Big Sky offers a complete winter vacation, with many lodging and dining options. Skiing and snowboarding at Big Sky feature short lines, wide open spaces and runs that satisfy all levels of skiers and boarders. Big Sky has a combined pass with adjacent Moonlight Basin for more skiing and snowboarding options.
Just 45 miles south of Bozeman, Montana, Big Sky is easily reached by national carriers flying into Gallatin Field Airport. Drive the state highway (car rentals are available at the Bozeman Airport) or take a bus (Skyline and Karst Stage offer multiple daily trips) from Bozeman to Big Sky. Yellowstone National Park is only 18 miles southeast of Big Sky, and has unique winter tours.
Skiing and Snowboarding at Big Sky Resort
Some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the Rocky Mountains and abundant terrain are found at Big Sky Resort. Highlights of this ski resort include:
- 3 mountains — Lone Mountain, Andersite Mountain and Flat Iron Mountain — and 3,812 acres of skiable terrain,
- 150 marked runs covering 85 miles,
- an extensive network of trails from easy beginner to black-diamond expert offerings,
- vertical drop of 4,350 feet,
- 400 or more inches of snowfall annually,
- one 15-passenger tram, 4 high-speed quads, 1 quad chair, 3 triple chairs, 7 double chairs and 5 surface lifts,
- consistently short or non-existent lift lines,
- a 1,300-foot terrain park (the longest in Montana) and a half pipe,
- Snowsports School, offering well-respected skiing and snowboarding instruction.
More Skiing at Moonlight Basin
On the north side of Lone Mountain, a smaller ski resort offers more skiing and snowboarding with:
- 1,900 skiable acres,
- 92 mapped trails, bowls, chutes and glades,
- One high-speed 6-passenger chair lift, 3 quad chair lifts, 1 chairlift to most difficult and expert terrain, 1 triple chairlift and 1 conveyer lift to the learning area,
- Snowsports School skiing instruction for children and adults,
- Lift tickets for Moonlight Basin or combined Moonlight Basin and Big Sky Resort lift tickets.
Other Big Sky Winter Activities
Outdoor winter activities in Big Sky, Montana, include:
- Some of the best cross-country skiing in the West at Lone Mountain Ranch,
- Sleigh rides at Lone Mountain Ranch,
- Snowmobile rentals in Big Sky,
- Winter tours of Yellowstone National Park.
Lodging in Big Sky, Montana
Great deals on accommodations can be found at the West’s stand-alone mountains, like Big Sky. Lodging ranges from hotels and condominiums to cabins and lodges:
- The Summit at Big Sky Condominium Hotel offers luxury Euro-Western accommodations in Mountain Village with 213 slopeside units.
- Shoshone Condominium Hotel, also slopeside at Mountain Village, is a recently renovated, 7-story landmark hotel with 79 suites and 15 loft condominiums.
- Powder Ridge Cabins offer handcrafted 3- to 5-bedroom cabins in the woods with many amenities.
- Buck’s T-4 Lodge, just outside of Big Sky, has 74 rooms with mountain views, includes a breakfast buffet and an award-winning restaurant.
- Moonlight Basin has cabins, chalets and suites at its resort.
Dining in Big Sky, Montana
Restaurants offer menus from fine dining to deli food in Big Sky, Montana:
- Huntley Lodge Dining Room’s big windows, fireplace and trophy game animals provide the backdrop for steaks, fish and wild game as well as breakfast.
- Andiamo Italian Grille, in the Big Sky Village Center, features Tuscan cuisine from pasta to meat entrees.
- Whiskey Jack’s, also in Mountain Village, offers a Southwestern menu and Montana hospitality.
- M.R. Hummers Bar and Restaurant in Mountain Village has steaks, ribs and sandwiches.
- The Timbers Restaurant & Deli in Moonlight Basin serves breakfast, lunch and elegant dinners.
Known as one of the best ski resorts in the Western U.S., Big Sky Ski Resort has short lift lines, many ski runs, and a variety of accommodations and restaurants. Adjacent Moonlight Basin offers more skiing, lodging and dining options.
Visit Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Whitefish, Montana; and Sun Valley, Idaho, for more great western U.S. ski resorts.
Susan Lynne Hamilton - Award-winning writer Susan Lynne Hamilton is the Topic Editor of Suite 101's Northwest U.S. travel section, showcasing its rich ...
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