Summer

resort activities

Big Sky Resort offers a wide variety of both adventurous and relaxing activities. Guests at Lone Mountain Retreat are only a 5 minute walk from the center of it all.

• Scenic Lift Rides: Enjoy the views in both directions or take a self-guided hike on the way down.

• Guided Hiking Tours: Private 2 hour guided hikes through different parts of Big Sky’s beautiful terrain.

• Adventure & Nature Zipline Tours: the longest ziplines in the region, suitable for families and thrillseekers alike.

• Outdoor Escape Room - The Search for Creature X: Take the Explorer Lift to a mountain outpost and your adventure begins!

• Adventure Mountain for Kids: Features a climbing wall, bungee trampoline, giant swing, and opportunities for gemstone mining & mini-golf.

• Disc Golf: 9-hole Beginner & Advanced courses available.

• Archery Sessions: Travel to the top of the Ramcharger Lift to spend an hour learning to use a Genesis compound bow.

• Solace Spa: Schedule a much-needed day of relaxation.

• Tuesday Tastings: Wine or Spirits Tasting accompanied by live music in the Carabiner Lounge.

• Savor Big Sky: A celebration of food, wine, and spirits. June 29th thru July 2nd.

If you enjoy wildflowers, waterfalls, stunning views, and hidden alpines lakes, you will definitely want to take some time to explore the Big Sky region on foot. Select from some of the top hikes in the area!

• Huckleberry Trail: an easy to moderate hike within Big Sky Resort, depending on whether you ride the lift or hike on the way up.

• Ousel Falls: Don’t miss this family-friendly, classic Big Sky hike. Meander along the Gallatin River until you arrive at beautiful Ousel Falls. Consider a quick dip into the refreshingly cold water.

• Beehive Basin: Consistently rated as one of the best day hikes in North America, the views you will enjoy on this intermediate level hike are nothing short of spectacular.

• Lone Peak: For those looking for a strenuous hike, this is it. Forego the lifts and do it on foot. The views are as amazing as those able to accomplish this feat!

• Lava Lake: Just down the road from Big Sky, this intermediate hike will take you to Lava Lake, hidden in the middle of the mountains. Swim, fish, or have a picnic lunch.

• Uplands Trail: An interesting 2 mile loop that provides great views of the Town Center, Lone Peak, and the chance to view wildlife.

• Summit Lake: Hike to a remote alpine lake in the middle of the Spanish Peaks. This is a big hike - 15.7 miles - to reach a 9560 ft. summit.

• Storm Castle: A 5.2 mile hike with a 2000 ft. elevation gain ending at a rocky outcrop that looks like a fortress. Gorgeous views of the Gallatin River and surrounding mountains.

Big Sky Resort boasts over 50 miles of mountain biking trails, including the area's only lift-serviced trails. Enthusiasts can ride up the Swift Current 6, Ramcharger 8, and Explorer lifts to access flow and tech trails of all levels. For those new to the sport or wanting to improve their skill set, private or group coaching is available. Children interested in the sport can also choose from one of several mountain biking camps or programs. Youth (from 7-17) and Mini-Rider (ages 5-6) 4-Day Camps are offered over specific weeks in the summer.

Although Big Sky Resort’s bike trails rank as some of the best, they are not the only places you can mountain bike in Big Sky. There are hundreds of miles of National Forest Service lands with forest service roads and trails, as well as a solid network of base trails in the Moonlight Basin area. Some popular trails in the area are Beehive Basin, Mountain To Meadow, Grizzly Loop, Ullery’s Lake, Madison Loop, Otter Slide & Otter Way.

Whether your group is looking for the thrill of a lifetime or a scenic, relaxing ride down the river, rafting in Big Sky could not be more convenient with Gallatin River access only a few miles from your doorstep.

We recommend the experienced guides at Geyser Whitewater Expeditions, Big Sky’s only locally owned Gallatin River whitewater rafting outfitter. Schedule a full or half day trip, or consider the Yellowstone Pass if interested in combining rafting with ziplining, boat rentals at Lake Levinsky, and “The Pinnacle” climbing wall. Plenty of good family fun with this package!

Imagine teeing off at 6500 feet with a backdrop of impressive mountain peaks and the occasional moose, deer, or elk crossing the greens before you. The Big Sky Golf Course is an award-winning, scenic 18 hole par 72 course designed by Arnold Palmer. Offering individual and group lessons, weekly clinics, along with leagues and tournaments, there is something for every golfer in your party. There is also an onsite full-service pro shop with gear sales and rentals, and the Bunker Deck and Grill for meals and refreshments.

