Discover Big Sky

Big Sky offers several specific reasons to plan your trip around your interests: nature trails, Nordic winter activities, events and regional history. If you’re looking for a hotel in Big Sky, it can be helpful to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay. The following examples vary by season, type of activity and historical connection, and offer practical starting points for planning your trip.

Nature Trails and Open Spaces

Ousel Falls Park is a 29.5-acre open space in Big Sky. The park has viewpoints, picnic areas and wooded trails, and its trails provide access to Custer Gallatin National Forest. The park is open year-round.

Trail descriptions differ mainly in length, surface and route. The paved Lone Peak Trail is 3 miles long and leads from the highway directly into the center of Meadow Village and to the Town Center. Little Willow Way follows the water eastward for nearly a mile; the Crail Ranch Trail heads west across the historic Crail Ranch meadow.

Winter Activities and Events

The Big Sky Resort Nordic Center offers groomed trails, equipment rentals and lessons in both Nordic skiing disciplines. Meadow Village also has Nordic skiing trails. Plan for this seasonal winter activity based on current operating dates. The Marty Pavelich Ice Rink offers ice skating, hockey, curling and community events every winter; it is also seasonal.

Big Sky Community Park has disc golf. Len Hill Park hosts concerts, festivals and year-round community events. These include Music in the Mountains, a free outdoor concert series on Thursday evenings from late June to early September. Dates may vary from year to year.

The activities have different seasonal schedules: Ousel Falls Park is open year-round, trails and the ice rink are seasonal winter activities, and Music in the Mountains takes place in summer. If you want to plan your trip around a particular activity, it’s worth considering these seasonal differences.

Regional History at Historic Crail Ranch

Historic Crail Ranch offers insight into the lives of the region’s earliest settlers and the agricultural roots of the Gallatin Valley. You can explore the historic buildings on guided tours or self-guided walks. Historic Crail Ranch also offers hands-on educational programs and living history experiences. Some programs are seasonal or tied to specific dates.

Historic Crail Ranch offers different ways to visit: tours take you to the historic buildings, while educational programs and living history experiences are additional offerings at the site. For specific programs, be sure to factor seasonal or date-specific details into your plans.

Getting Your Bearings and Getting There

Big Sky is located on Montana Highway 191. Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is about an hour from Big Sky; traffic and weather can affect travel time. Staff at the Big Sky Visitor Information Center can help visitors plan Big Sky experiences. This gives you both a reference point for getting there and a place to ask questions about activities in the area.

Discover more destinations: Belgrade, Gallatin Gateway, Bozeman, West Yellowstone, Three Forks.

Go to the main travel overview: Gallatin.