Alpine valley in southwestern Montana known for skiing, white water rafting and kayaking
General Information
Bozeman, 43 miles
From Bozeman (43 miles): Head west on W Olive St toward S 5th Ave. Turn right onto S 8th Ave. Turn left onto US-191 S/W Main St. Turn left onto US-191 S/Gallatin Rd. Turn right onto Lone Mountain Trail. Turn right onto Two Moons Rd.
Big Sky is in Gallatin and Madison counties in southwestern Montana. The primary industry of the area is tourism. Big Sky is located 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.
The "Meadow" area of Big Sky lies in an alpine valley formed during the Cretaceous period. Initially called the "Gallatin Canyon Basin", the Meadow is braided with small rivers that channel mountain snow run-off. Fishing is permitted on all of these Gallatin feeders. Two ponds are found on the Middle Fork of the Gallatin River that bisects the Meadow, and fishing there is permitted for those 16 and younger.
The community had two large ski resorts that are sited in the "Mountain" area: Big Sky Resort and Moonlight Basin. In October 2013, these resorts merged: both are now managed by Big Sky Resort, and both are alpine ski and golf resorts. The combined terrain of the two resorts allows them to market themselves as the "Biggest Skiing in America", with over 5,800 acres of terrain. The Spanish Peaks Mountain Club is an exclusive ski and golf resort that has three chairlifts and 13 ski runs connecting it to Big Sky Resort at the base of Big Sky's Southern Comfort lift. Spanish Peaks is also now owned by Big Sky Resort, in collaboration with the Yellowstone Club. Another resort, Lone Mountain Ranch, is a Nordic ski and summer resort that professionally grooms over 75 kilometers of cross-country ski trails. Yellowstone Club, a private resort, is located to the south and adjacent to Big Sky Resort.
The "Canyon" area of Big Sky lies in the Gallatin Canyon, along the Gallatin River, a favorite for white water rafters and kayakers. The Gallatin River, named after Albert Gallatin who was the Secretary of the Treasury during the Lewis and Clark Expedition, is a Blue Ribbon trout stream that attracts fly-fishers from around the world. Several dude ranches (320 Guest Ranch, Elkhorn Ranch, Cinnamon Lodge and 9 Quarter Circle) operate in the Gallatin Canyon.
Hiking trails thread throughout the landscape and into neighboring national forests. Camping sites are available throughout the Spanish Peaks and the Gallatin National Forest. Elk, deer, black bears, grizzlies, upland birds, waterfowl, and wolves call this area home. Hunting is prohibited in Big Sky proper, but it is permitted throughout the National Forests that surround the area. Recreational snowmobiling is also not permitted within the Meadow or Mountain terrain, but is permitted in the Gallatin Canyon and in areas to the south of Big Sky.
Winter activities include skiing and snowboarding, seven terrain parks, zip-line, and snowshoeing. Summer attractions include zip-lines, archery, tennis, hiking, and mountain biking trails on the mountain. Golf and horseback riding are available near the Meadow Village at an elevation of 6,300 feet (1,920 m), between the ski area and US-191.
The Historic Crail Ranch Buildings, built by Montana pioneer Frank Crail and his family, offer a glimpse of life in Big Sky more than 100 years ago. The authentic cabins are preserved as part of the Crail Ranch Homestead Museum. The museum displays artifacts, photographs and documents, along with extensive information about the pioneer Crail and Creek families.
The Lone Peak Tram is an aerial tramway at the Big Sky Resort that begins at the top of the Powder Seeker chairlift and unloads at the summit of Lone Mountain at 11,166 ft (3,403 m). Opened in the fall of 1995, the 15 passenger cab climbs 1,420 ft (433 m) over a distance of 2,828 ft (862 m), with two cabs traveling in opposite directions. It provides access to the most difficult terrain at Big Sky Resort, including former Moonlight Basin terrain. Construction was completed by the high-altitude construction firm Matrix, based in Alaska. Starting in the summer 2012 season, Big Sky Resort introduced daily summer tram rides to take visitors to the top of Lone Peak, called The Lone Peak Expedition.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles "Big Sky, Montana", and "Big Sky Resort", which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0
