Bozeman is one of the best places I have ever skied. Between growing up on the icy hills of the midwest and navigating the crowded slopes of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, Bozeman has the greatest mix of space and powdery snow. There are two ski resorts close to Bozeman with completely different dynamics. I have done a side-by-side comparison of the two, so you can decide where to ski on your next ski trip to Bozeman or if you want to try out both! Find out more about the best ski resorts near Bozeman below. 

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We have skied at many ski resorts in our days. Mike and I both grew up in Michigan and while I didn’t start snowboarding until I was in college, Mike has been doing it for years. Starting on the icy hills of Michigan isn’t the best place to start, but we worked with what we had.

After we moved to Estes Park, Colorado, we were able to enjoy some epic powder and massive ski hills. Even the smaller, Eldora Ski Area outside of Boulder, was a huge upgrade for us. While we enjoyed exploring the large ski resorts along I-70 like Copper Mountain and Vale, we didn’t like the heavy traffic or the endless crowds.

The first time we drove to Big Sky Resort in 2016, we initially thought something was wrong. Was the resort closed? Why isn’t there a line of traffic leading through the canyon to get to the resort? We were so confused. 🤪

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Ski Resorts Near Bozeman: Big Sky Resort Or Bridger Bowl

Side-By-Side Mountain Comparison

Big Sky Resort is a huge ski area! You could easily snowboard all day and not repeat a run. Actually you could ski a few days and not repeat a run; it is that big. With continuous improvements being added each year, I would argue that Big Sky is one of the best resorts in the U.S., not just in the Bozeman area.

Bridger Bowl on the other hand is more of locals’ haunt. As far as a smaller ski resort goes, it is pretty epic! It has a great variety of different leveled ski runs, from your expert ridge runs to the easy beginner base area. With fantastic views and powdery snow, you will surely have a blast zooming down the mountain.

Here’s a little comparison of the two ski resorts near Bozeman.

So as you can see, with just comparing the basics, you get a lot more at Big Sky. However, these shouldn’t be the only factors in making your decision between these ski resorts near Bozeman.

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How Much Does Bridger And Big Sky Cost?

An important consideration is the cost of skiing at each resort. Bridger may not be as fancy or as big, but the price tag is much more appealing. Big Sky definitely lives up to the cost, but not everyone can afford to pay the high rate.

Like all ski resorts in the US, you can purchase many different passes depending on how many days you are skiing.

Pro Tip: Buying a multi-day bundle or purchasing day tickets in advance online will save you money! It helps to plan in advance.

Ok, let me explain a few things on this graph as there are a few differences between how the two ski resorts do pricing.

*The ages for adults, juniors, children, etc… are all different for each resort.

• Bridger Bowl
  • Adult: 19-69 years old
  • Junior: 13-18 years old
  • Child: 7-12 years old
  • Senior: 70-79 years old
  • Pre-school: 6 & under
  • Super Senior: 80 & over (free)
• Big Sky Resort
  • Adult: 15-69 years old
  • Senior: 70 & over (same price as an adult)
  • Junior: 7-14 years old
  • Child: 6 & under

** Bridger Bowl only offers one bundle and their season passes. Since they only have a 3-day bundle, I compared the prices with Big Sky’s 3-day bundle. Big Sky has other multi-day bundles including 2 out of 3 days, 4 out of 5 days, 5 out of 7 days, 6 out of 8 days and 7 out of 9 days.

Bridger Bowl’s 3 days can be used at anytime during the season and don’t need to be consecutive. There are no black out dates for these passes either. Big Sky’s bundles need to be used consecutively.

***Big Sky Resort’s pricing varies significantly depending on when in the season you visit. Early season and later season pricing is much lower than around Christmas and the New Year. Bridger’s pricing is the same no matter what day you visit.

Lastly, Bridger Bowl does not partner with other ski resorts. It prides itself on prioritizing season pass holders and catering to the community of Bozeman.

Whereas, Big Sky Resort participates in a few different collaborations. They are a part of the Icon Pass and the Mountain Collective, as well as being a part of the Boyne Sister Resorts.

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Amenities And Other Activities

Dining Options

Bridger Bowl has only a couple of different areas to hang out and grab a beer and a bite to eat. You will find more traditional ski bum restaurants here with sandwiches, chicken fingers, fries and the like. There is a nice deck where you can see the skiers coming down the mountain.

Big Sky Resort has many different options for dining from fancy mountainside dining to traditional slope-side bars. We mainly skied at Madison Base area, so we ate many times at Headwaters Grille. They have classic ski cafeteria food.

