Last updated: October 28, 2026
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Montana’s ski resorts range from Big Sky, one of the largest in the country by acreage, to small community hills that open a few days a week. Big Sky lists 5,850 skiable acres and 4,350 feet of vertical (Big Sky Resort). Whitefish Mountain Resort lists 3,000 acres (Whitefish Mountain Resort), and Bridger Bowl, just outside Bozeman, lists 2,000 (Bridger Bowl). Big Sky is the only Montana resort we found on the Ikon Pass. Four Montana downhill ski areas are on the Indy Pass. We found no Montana resort on the Epic Pass.
Every number below comes from the resort’s own website as checked on October 28, 2026, except where we say otherwise. We don’t list ticket prices, because they change often and many resorts use date-based pricing. Each resort posts its current prices on its own lift-ticket page.
Montana ski resorts at a glance (2026-27)
| Resort | Skiable acres | Vertical | Lifts | 2026-27 season (as posted) | Getting there (per the resort) | Pass access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Sky Resort | 5,850 | 4,350 ft | 40 (incl. 13 surface lifts, 2 gondolas, 1 tram) | Opens Wed., Nov. 25, 2026; daily through Apr. 11, 2027, plus bonus weekends Apr. 16-18 and 23-25 (conditions permitting) | Flights into Bozeman (BZN) | Ikon Pass; Mountain Collective |
| Whitefish Mountain Resort | 3,000 | 2,353 ft | 14 (11 chairs, 1 T-bar, 2 carpets) | Fri., Dec. 4, 2026 – Sun., Apr. 4, 2027 | Glacier Park Int’l (FCA), 30-minute drive | None found (not on the Indy list; no Ikon or Epic access found) |
| Bridger Bowl | 2,000 | 2,700 ft (2,600 lift-served) | 11 (8 chairs, 3 surface) | Projected Dec. 11, 2026 – Apr. 11, 2027 | About 16 mi / roughly 30 min from downtown Bozeman | None found (not on the Indy list; no Ikon or Epic access found) |
| Discovery (Philipsburg) | 2,200 patrolled | 2,388 ft | 8 (5 triples, 2 doubles, 1 surface) | “Early Dec Weather Permitting – April 4” (no year posted) | Resort cites trips from Missoula, Butte or Helena | Not on the Indy list |
| Red Lodge Mountain | 1,635 | 2,400 ft | 8 (6 chairs, 2 surface) | Opening day posted as Fri., Nov. 27 | Billings Logan Int’l (BIL) or Cody, WY airports | Indy Pass |
| Great Divide (near Helena) | 1,500 | 1,500 ft | 6 (5 chairs, 1 rope tow) | Planned opening Nov. 28, 2026 (snow-dependent) | “30 minutes from Helena” | Not on the Indy list |
| Montana Snowbowl (Missoula) | Not posted on pages checked | 2,600 ft* | 6* | 2026-27 dates not posted | “20 minutes north of downtown Missoula”; resort says to fly into Missoula | Indy Pass |
| Lost Trail Powder Mountain | Not posted on pages checked | 1,800 ft | 8 (5 double chairs, 3 rope tows) | 2026-27 dates not posted; open Thu–Sun plus major holidays, per its About page | Missoula, “1 hour 45 minutes” (resort’s estimate) | Indy Pass |
| Showdown Montana (Neihart) | Not posted on pages checked | 1,400 ft* | 4* | Opening date not confirmed (homepage shows “Dec. 11” with no year) | “67 miles from Great Falls” | Indy Pass |
*From the resort’s listing on the Indy Pass resort page; we didn’t find these stats on the resort’s own pages. Lost Trail’s own trail-map page lists 1,800 ft and 8 lifts.
Sources, by row: Big Sky mountain info, Big Sky opening day, Big Sky Ikon page; Whitefish stats, hours and dates, getting here; Bridger Bowl stats; Discovery mountain page; Red Lodge Mountain; Great Divide mountain guide, operating schedule; Montana Snowbowl contact and location; Lost Trail trail map, about, how to get here; Showdown lodge and mountain info; Indy Pass resorts. Opening dates are always weather-dependent.
About the passes: Big Sky’s own Ikon page confirms Ikon Pass access (Big Sky), and its site also names Mountain Collective as an accepted pass. The Indy Pass list includes Red Lodge Mountain, Montana Snowbowl, Showdown and Lost Trail (Indy Pass). Epic’s own resort map didn’t load for us, and the Epic resort list we could read showed no Montana resort (Epic Pass regions), so confirm on Epic’s site before you buy. Before buying any pass, check its current resort list and blackout dates. Big Sky’s Ikon page lists 7 days with no blackouts on the Ikon Pass and 5 days with blackout days on the Ikon Base Pass, with blackouts Dec. 26-30, 2026, Jan. 16-17 and Feb. 13-14, 2027 (Big Sky Ikon page). It also says the Lone Peak Tram is not included on the Ikon Pass.