Discover the real Montana on horseback. Venture into unseen and untouched areas of the backcountry, ride through high altitude mountain meadows or alongside the Gallatin River. Be on the lookout for wildlife - moose, elk, deer, coyotes, wolves and bears all live in these areas, and your professional wrangler will assist both beginner and advanced riders as they travel safely throughout the region.

Ride times range from an hour to nearly the entire day, with options for riverside barbeques or overnight retreats. Nearby local operators include Jake’s Horses and Lone Mountain Ranch, though there are many other operators in the area, including some offering journeys into Yellowstone National Park.

Spend a few hours canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding or fishing at Big Sky’s own Lake Levinsky. Just a short walk from Lone Mountain Retreat, this 10 acre lake is a great place to practice or learn new skills while enjoying a lovely view of Lone Mountain. Geyser Whitewater Expeditions provides the rental boats and you decide if you would like to spend an hour, a full day, or whether to purchase a Family Adventure Pass allowing unlimited use for the week. Fishing gear is available for rent at the boat house.

With the greatest variety of wildlife in the lower 48 states, Montana is considered one of the best locations to see animals in their natural habitats. Directly outside Lone Mountain Retreat, we commonly see whitetail deer, a family of foxes, occasional baby elk, and black bears. As always, remember they are called wildlife for a reason - you should never approach them. For a more in depth experience, consider hiring a local guide.

• Elk: frequently present in the meadows around town or along Lone Mountain Trail.

• Big Horn Sheep: Begin looking for them at the turnoff to Big Sky from Highway 191. They like to lick the salt off of the roads, and they are a very common sight.

• Moose: Less than 200 live in the area, so it is a special moment to see one. Look along riverbeds or around bushes in the outskirts of town, as well as in Big Sky’s Meadow Village, particularly on or near the golf course.

• Mountain Goats: They live up on the ridge on Lone Peak. You can frequently spot them above the Upper Morning Star or Duck Walk runs. Occasionally we have seen them above the Swift Current lift.

• Bison: Other than the obvious place (Yellowstone), the Flying D Ranch between Big Sky and Bozeman has large herds of bison. You can see them while driving to/from the airport.

• Birds: Along the Gallatin River we commonly see Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, and Osprey perched in trees, scanning the river for fish.

• Bear: Both Grizzly and Black Bears live in the areas surrounding Big Sky. It is best to be prepared with bear spray if venturing out of bounds.

Enjoy an adventurous day of rock climbing in the beautiful, scenic Gallatin Canyon with Montana Alpine Guides (MAG). Offering half-day climbing adventures, group courses, and private instruction, Montana Alpine Guides is Montana's premiere rock climbing guide service and mountain craft school. They provide all gear and a professional guide to ensure a safe, exciting day for climbers of all skill levels.

Big Sky’s Town Center is an active and engaging place in the summer season. In addition to its usual offerings - restaurants, bars & breweries, shopping, outfitters, a movie theater and medical center - summer brings several fun additions:

• Farmer’s Market: Local produce, cuisine, arts, crafts, and more. Every Wednesday from 5 - 8 P.M., June through September.

• Music In the Mountains: Free outdoor concert series featuring the best up-and-coming touring musicians in the country as well as established artists. Don’t miss the annual Fourth of July concert, Big Sky Classical Music Festival, and Montana Shakespeare in the Parks. Every Thursday from 6:00 P.M., June through September.

• Big Sky PBR (Professional Bull Riding): A multi-weekend event at the end of July featuring music, auctions, family events, and incredible bull riding.

No matter where you are in Montana, you are almost guaranteed to get an amazing view of the night sky. If you are lucky and here during the right time, you may even experience the Northern Lights! Great places for stargazers around the Big Sky area:

• Anywhere: Just escape any light pollution and look up. This isn’t hard to do!

• Hyalite Canyon: a secluded area 15 miles south of Bozeman. The area near the reservoir is particularly good for stargazing.

• Yellowstone National Park: For star-studded skies and a serious lack of light pollution, look no further than Yellowstone National Park. Simply look up and see a magnificent display of planets, constellations, and nebulae, or sign up for one of their night-sky programs for the chance to see it all using telescopes.