Big Sky is known for having the biggest and best skiing in America. But what if you are not here to ski, and still want to enjoy the snow?
Good news: the fun in Big Sky does not start at the top of the mountain and end at the base area. Whether you have never clicked into a binding, you are traveling with someone who has not, or you are a skier who wants a rest day, Big Sky has a full second vacation waiting off the slopes.
The 2026/2027 season runs November 25, 2026 through April 11, 2027. Here are twelve of our favorites, with current contact details for each.
1. Ride to the Summit Without Skis
Where: Kircliff, summit of Lone Peak, 11,166 feet
Website: Kircliff at Big Sky Resort
This is the newest and best answer to "what do I do if I do not ski." Kircliff is a two-story glass observatory at the summit of Lone Peak, reached by riding the Explorer Gondola to the Lone Peak Tram. No skis, no hiking, not one uphill step. Three states, two national parks, more mountain ranges than you can name, and a glass floor you can look straight through.
A Kircliff Winter Scenic Ticket covers all-day pedestrian access on both the gondola and the tram, and children 6 and under ride for $1. If you already have a lift ticket, Kircliff and the tram are included. Grandparents, toddlers and reluctant non-skiers all get the best view of the trip.
2. Snowshoeing
Rentals:
Christy Sports Big Sky Town Center, 11 Lone Peak Dr, Suite 101, (406) 995-2939, daily 10 AM to 5 PM
East Slope Outdoors, 44 Town Center Ave, (406) 995-4369
Gallatin Alpine Sports, 169 Snowy Mountain Circle, (406) 995-2313, daily 9 AM to 6 PM
If you can walk, you can snowshoe, which makes it the most accessible thing on this list. Big Sky sits in the middle of the Madison Range with the Gallatin Range and Yellowstone close by, so the terrain options are effectively endless. Local favorites include the easy Ousel Falls Trail, which ends at a frozen waterfall and is short enough for young kids, plus scenic Beehive Basin and Moose Tracks Gully in Mountain Village. Keep your eyes up, since wildlife sightings are common and the whole point is going slow enough to notice.
3. Cross Country Skiing
Lone Mountain Ranch Nordic Center: 750 Lone Mountain Ranch Rd, (406) 995-4644, lonemountainranch.com
Big Sky Nordic Center: 2100 Black Otter Rd, (406) 995-5780
Explore roughly 85 kilometers and 2,200 vertical feet of groomed trails right out of town. Lone Mountain Ranch has been voted the number one Nordic ski destination in North America by Cross Country Skier magazine, and their certified instructors welcome every ability level. The Big Sky Nordic Center at the golf course connects into the same network. For a more backcountry feel, Big Sky's wider trail network works well too. Rentals and lessons are available at both centers and at the shops listed above.
4. Snowmobiling
Canyon Adventures: 47200 Gallatin Rd, (406) 995-4450, daily 8 AM to 5 PM
Alpine Adventures: 47650 Gallatin Rd, (406) 580-3812, Monday to Friday 9 AM to 5 PM, Saturday 9 AM to 4 PM
Summit All Terrain Rentals: 42895 Gallatin Rd, (406) 581-5086, daily 8 AM to 4 PM
Over 100 miles of groomed trails plus enormous backcountry access make the Gallatin National Forest one of the best snowmobiling destinations anywhere. Book a couple of hours or a full day, guided or self-guided, with options around both Big Sky and West Yellowstone. Most operators supply full winter gear, which matters more than you expect at speed in February. Early season can be thin at lower elevations, so ask about conditions when you book.
5. Ice Skating
Marty Pavelich Ice Rink, Big Sky Town Center
Cost: Free open skating
Skate rentals: East Slope Outdoors, 44 Town Center Ave, (406) 995-4369, or Christy Sports Big Sky Town Center, (406) 995-2939
Schedule: Big Sky Community Organization
The outdoor rink in the heart of Town Center opens for the winter and open skating is completely free. Rentals are steps away, and you may find yourself watching a local hockey game or a curling league in progress. The Big Sky Community Organization posts a weekly schedule, though signage at the rink can supersede it, so glance at the board when you arrive. It is genuinely one of the best free things to do in Big Sky with a family.
6. Dog Sledding
Spirit of the North Sled Dog Adventures: (406) 682-7994, serving Big Sky and Moonlight Basin
Yellowstone Dog Sled Adventures: 2300 Taylor Fork Rd, Gallatin Gateway, (406) 580-0053
Big Sky offers some of the best dog sledding in Montana, and it is a genuinely different way to see the winter landscape. Sit back under a blanket and let the team do the work, or step onto the runners and learn to drive your own sled on a half-day experience. These are working kennels with high-drive Alaskan huskies, and the guides will teach you the commands properly rather than just parking you in the basket. Expect hot chocolate at the turnaround and puppies if the timing works out. Access roads are snow-covered, so bring an AWD vehicle.
