Big Sky Family Vacations

Big Sky, Montana, is the America you visit to leave your urban woes behind and breathe in the crisp mountain air. Aptly named Lone Mountain rises up dramatically from the town's heavily forested lower slopes to an elevation of 11,150 feet. In winter, skiers carve their perfect turns down the mountain with few lift lines and even less traffic on the trails. And, this is no rinky-dink mountain. Big Sky Resort connects with neighboring Moonlight Basin to create more ski acreage than Colorado's Vail Resort. A family could spend a week there and not try all the trails.

The setting is even more serene in summer when the population decreases. This is A River Runs Through It country, where the movie was filmed, so grab that pole, and try your luck fly-fishing for trout on the Gallatin River. Trail rides at one of the local ranches and golfing at the Arnold Palmer-designed 18-hole course in Meadow Village are just as popular. Or, put your hiking boots on, and explore the miles and miles of trails in the Gallatin National Forest. One of the easiest and most enjoyable routes starts at the resort and simply takes you on a gondola ride up the mountain. Then, you can enjoy a leisurely hike down to the base on a self-guided nature trail along a roaring stream.

Whatever season you choose to visit Big Sky, there's a built-in bonus 18 miles to the south -- Yellowstone National Park. On the Montana-Wyoming border, Yellowstone is the country's first, and arguably finest, National Park. One day, you're watching Old Faithful, a towering geyser, erupt. The next day, you're going eyeball-to-eyeball with buffalo, elk and moose. For skiers who need to rest those weary legs, there's no better way to spend a day away from the slopes.