For downhill skiing enthusisasts, the area offers two main choices. The Bridger Bowl Ski Area is partially on National Forest land, spanning 1,200 acres of skiable terrain. Average annual snowfall is approximately 350 inches. Its vertical rise is 2000' and the longest run is 2.5 miles. The Big Sky Ski area, located south of Bozeman, boasts 3,500 skiable acres and averages 400 inches of snowfall annually. Its vertical rise is 4,180' and its longest run is 6.4 miles. The forest also contains 130 km of cross-country ski trails and 650 miles of marked snowmobile trails. Get details about these from each ranger district office. In winter, visitors also use some of the forest's hiking trails for cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing. What follow are descriptions of a few cross-country trails in the Forest.

Bozeman Creek to Mystic Lake - 10 miles of moderate difficulty, beginning at 5220' elevation in the Bozeman Creek parking area and ending at 6550' elevation at the Mystic Lake Ranger Station. From Bozeman, follow South 3rd Street for four miles to Nash Road. go east on Nash Road for 1 mile to Bozeman Creek Road. The parking area is one mile south on Bozeman Creek Road.

New World Gulch to Mystic Lake - 5.5 miles, a Ski Mountaineering Route, beginning at 5440' elevation at the New World Gulch parking area and concluding at 6550' at the Mystic Lake Ranger Station. From the Bozeman city limits, go east on I-90 for 4.5 miles to the Bear Canyon exit. Then, head west for half a mile to Bear Canyon Road. Follow Bear Canyon Road south for 3.5 miles to the New World Gulch parking area.

Hyalite Ski Loop - 15 miles, a Ski Mountaineering Route, beginning and ending at 6700' elevation at the Blackmore Recreation Area. From Bozeman, take 19th Avenue south for 7.5 miles to Hyalite Canyon Road. Continue south on Hyalite Canyon Road for 10.5 miles to Hyalite Reservoir. The ski trail begins on the west side of the reservoir at Blackmore Recreation Area

Hyalite Reservoir Ski Loop - 4 miles of moderate difficulty, beginning and ending at 6700' elevation at the Blackmore Recreation Area. From Bozeman, take 19th Avenue south for 7.5 miles to Hyalite Canyon Road. Continue south on Hyalite Canyon Road for 10.5 miles to Hyalite Reservoir. Road may not be plowed or maintained.

Fishing

The Gallatin contains one of the most outstanding trout fisheries in the United States. The Forest provides much of the water supply for the nationally recognized blue ribbon trout streams—the Madison, the Gallatin and the Yellowstone. These rivers contain eight kinds of game fish, including cutthroat, rainbow, brown, brookies, rainbow-cutthroat hybrids, graylings and white-fish. The Paradise Valley stretch of the Yellowstone River is a favorite trout fishery.

The forest contains over 4,000 miles of streams of which 1,740 miles are deemed as fishable streams and rivers. The forest also includes 18,800 acres of reservoir and lake habitat. The fishery resources also include the high lakes in the Lee Metcalf and Absaroka Beartooth Wildernesses and major reservoirs, such as Hebgen and Hyaike.

Paddling

The Yellowstone, Gallatin and Madison rivers offer excellent opportunities for the whitewater enthusiast. The characters of these waterways change significantly with the seasons, becoming much colder and wilder during the early summer runoff. The Gallatin is at its best during May and June, while the Madison is runnable throughout spring and summer. The Yellowstone can be run year-round, except when it's too cold. Check with local outfitters for conditions before taking to the water.

Wildlife

The Gallatin is home to over 300 wildlife species, including several Threatened & Endangered species—the Grizzly Bear, the Bald Eagle and the Peregrine Falcon. The Forest is used for many wildlife-related activities, including hunting, trapping, viewing and photography. Watchable Wildlife viewing areas are accessible from roadways and are denoted by highway signs sporting a pair of binoculars. Interpretive signs at these viewing areas describe the habitat, and wildlife species likely to be seen there. The Gallatin supports some of the largest wintering ungulate herds in North America. Species using this winter range include elk, white-tailed and mule deer, bison, moose, bighorn sheep and antelope. Many predatory species live here, including mountain lion, bobcat, black and grizzly bear, coyotes, eagles, hawks, falcons and owls.

Scenic Driving

The Beartooth Highway is one of this nation's most beautiful and spectacular drives. It goes up and over the Beartooth Plateau and is adjacent to the southern edge of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness Area. This highway is a drive you'll always remember and one you should not miss.

The Beartooth Highway runs between the town of Red Lodge, Montana, and the north-east entrance of Yellowstone National Park at the town of Silver Gate, a total road mileage of about 68 miles.

From the east, it is reached from Billings, Montana, via Interstate-90 to Laurel, then US Hwy 212 to Red Lodge. The hghway is a segment of Route 212. From the south-east at Cody, Wyoming, take State Route 120 to Belfry, Montana, then County Route 308 to Red Lodge, Montana. Or you can cut off Route 120 onto Wyoming 296 (known locally as the Sunlight Basin Road) that goes over Dead Indian Pass intersecting with the Beartooth Highway about 20 miles from Cooke City.

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