Big Sky, Montana.

[Tri Tran]

Gentlemen,
Making some plans to stay in Big Sky , Montana for a week . Any must see ? things to do? Your replies are much appreciate.

[Ken Kapinski]

I would think a visit to Yellowstone would be top on my list. Perhaps a ghost town (http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/mt/mt.html) or two. A ride through the Gravelly Mountains would be nice, and maybe a nice tour of the Lewis and Clark Caverns. Any of the trailheads near Big Sky will be great for hiking. So much land, so little time.

Ken

[Heroique]

You’re so close to Yellowstone, I think your week is spoken for! ;)

Have a fun time – SW Montana is beautiful in every direction...

(Except where the Mountain Pine Beetle has struck. The state’s SW region has been hit hard by the plague of tree-killing insects. This summer, the giant Beaverhead-Deerlodge Nat’l Forest is spraying their camp sites … to save them.)

[Darren H]

Plenty to see up that way. The Paradise Valley running north up US 89 from Gardiner is very scenic. US HWY 212 (Beartooth Hwy) going northeast out of Yellowstone is supposed to be very scenic too and is highly rated by Charles Kuralt of CBS.

Try your hand at some fly fishing when you are there.

Have fun!

[Ivan J. Eberle]

Anybody know how the wildflowers are popping along the Beartooth? I was over it in late June and there was still a lot of snow, a heavy-late snowfall year.

[JC Kuba]

I live NE of Yellowstone Park. August and September hold the biggest risk of wildfires. There's one burning in Yellowstone just south of the lake right now, but it looks like they have it mostly contained. There's some towards Glacier Park as well as SW Montana. Make a flexible schedule and keep track of the fires are unless that's what you want to photograph.

[jloen]

Keep in mind that smoke from wildfires can give you outstanding evening light. I just passed through the Wind River Range in Wyoming and was treated to spectacular orange lighting near sunset, filtered through smoke in the western sky.