The Bobcat Nation

I have been traveling to Big Sky every year since 1998 and like to hike every day with my dogs. I usually stay with the hikes I know since I know there will be water for the dogs. Lava Lake is a favorite. I need some new places to go. Can anyone suggest hikes between 4 corners and YNP? Possibly Highlight canyon depending on distance from Big Sky (where I stay).

It's not very long, but I like it Ousel Falls Trail, near Big Sky.

allcat wrote:It's not very long, but I like it Ousel Falls Trail, near Big Sky.

I like that one also but I think since they fixed that trail up your dogs have to be leashed. Does anyone know for certain?

gtapp wrote:I have been traveling to Big Sky every year since 1998 and like to hike every day with my dogs. I usually stay with the hikes I know since I know there will be water for the dogs. Lava Lake is a favorite. I need some new places to go. Can anyone suggest hikes between 4 corners and YNP? Possibly Highlight canyon depending on distance from Big Sky (where I stay).

Gary, have you ever been up the back of big sky?

I don't know how long it is but I've snowmobiled up the back of big sky and it was amazing. I would think during the summer it would be a great hike.

BigBruceBaker wrote:

gtapp wrote:I have been traveling to Big Sky every year since 1998 and like to hike every day with my dogs. I usually stay with the hikes I know since I know there will be water for the dogs. Lava Lake is a favorite. I need some new places to go. Can anyone suggest hikes between 4 corners and YNP? Possibly Highlight canyon depending on distance from Big Sky (where I stay).

Gary, have you ever been up the back of big sky?

I don't know how long it is but I've snowmobiled up the back of big sky and it was amazing. I would think during the summer it would be a great hike.

No, When you say the back of Big Sky, where do you mean and how would I get there??

Let me look on google maps, going into a meeting but I'll look later today.

It's something like 5 miles past big sky on the hwy to Yellowstone on the right hand side. It's after that last diner/bar on the right


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

BigBruceBaker wrote:Let me look on google maps, going into a meeting but I'll look later today.

It's something like 5 miles past big sky on the hwy to Yellowstone on the right hand side. It's after that last diner/bar on the right


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think you are thinking of the Corral Bar. That is where the parking lot/snowmobile trailhead is.

Tdub good call. That's where I was thinking. Can you hike that?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

BigBruceBaker wrote:Tdub good call. That's where I was thinking. Can you hike that?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm not sure. I've only driven by it and noted for future riding for me. I was down there this past weekend for a conference at Big Sky and my wife pointed out that spot as where she and her family went riding when she was a kid. I hope to explore it one of these winters....

Thanks for the help guys!!! If you can think of any more information on the road by the Corral I would appreciate that!!!

If you go to the north entrance through Livingston and Gardiner, Pine Creek Falls is a good moderate 5 mile RT hike. The longer Pine Creek Lake hike on the same trail (8 miles past the falls to the lake) is a serious 20 mile RT 3200 vertical foot workout. Plan it to be a whole day hike. Totally worth it, even though some of the forest around the trail burned in 2012.

grizzh8r wrote:If you go to the north entrance through Livingston and Gardiner, Pine Creek Falls is a good moderate 5 mile RT hike. The longer Pine Creek Lake hike on the same trail (8 miles past the falls to the lake) is a serious 20 mile RT 3200 vertical foot workout. Plan it to be a whole day hike. Totally worth it, even though some of the forest around the trail burned in 2012.

This would be my recommendation as well.

What time do you have to get up to go on a hike?

I think that's called Carrot Basin by the Corral bar.

Beehive Basin. I really like that hike. A customer of mine says that if you go off trail when you get up to the lake, there is a structure with an old tarp tucked into some trees. We wondered if it was a place the Mountain Men that kidnapped the girl had some stuff cached.

lutecat wrote:Beehive Basin. I really like that hike. A customer of mine says that if you go off trail when you get up to the lake, there is a structure with an old tarp tucked into some trees. We wondered if it was a place the Mountain Men that kidnapped the girl had some stuff cached.

I had forgotten all about that. What year was it?

I want to say 79??? I know I wasn't very old. If a year old. I heard about it a few years ago when it made the news the judge in the trial passed away. I looked it up and had no idea that all went sown.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

lutecat wrote:I want to say 79??? I know I wasn't very old. If a year old. I heard about it a few years ago when it made the news the judge in the trial passed away. I looked it up and had no idea that all went sown.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

You are just a youngster... I would have still been in Montana then. If I could figure out how to look it up I would check... It was a long time ago...

That Pine Creek trail was one I would run. All I remember is that it was a ********. Another good hike would be off the Harvats Flats above Livingston. There was a trail west off Harvats. Way too many years,ago but was a Great run. Heck, I have been gone since June of 82...I really miss that country.

RickRund wrote:

lutecat wrote:I want to say 79??? I know I wasn't very old. If a year old. I heard about it a few years ago when it made the news the judge in the trial passed away. I looked it up and had no idea that all went sown.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

You are just a youngster... I would have still been in Montana then. If I could figure out how to look it up I would check... It was a long time ago...

That Pine Creek trail was one I would run. All I remember is that it was a ********. Another good hike would be off the Harvats Flats above Livingston. There was a trail west off Harvats. Way too many years,ago but was a Great run. Heck, I have been gone since June of 82...I really miss that country.

I believe you guys are trying to remember the kidnapping of Kari Swenson by Don and Dan Nichols. That happened during the Summer of 1984. Etched deep in my mind. What a cluster those two dorks created.