7. Sleigh Ride Dinners
Lone Mountain Ranch: 750 Lone Mountain Ranch Rd, (406) 995-4644, book online
Season: December through March
The signature Big Sky evening. Guests load into a horse-drawn sleigh for a moonlit ride through the snow out to the historic North Fork Cabin, where dinner is served family-style by oil lantern with a meal cooked over an old railroad stove. Cowboy singers and storytellers provide the entertainment, and there is honey moonshine to take the edge off the cold. It is the most requested experience on our guest list every single winter, and it sells out weeks ahead, so book it the day your dates are confirmed.
Already booked for your nights? The Montana Dinner Yurt, (406) 995-3880, runs a snowcat ride to a backcountry yurt with torchlit sledding for the kids. 320 Guest Ranch, (406) 995-4283, also runs sleigh rides down the canyon.
8. Sledding
Sleds: Christy Sports Big Sky Town Center, (406) 995-2939, or Ace Hardware Big Sky, 1565 Lone Mountain Trail, (406) 995-4500, Monday to Friday 7 AM to 6 PM, weekends 9 AM to 5 PM
Skiing and snowboarding are not the only ways to get down a hill fast. Grab a sled and head for the hills behind Town Center, which is free, close to everything, and endlessly repeatable for kids who have not yet discovered the concept of "enough." Ace Hardware is the cheaper option if you would rather buy than rent, and a $15 sled will get used every day of your trip.
9. The Enchanted Forest
Where: Andesite Mountain, reached by the Ramcharger 8
Season: Typically mid-December through late March
Tickets: Big Sky Resort
Ride the heated Ramcharger 8 bubble chairlift up Andesite and walk a forest strung with lights. The season opens with a lighting ceremony and then runs for months, so missing opening night is not a problem. It is a guaranteed hit with under-tens and a genuinely lovely evening for the adults too. Pair it with dinner at Everett's 8800 at the top of the same lift and you have a full night out without ever putting on ski boots.
10. Winter Fly Fishing and Spa Days
Fly fishing: Gallatin River guides
Spas: Big Sky day spas
The trout do not hibernate. Winter fly fishing on the Gallatin River is a quiet, uncrowded and surprisingly productive way to spend a morning, and guides supply the waders and the local knowledge. If that sounds cold, Big Sky's slopeside spas are the other end of the spectrum entirely, and a massage after three days of travel and altitude is money well spent. Both book up in peak weeks.
11. Movies, Trivia and Storm-Day Backups
The Waypoint: 50 Ousel Falls Rd, (406) 995-7827, daily 4 PM to midnight, movie schedule
Every mountain trip needs a weather plan. The Waypoint in Town Center is a bistro, bar, live music venue and movie theater under one roof, which makes it the single best storm-day answer in Big Sky. There are trivia nights, family nights and live acoustic sets on a regular rotation. Build dinner around a showtime and the whole evening sorts itself out.
Also worth a storm day: browsing Town Center's shops, working through our list of the best restaurants in Town Center, or soaking in one of Montana's natural hot springs.
12. Winter Tours in Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone Vacation Tours: 415 Yellowstone Ave, West Yellowstone, (406) 646-9564
SeeYellowstone: 211 Yellowstone Ave, West Yellowstone, (800) 221-1151
Yellowstone takes millions of visitors a year, and only a small fraction come in winter. Without the traffic and the crowds, the park becomes something else entirely: geysers steaming against snow, bison shaking off frost, wolves visible against white. Heated snowcoach tours run to Old Faithful and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, with guided snowmobile trips and wildlife safaris also available. Big Sky sits about 50 miles from the West Entrance, which makes it an ideal base. Winter capacity is genuinely limited, so book early.
Getting Around Without a Car
One more thing worth knowing: the Skyline Bus runs zero-fare service connecting Town Center, Meadow Village and Mountain Village, with on-demand rides through the Big Sky Connect app. Most of the activities above are reachable without driving, which matters on a snowy night when you would rather not deal with a parking lot.
Book with Big Sky Vacation Rentals
Our Big Sky vacation rentals put you close to all of it, whether you want to walk to the ice rink from Meadow Village, step onto the gondola from Mountain Village, or have trails from the door in Moonlight Basin. Traveling with a mixed group where not everyone skis? That is exactly what our multi-family homes are built for.
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Operator hours, seasons, rates and contact details are current as of publication and subject to change. Winter activities are weather dependent. Please confirm directly with each operator before booking.