Big Sky, MT
(Summer)
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Getting there
Flying:
- Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) – 50 miles from Big Sky Resort
Driving:
- Big Sky Resort is easily accessible off of Montana Highway 191, connecting to Bozeman and I-90 in the north and West Yellowstone and I-15 in the south.
1 week in Big Sky
This week spent in Big Sky was mine and Cam’s first experience with the gorgeous mountain town. We visited at the end of August.
Day 1 was our travel day – we took off from TPA at 1:40 PM in the afternoon and arrived at BZN at 8:05 PM. Knowing what we do now, I would have opted for an earlier flight. The drive from BZN to Big Sky is beautiful!
At the airport, we picked up the car we had reserved through Hertz, drove the 1 hour to Big Sky, and checked into our Vrbo at Moonlight Basin.
Day 2
With our brains still on Eastern time, we were up early.
Cam and I got dressed, left the rental around 6:30 AM, and drove to the Ousel Falls Trailhead. We were at the falls by 7:10 AM. Being the only 2 people there for quite some time, we were able to enjoy the peacefulness of the falls and take tons of pictures. After 30 minutes or so down by the falls, we hiked back out.
AllTrails stats for Ousel Falls: Length – 1.7 mi; Elevation Gain – 242 ft; Route Type – Out & Back; Difficulty – Easy
After our hike, we drove to Roxy’s for groceries. If you want to save money, shop at the Albertson’s in Bozeman before making the drive to Big Sky.
We made our way back to the cabin to unload the car and make a late breakfast.
Our afternoon activity began at Big Sky Mountain Village. The tour we chose was the Loan Pean Expedition that took us to Loan Peak for incredible views!
When the tour concluded, Cameron and I made our way back to the rental house for a relaxing evening. We made a frozen pizza, enjoyed the hot tub, and watched a movie.
Day 3
Day 3 began with breakfast at the rental. Then we made our way back down to Big Sky Mountain Village for an Archery session. This was my first time, but not Cameron’s.
After a lot of laughs with our instructor, we went back up the mountain for lunch at the rental. We had time to relax for a bit and then went back down for Zip Lining!
The backdrop of the course was beautiful! Not only did we take individual turns, but we were able to race at the end! The employees for both Archery and Zip Lining were wonderful and made the tours that much more fun.
Our day concluded with picking up Thai takeout and driving back up the mountain.
Day 4
On day 4, we were up early to try our hands at fly fishing! We made breakfast and drove down to Wild Trout Outfitters. At the shop we were fitted for our gear and hopped in our guide’s car.
This was supposed to be a half day tour, but we couldn’t find any fish! The guide felt terrible and took us to several locations. No luck for catching fish that day, but Cam and I still consider this one of our favorite activities! All day long it looked like we were in a movie. Spending the day wading in a gorgeous river and surrounded by mountains was a win in our book.
After our unsuccessful attempt at fishing, we drove back up the mountain for our Thai leftovers and relaxing in the hot tub.
Day 5
We changed it up on the morning of Day 5 and grabbed breakfast from Cowboy Coffee Co. I don’t drink coffee or caffeine, so I brought my SPORTea along. If you haven’t tried it, use code JILIANKOLESA10 for 10% off.
When we were done with breakfast, we drove to Canyon Adventures for a half day horseback ride. Just like the previous day, the views alone made it worth it. Cam and I both felt like we were in a Western movie that didn’t seem real.
With nothing planned for the afternoon, we asked the guides what they recommended we do. That’s how we found the Porcupine Creek trail! This trail was beautiful but be warned that it is very exposed. Pack plenty of water, a hat, and sunscreen. We hiked on a hot August day and were more than happy to jump in the cold creek at the end!
AllTrails stats for Porcupine Creek: Length – 3.5 mi; Elevation Gain – 390 ft; Route Type – Out & Back; Difficulty – Easy
After our adventurous day, we went back to the rental to relax and have dinner.
Day 6
On our last day of exploring Big Sky, we didn’t have anything booked for the morning. So we woke up, ate breakfast, and ventured not far from the rental to the Beehive Basin trailhead. We were hiking by 7:00 AM and didn’t see another person until we arrived at the basin. This trail is beyond beautiful! The early parts were covered with wildflowers in August and the basin didn’t seem real.
AllTrails stats for Beehive Basin: Length – 6.9 mi; Elevation Gain 1,630 ft; Route Type: Out & Back; Difficulty – Moderate
I’m not going to lie, this trail was not the easiest I’ve done (peep the elevation gain above). But if you are confident and comfortable with the stats, don’t miss this one!
After our hike, we ate lunch and relaxed for a bit before our final tour in Big Sky (which ended up being one of my favorite activities ever!)
We drove down to Montana Whitewater and got ready for our whitewater kayaking adventure. The guides fitted us with wetsuits, helmets, and life jackets. Then we hopped in a van and headed to the river.
The company got some great shots of us and I couldn’t resist the photo package!
Day 7
Up at 3:00 AM to leave by 4:00 and make the drive from Big Sky to BZN. We returned the rental car and flew Delta BZN 6:00 AM to SLC to TPA 4:21 PM.
Of all the places that we’ve visited so far, Big Sky is at the top of our favorites list and a truly magical place.