Towering confidently over the legendary Yellowstone National Park, Lone Mountain boasts Big Sky Resort’s skiable peak, measuring an impressive 11,166 feet. It is the star of Big Sky Resort, which at nearly 6,000 acres of skiable terrain is one of America’s largest ski resorts with runs for skiers and snowboarders of all abilities. With an average of 400 inches of snowfall per year, the ski season typically lasts from late November through late April. Big Sky Resort’s magnificent landscape, ranging from easy beginners runs to triple-black diamond slopes, is a winter sports wonderland, but one of the resort’s most exciting developments is its new Lone Peak Tram, which whisks 75 passengers to the Lone Mountain summit in just three minutes.
Big Sky Resort is located about an hour’s drive from Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, right outside of the city of Bozeman, Montana’s best college town. The best time to visit for ski season is between autumn and spring. However, Big Sky is still a destination after ski season, with mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, golfing, and lake activities come summer, making it one of the best things to do outside of Glacier National Park.
What can you do at Big Sky Resort
One of the perks of Big Sky is its updated Lone Mountain Tram, which opened in December 2023. It efficiently transports skiers up to the summit of Lone Mountain. From the Titanic Deck, visitors can see three states (Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho), as well as both Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. After ample admiration of the magnificent vistas, advanced skiers can tackle the black diamond run, while beginners and intermediates can return on the tram. To reach the base of Lone Mountain Tram, skiing a green slope is required. Access to Lone Mountain Tram is included in a Big Sky lift ticket, and if you are visiting on an IKON or another mountain pass, it is $25 for skiers and snowboarders and $10 for spectators. “Skiing is outrageous!” raved on Tripadvisor reviewer. “The views, the mountain is prestige. Always groomed in the morning! We went to Lone Peak…. Views are amazing!”
However, even after the snow melts and ski season concludes, the Lone Peak Tram still shuttles visitors to the top for expansive views of Yellowstone and Teton National Parks in the summer months. While under construction during 2025, for summer 2026, the Lone Peak Tram will be utilized for scenic gondola rides and Lone Peak Expeditions, a 1.5-hour adventure bringing travelers up to the summit.
Where to stay in Big Sky