Big Sky Resort: the big-mountain option
Big Sky’s numbers are the largest in the state. It lists 5,850 skiable acres, 4,350 vertical feet from the Lone Peak summit at 11,166 feet, and 40 lifts with an uphill capacity of 42,000 skiers an hour (Big Sky). The 2026-27 season opens Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2026, and runs daily through April 11, 2027, with bonus Friday-Sunday weekends April 16-18 and 23-25, conditions permitting (Big Sky opening day; Big Sky passes).
Big Sky says Bozeman’s airport has “direct flights from 19 unique cities.” A routing estimate puts the drive from BZN to Big Sky’s Mountain Village at about 52 road miles (OSRM route estimate; check the MDT 511 map for winter conditions). If you fly in, compare rental cars at Bozeman’s airport (BZN).
Where to stay: On-mountain and Big Sky lodging is the most convenient: hotels in Big Sky on Expedia. For a condo or house for a group: vacation rentals in Big Sky on Vrbo. For more on the area, see our Big Sky things-to-do guide. If you’re weighing a move to the region, see our Bozeman cost of living guide and the Bozeman town page.
Whitefish Mountain Resort: Glacier country skiing
Whitefish Mountain Resort sits above the town of Whitefish. It lists 3,000 acres, 2,353 feet of vertical (summit 6,817 ft, base 4,464 ft), 110 named trails and 14 lifts. Its biggest lift is the six-seat Snow Ghost Express (Whitefish). The resort says it is “partially located on National Forest Lands.” The 2026-27 season is scheduled for Dec. 4, 2026 to April 4, 2027 (Whitefish).
Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) is about 30 minutes from the resort, and the resort lists direct flights from 17 cities (Whitefish getting here). To drive yourself, compare rental cars at Glacier Park International (FCA).
Where to stay: Whitefish has both town hotels and slopeside lodging: hotels in Whitefish on Expedia. For living costs in the Flathead Valley, see Cost of living in Kalispell and the Flathead and the Whitefish town page. For the town itself, see our Whitefish travel guide.
Bridger Bowl: Bozeman’s local hill
Bridger Bowl lists 2,000 acres, 2,700 feet of vertical (2,600 lift-served), a top elevation of 8,800 feet, 75 trails plus many unmarked runs, and an average of 300 inches of snow a year (Bridger Bowl). Lifts include one quad, six triples, one double and three surface lifts. The projected season is Dec. 11, 2026 to April 11, 2027 (Bridger Bowl).
Bridger Bowl is “about 16 miles from downtown” Bozeman and “roughly 30 minutes from town depending on road conditions.” It contracts a free winter bus service, and parking at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds Park N Ride lot is free (Bridger Bowl getting here). Bozeman is the hotel base: hotels in Bozeman on Expedia.
Red Lodge Mountain: closest to Billings
Red Lodge Mountain lists 1,635 acres, 2,400 vertical feet from Grizzly Peak (9,416 ft), 70 runs, and six chairlifts plus two surface lifts (Red Lodge Mountain). Its site posts an opening day of Friday, Nov. 27 (no year shown; Nov. 27 is a Friday in 2026) and calls its planned operating schedule “TBA.” It is on the Indy Pass.
From Billings, the resort’s directions follow I-90 west to Laurel (Exit 434), then US 212 about 46 miles to Red Lodge, then Ski Run Road to the mountain (Red Lodge Mountain getting here). The resort names Billings Logan International Airport and the airport in Cody, Wyoming as the closest airports, and the Red Lodge Chamber puts Billings to Red Lodge at 59 miles and about an hour (Red Lodge Chamber). See the Red Lodge town page and Billings town page.
Smaller Montana ski areas
- Discovery (Philipsburg): It has 2,200 patrolled acres, 2,388 feet of vertical and an 8,158-foot summit (Discovery). The resort says the trip from Missoula, Butte or Helena “isn’t much of a trek.” See the Butte town page. Its posted winter season is “Early Dec Weather Permitting – April 4,” with no year shown.
- Great Divide (Marysville, near Helena): It lists 1,500 acres, 1,500 feet of vertical, 100+ trails and 6 terrain parks. Its planned 2026-27 calendar starts Nov. 28 (tentative), with weekend-only operation in the early season, snow permitting (Great Divide). Directions run from I-15 Exit 200, about 8 miles north of Helena (Great Divide). See the Helena town page.
- Montana Snowbowl (Missoula): It’s 20 minutes north of downtown Missoula, off I-90 Exit 101 and Grant Creek Road (Snowbowl). The Indy Pass lists it at 2,600 vertical feet, 68 trails and 6 lifts. See the Missoula town page.