If you are the main base area, Mountain Village, Big Sky recently renovated this dining hall and it is now pretty epic. There are many different cuisine types to choose from including pizza, burgers, ramen, pastries, tacos, sandwiches etc.. and there’s also a bar. Vista Hall is pretty great, but that also means it can also get very busy!

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Lodging Choices

Bridger Bowl

Bridger Resort sadly doesn’t have any accommodations on site that are a part of the resort. You can find a few private cabins on Airbnb, but the selection is limited. Your best bet is to stay in Bozeman. Here are a few hotels I recommend:

• The Lark
• RSVP Motel
• The Armory
• The Element

Big Sky Resort

Big Sky Resort has three different properties on site and one in Big Sky Town Center that are associated with the resort. Town Center is a great area to be if you want to be close to shopping and a variety of restaurants. The other three properties are located on the resort and are ski in and ski out.

There are also many nearby vacation rentals that you can book near the resort or in the Town Center. Big Sky doesn’t have many large hotels like the Hilton or Marriott. There is one in the Town Center, The Wilson Hotel, which is a Marriott and really nice. Additionally, you can upgrade to the expensive Montage.

Otherwise, the lodging options are vacation rentals, the resort accommodations or ranches in the area like Lone Mountain Ranch.

It is also possible to stay in Bozeman and drive to Big Sky for the day, but please note that it will take about an hour to drive, one way. The advantage to staying in Bozeman is that the price of your lodging will be less expensive and there many more activities to do in Bozeman. However, I would recommend staying in Big Sky if you plan on being at the resort the majority of your vacation.

Other Activities To Experience

Activities At Bridger

Bridger doesn’t have extra touristy attractions that you can book with the resort. It is just a ski resort. There are a few exciting events that happen throughout the year like the Torchlight Parade.

Nearby you can visit Crosscut which has miles of trails where you can go cross country skiing, fat biking or snow-shoeing. It is not part of the Bridger Bowl though.

Experiences At Big Sky

Big Sky Resort caters to many international and domestic visitors with a variety of different activities to choose from. A few of these signature experiences include skiing through an enchanted forest, headlamp night skiing, snow-go biking and much more.

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Ski Lessons At The Ski Resorts Near Bozeman

Both ski resorts near Bozeman offer ski lessons for visitors. You can book group or private lessons at either resort, but what they offer is slightly different. Instead of a side-by-side comparison, I will summarize their offerings.

Bridger Bowl Ski Lessons

Private Lessons

• 1 hour lesson: $150, one person, ages 3 years old and up
• 1.5 hour lesson: $210, up to 2 people, ages 4 years old and up
• 3 hour lesson: $390+, up to 4 people, ages 7 years and up (additional $50 each for 2nd, 3rd and 4th person)

Group Lessons

• 2.5 hour lesson: $95 per person, ages 7 and up
• 1.5 hour lesson: $95 per person, ages 4-6 years old

Big Sky Ski Lessons

Private Lessons

• Full day lesson (9am-4pm) starting at $1195, up to 5 participants, all ages
• Half day lessons (9am – noon or 1pm to 4pm) starting at $799, up to 5 participants, all ages
• Small Fry Try starting at $170, ages 2-3

Group Lessons: There are full day and half day lessons at Big Sky and what is offered depends on the age of the skier. Some of the lessons take place at Mountain Village and others at Madison Base. When you start the booking process, it easily walks you through the different options.

• Adult Full Day starting at $345, ages 15 and up
• Kids Camp starting at $300, ages 7-14
• Mini Camp starting at $300, ages 4-6
• Small Fry Camp starting at $255, age 3

Summary Of The Ski Resorts Near Bozeman

In my opinion, Big Sky Resort is the best of the ski resorts near Bozeman by far. The quality of the facilities, a nice variety of family-friendly slopes for all skill levels, and the sheer size of the mountain make it worth the price.

It is especially nice for the tourist that is looking for a ski trip that has it all. It can be hard to swallow the price, but I find it to be well worth it! We chose to get season passes at Big Sky when we lived in Bozeman and we were never disappointed.

If cost is something you are considering, you might want to look at Bridger Bowl. Alternatively, if you are planning a trip with a mix of skiing and other winter activities around the Bozeman area, Bridger is also a wonderful option.

In addition, if you are just learning to ski, Bridger Bowl’s lessons are much more affordable and you can have a lot of fun on the blue and green runs. We started our kids out with ski lessons at Bridger and they loved it and learned very quickly!

All in all, it depends on what you are looking for in a ski trip. I hope this breakdown helps you figure out what option would work best for your family in choosing a ski resort near Bozeman.

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