In Gallatin, you can give different emphasis to nature and culture during your trip. In Big Sky, options range from year-round trails to mountain biking and cross-country skiing routes. Museums offer different focuses, from regional history to technology and science.

Trails in Big Sky: Connections and a Variety of Routes

The Big Sky Community Organization maintains 50 miles of public trails that can be used year-round. The trail network connects Town Center, Meadow Village, Gallatin Canyon and Lone Mountain. There are several specific options for an outing on foot, each differing in length, layout and character.

The Ousel Falls Trail is 1.6 miles long and rated family-friendly. It crosses the South Fork of the West Fork of the Gallatin River and leads to a 100-foot waterfall. The Black Diamond Trail in Big Sky Community Park is also 1.6 miles long; it is a moderately difficult loop. The same distance does not mean the same kind of outing here: one trail leads to a waterfall, while the other is described as a moderately difficult loop.

The Crail Trail is a leisurely, 2.6-mile loop through the historic meadow landscapes of Meadow Village. Along the trail is the Historic Crail Ranch Museum, housed in preserved log cabins; it tells the story of ranching and agriculture in the Big Sky region. The Uplands Trail begins a few minutes from Big Sky Town Center and climbs through open meadows. From there, you can enjoy views of Lone Mountain and the surrounding mountain ranges. Hummocks is a 3-mile trail within sight of the town center, with three loop routes.

Mountain Biking and Cross-Country Skiing

Big Sky also offers different kinds of routes for biking. Big Sky Resort offers lift-served and cross-country trails for mountain biking. The offering includes more than 50 miles of mountain bike trails, including lift-assisted routes; bike rentals and instruction are also available. For cross-country skiing and Nordic skiing, more than 80 groomed kilometers are available at Lone Mountain Ranch and Big Sky Nordic Center & Golf Course.

Museums from Regional History to Technology

The Gallatin History Museum presents exhibits about the history of the diverse people who have lived in southwestern Montana. Permanent exhibits include the Big Horn Gun and a life-size pioneer cabin. The Museum of the Rockies covers Earth history and geology, dinosaurs and their nesting colonies, Native American history, and the history of Montana.

At the American Computer & Robotics Museum, exhibits span more than 4,000 years of human history, from cuneiform tablets to the first personal computers. Other topics include artificial intelligence, quantum computing, the moon landing and the breaking of the Enigma code. For a different historical focus, the Museum of the Yellowstone features exhibits on stagecoach and railroad companies, as well as artifacts, educational programs and films. The museum is located in the historic Union Pacific Depot in West Yellowstone and covers local history as well as the history of visiting and traveling to Yellowstone National Park. It also offers guided tours of the historic district.

The Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center is an AZA-accredited nonprofit wildlife park and educational facility. The animals there cannot survive in the wild and serve as ambassadors for their wild counterparts. This adds a focus on wildlife and education to the historical and technological museum themes.

Visiting Hours and Event Venue

Gallatin County Regional Park is open from sunrise to sunset. The beach and boat launch are closed from October 15 to May 15. If you plan to visit these two areas, take the stated seasonal period into account when choosing your visit date.

The Gallatin County Fairgrounds is a public, multi-use facility that operates year-round. Historically, it hosted summer and winter fairs. Along with the trails, museums and winter sports options, this offers different ways to plan a trip, so every stay does not have to follow the same itinerary.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Bozeman, West Yellowstone, Gallatin Gateway, Belgrade, Big Sky, Three Forks, Powell County, Phillips County.

For the broader travel overview: Montana.