).
West Yellowstone, the starting point for snowcoach and snowmobile tours to Old Faithful, is south of Big Sky on US-191. Some guided winter wildlife tours also pick up in Big Sky.
Book Big Sky ski rentals & winter activities
November in Yellowstone: only the north road (Gardiner – Mammoth – Lamar – Cooke City) is open to cars. North-road tours such as the VIP North Yellowstone Winter Excursion run then.
Skip the rental-shop line: skis, poles and boots fitted in your room, with slope-side service.
See prices & availability
Reserve ski rentalSnowboard and boots delivered and fitted at your lodging, then picked up at the end of your stay.
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Reserve snowboard rentalA small-group winter wildlife day in Yellowstone with a guide, including Mammoth Hot Springs.
Good for: Wildlife
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Check availabilityA guided winter day in the park’s Northern Range: Lamar Valley, Mammoth Hot Springs and wildlife with spotting scopes.
Good for: Wildlife
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Check availabilityA private 4WD day through the North Entrance: wildlife, Mammoth Hot Springs and the northern range. Runs November to April, Tuesday to Thursday.
Good for: Wildlife
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Check availabilityA private winter day in Yellowstone on snowshoes with a naturalist guide, looking for wildlife in the snow.
Good for: Wildlife
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Check availabilityWinter tours and activities around Big Sky.
See prices & availability
See toursAffiliate links: if you book through Viator or GetYourGuide we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
An easy, well-built trail of about 1.6 miles to a waterfall, good for families and open all year. In winter, bring traction aids. More trails are on our hiking page. With kids? See family-friendly tours in Bozeman.
Jake’s Horses runs trail rides all year, including in winter, from one hour to multi-day pack trips. Minimum age is 7, and reservations are by phone (406-995-4630).
Lone Peak Tram scenic rides, the Kircliff glass observatory, zipline tours and a lift-served bike park. (The 2026 summer season ended Sept 13.)
A moderate high-alpine basin hike of about 6.6–7.2 miles with 1,500–1,700 ft of climbing, usually snow-free from July to September.
Guided whitewater trips in the Gallatin Canyon, from family-friendly floats to the Mad Mile.
Public trail rides at Lone Mountain Ranch (typically late May to mid-October) and 320 Guest Ranch, plus Big Sky PBR bull riding, usually in mid-July.
Book summer in Big Sky: rafting, Yellowstone & a family farm visit
Small-group whitewater with a seasoned guide; no rafting experience needed.
Good for: Beginners
See prices & availability
Check availabilitySplash through Screaming Left and the Mad Mile; wetsuits and booties included.
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Check availabilityThe same guided full-day park loop, with a start in Big Sky.
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Check availabilityMeet friendly alpacas and llamas on a local farm, a hit with kids, year-round.
Good for: Families with kids
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Check availabilityAffiliate links: if you book through Viator or GetYourGuide we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
Affiliate link: if you rent through GetRentacar we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
Seasonal notes: US-191 is a winding canyon road; allow extra time in snow and watch for wildlife.
Family tips: Ousel Falls is an easy, well-built trail; rafting outfitters offer family floats.
Suggested plan, not a tested report. Drive times are approximate OSRM routing estimates (no traffic, construction or winter conditions); allow more time in snow. Check hours and road status before you go.
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Markers are approximate.
Big Sky is about 63 minutes (47 miles) from our homes in Belgrade (approximate, OSRM routing; real times vary with weather, traffic and road work) OSRM.
Big Sky is an unincorporated community (3,591 residents in 2020) in the Gallatin Canyon, about 45 road miles from both Bozeman and West Yellowstone. The Gallatin River is named for Albert Gallatin, Thomas Jefferson’s Treasury Secretary. Big Sky Resort, founded by NBC newsman Chet Huntley, opened in December 1973 (Wikipedia) and merged with neighboring Moonlight Basin in 2013; Lone Mountain rises above 11,000 ft. The community has Meadow, Mountain and Canyon areas. Wikipedia
Stay in Belgrade
Skiing or hiking Big Sky on a day trip? Stay in Belgrade near the airport.
Day trip or overnight? Big Sky is about 63 min / 47 mi from Belgrade (OSRM, approximate; no traffic or winter conditions). That works as a day trip; for several ski or hiking days in a row, lodging in Big Sky saves the canyon drive each way.
We host five whole-home vacation rentals in Belgrade, about 5 minutes from Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN): three homes plus a duplex with two private units that can be booked together. Sky (3BR, up to 7 guests), Cozy (3BR, up to 8), Comfy Lodge (up to 6), and the Mountainview duplex: Unit A and Unit B (6 guests each), or the whole duplex for up to 12.
Belgrade works best as a base for day trips around southwest Montana. If you plan several days in a row inside Yellowstone, staying in a gateway town may suit you better; see where to stay near Yellowstone.
Bozeman · West Yellowstone · Bozeman vs Big Sky · Winter in Bozeman & Big Sky · All guides
About an hour by car via US-191 through the Gallatin Canyon (59–65 minutes from Belgrade by our estimate), and longer in snow.
Big Sky Resort lists opening day as November 25, 2026, with daily operations through April 11, 2027, conditions permitting.
Yes. Spirit of the North (in Moonlight Basin) and Yellowstone Dog Sled Adventures both run dog-sled trips near Big Sky in winter. Book directly with them.
There’s no public transit from the airport itself. Private shuttles such as Big Sky Shuttle run BZN to Big Sky, and the Skyline bus connects Bozeman and Big Sky from stops in town.
See our starting list of Big Sky restaurants.
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