5 Best Day Trips from Big Sky, MT

Hi everyone, welcome back! In today’s post I will be sharing with what are, in my opinion, the 5 best day trips from Big Sky, MT! Big Sky in addition to being a tourist destination itself, is located about an hour from many other major tourist sites. These fun and unique day trips are sure to make your trip to Montana even more memorable.

Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park is a must visit! From Big Sky, the entrance to the park is about 50 miles, or a 1 hour drive. It’s super easy to take a day trip to Yellowstone, as its close proximity will allow for ample time to explore the park.

If you think you’ll need more time in the park, you can always camp overnight, or stay in a hotel/AirBnb in West Yellowstone, a small town located at the entrance to the national park.

Virginia City

Virginia City is a *ghost town* located about 31 miles from Big Sky. However, due to the way the roads were built you will need to drive 120 miles (2 hours), to get to Virginia City. Please don’t let the distance deter you, it’s worth it!

Virginia City is an Old Western, Victorian town that was built during the Gold Rush. For a number of years in the mid 1800s it was a thriving area. However, when the gold ran out the townspeople left, leaving behind a small town frozen in time. Currently, the town has a population of less than 200.

I recommend to start your day by walking around the town and taking in the sites. There are also tours, including a ghost tour, which can be a lot of fun! Finally, there are a few restaurants in town where you can enjoy lunch before continuing on by train or car to Nevada City. The train between the two ghost towns departs about every hour.

Nevada City

Nevada City, located about one mile from Virginia City, is a preserved ghost town that is now a living museum! During the 1863 gold rush, there were approximately 10,000 people living in the small settlement. The homes, schools, and town buildings are remarkably well preserved, and you can explore the town to gain an understating of what life would have been like during the time period.

Since Nevada City functions as a museum, you can only visit during the hours of 10am-6pm. There is an entrance fee of $8 for adults and $6 for children on weekdays, and this price goes up by $2 on weekends.

Outside of the outdoor-town-museum, you can enjoy the small, small town of Nevada City. The Nevada City Hotel is a rustic hotel located in the center of town, and if you’re looking for a true ghost town experience, you can plan to spend the night.

• 

• 

Bozeman

If you’re staying in Big Sky, you’ll most likely fly into Bozeman. Bozeman is a small city that reminds me a lot of Burlington, Vermont. It has a Main Street with lots of shopping and restaurants, and it’s really a great place to spend a day.

For more information on how to spend a day in Bozeman, check out my 24 Hours in Bozeman post! Additionally, for amazing Bozeman photos check out @bozeman.365 on Instagram!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bozeman, Montana (@bozeman.365)

Livingston

Livingston is a charming town located about an hour and half from Big Sky, right on the Yellowstone River. Since Livingston is relatively small, it’s not necessarily worth taking a day trip to the town unless you’re also planning to fish the Yellowstone River. If you are planning to fish, then definitely plan for some time to explore the cute, retro-feeling town. There are tons of nice shops and cafes, and Livingston is definitely a great place to walk around. Additionally, Livingston is known for its art, and there are many art galleries and shops around town.

If you happen to be driving to Billings from Big Sky, Livingston is right on the way, and it’s a great place to stop for coffee and to stretch your legs.

• 

• 

• 

Thanks so much for reading about the 5 best day trips from Big Sky, MT! If you found this post helpful, please save and share! For more Montana posts, click here!

♡Kate