- Lost Trail Powder Mountain: It straddles the Montana–Idaho line on US 93, “90 miles south of Missoula” (the resort’s estimate is 1 hour 45 minutes of driving). Its trail-map page lists 69 trails, 5 double chairs and 3 rope tows, and its About page says it is open Thursday to Sunday and on major holidays (Lost Trail; about; how to get here). See the Hamilton town page.
- Showdown Montana (Neihart): It’s 67 miles from Great Falls on US 89. The resort’s mountain-info page posts winter hours of Wednesday to Sunday plus Monday holidays (Showdown). Its homepage mentions an anticipated opening day of December 11 but shows no year, so confirm the date before you plan a trip (Showdown). See the Great Falls town page.
- Blacktail Mountain (Lakeside, Flathead): Its site says, “Opening is weather and conditions dependent.” We didn’t find posted stats or dates for 2026-27 (Blacktail Mountain).
Taxes and costs to know
Montana has no general sales tax, but resort towns can charge a local resort tax on lodging, restaurants, bars, ski areas and “luxuries.” The Big Sky Resort Area District’s rate is 4% (resort tax district). The Big Mountain resort area (Whitefish Mountain Resort) charges 3% (Big Mountain Resort Area District), and so does the city of Whitefish (City of Whitefish). The city of Red Lodge charges 4% within city limits (City of Red Lodge). See Does Montana have a sales tax? for the full table and sources.
For prices, check each resort’s lift-ticket page. Several resorts advertise discounts for buying early, so compare dates before you book. To plan the rest of the trip, our Montana ski trip planner covers which airport to fly into for each resort, sample 3-5 day plans and winter driving checks.
This comparison is general travel information, not financial advice. Pass terms, opening dates and terrain change; confirm details with the resort before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
What is the biggest ski resort in Montana?
By posted skiable acres, Big Sky Resort, with 5,850 acres (Big Sky).
Which Montana ski resorts are on the Ikon Pass?
Big Sky is the only one we found, with limits on the Ikon Base Pass and Session Pass (Big Sky Ikon page).
Which Montana ski areas take the Indy Pass?
Red Lodge Mountain, Montana Snowbowl, Showdown and Lost Trail (Indy Pass).
When do Montana ski resorts open for 2026-27?
Posted dates run from Nov. 25, 2026 (Big Sky) to mid-December. Red Lodge Mountain lists Nov. 27, Great Divide Nov. 28, Whitefish Dec. 4 and Bridger Bowl Dec. 11. Discovery says early December, and Showdown’s homepage mentions Dec. 11 without a year. All are weather-dependent.
Moving to Montana for the skiing?
Start with our Moving to Montana hub and the town pages linked above.
Sources
- Big Sky Resort: https://www.bigskyresort.com/mountain-info ; https://www.bigskyresort.com/events/winter-opening-day ; https://www.bigskyresort.com/season-passes/passes ; https://www.bigskyresort.com/ikon-pass
- Whitefish Mountain Resort: https://skiwhitefish.com/mountain-stats ; https://skiwhitefish.com/hours-and-dates ; https://skiwhitefish.com/getting-here
- Bridger Bowl: https://bridgerbowl.com/mountain/stats ; https://bridgerbowl.com/mountain/getting-here
- Red Lodge Mountain: https://www.redlodgemountain.com/mountain/the-mountain/ ; https://www.redlodgemountain.com/getting-here/
- Red Lodge Area Chamber: https://www.redlodge.com/travel-information
- Discovery: https://www.skidiscovery.com/the-mountain/
- Great Divide: https://www.skigd.com/mountain-guide ; https://www.skigd.com/hours-of-operations ; https://www.skigd.com/directions-parking
- Montana Snowbowl: https://montanasnowbowl.com/sbblog/contact-us/
- Lost Trail: https://losttrail.com/trail-map/ ; https://losttrail.com/about-lost-trail/ ; https://losttrail.com/how-to-get-here/
- Showdown Montana: https://www.showdownmontana.com/lodge-mountain-info ; https://www.showdownmontana.com/
- Blacktail Mountain: https://blacktailmountain.com/
- Indy Pass resort list: https://www.indyskipass.com/our-resorts
- Epic Pass regions: https://www.epicpass.com/regions.aspx
- Resort tax rates: https://resorttax.org/frequently-asked-questions/ ; https://bigmountainrad.org/faq/ ; https://www.cityofwhitefish.gov/336/Resort-Tax ; https://www.cityofredlodge.net/1311/Resort-Tax
Cole Bennett edits MontanaHelp, a research-driven guide to moving to and living in Montana. Articles cite official and public sources and are updated as rules and data change. AI tools help research and draft them; a person runs the editorial process and spot-checks one article per batch before it’s published.
AI tools helped research and draft this article. A person runs MontanaHelp’s editorial process and spot-checks one article per batch before it’s published.