Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
fluffy stuff annually, and the ski season generally lasts mid-November-April. With virtually
nonexistent lift lines (except during holidays), this is an ideal place for ambitious skiers.
The
Lone Peak Tram
takes daring skiers 16 feet shy of the mountain's summit, and both
resorts offer plenty of terrain for snowboarders with rails and half-pipes. Even with some
of the steepest terrain in the country, both Big Sky and Moonlight offer plenty of groomers
for beginning and intermediate skiers and snowboarders.
Both resorts have great appeal for families and have amenities to keep their guests
happy and fully occupied. Both have ski schools with outstanding reputations. Big Sky has
a
Basecamp
(406/995-5769), which offers a zipline, high ropes course, laser tag, bungee
trampoline, climbing wall, and tube park. Moonlight offers
Family Night with Moonlight
(406/995-7716, reservations recommended) 5pm-8pm on certain Fridays; the event fea-
tures everything from make-your-own pizza, crafts, games, movies, and outdoor sledding
to igloo-building. A traditional bonfire allows for toasty hands and sticky s'mores.
Down the mountain is
Lone Mountain Ranch
(750 Lone Mountain Rd., 800/514-4644,
www.lonemountainranch.com
,
$20 adults, free for kids under 13), a cross-country skier's
paradise with 53 miles of beautifully groomed and forested trails on 5,000 skiable acres
with 2,200 vertical feet. Snowshoeing is another option, as are guided naturalist tours, les-
sons, and clinics. Rental equipment (skis and snowshoes) and lessons are available, and
with such magnificent terrain, this is one of the biggest bargains around. The trails are sub-
lime, and wildlife viewing can be excellent. For winter solitude and exploration, this is a
marvelous place to be.
Fishing and Floating
The Gallatin River runs through the canyon beneath Big Sky and offers up a plethora of
recreational opportunities. Since U.S. Highway 191 runs parallel to the river for 40 miles,
fishing access is easy. The road is not meant for casual driving—no stopping and looking
here—but there are several pullouts that can double as parking lots. Float fishing is prohib-
ited, but the wade fishing is enticing, if somewhat tricky given the number of rapids created
as the water tumbles down the canyon over beautiful car-size boulders.
Rainbows, browns, and cutthroats can all be found in these chilly waters, and the fish
have to be lean and mean to battle the currents. They tend to be slightly less selective than
downriver in Bozeman, where the decline slows and the water flattens out. There are caddis
hatches practically all summer, and a killer salmonfly hatch in mid-June-early July. Late in
the season, whopping terrestrials are the way to go.
