On these backcountry tours, you'll take a short van ride with one of our naturalist guides to the Northwest corner of Yellowstone Park or to the Gallatin National Forest. These tours offer beautiful backcountry skiing or snowshoeing on terrain that varies from easy rolling trails to more advanced glades perfect for practicing telemark turns. These tours are rated Easy, Moderate or Difficult, depending on the length of the tour, the amount of climbing and the difficulty of skiing.

We get you there, supply a knowledgeable naturalist guide and bring you home. At the Ranch, we take care of everything, from gourmet dinners to warm and cozy cabin accommodations.

Here are some descriptions of our Backcountry Ski and Snowshoe Tours:

• Fir Ridge - 45 minute drive south toward West Yellowstone. Ski on rolling terrain overlooking a wide open valley. Part of the skiing is through some trees burned in the fire of 1988. We also ski past some incredible old growth Douglas fir trees. Distance is 4-6 miles. Moderate.
• Tipi Creek and Fan Creek, Upper Gallatin River and Bacon Rind Creek - all follow mountain streams in the northwest corner of Yellowstone National Park. Most of the skiing is through open meadows loaded with snow. All of these tours offer incredible mountain views and opportunities to see moose, elk, bison and to study animal tracks. The terrain is gentle and rolling for the most part. Easy.
• Specimen Creek - This tour is a bit more forested than those listed above. We see signs of bears who have passed through before hibernation. This is one of the more protected trails in inclement weather. 4-6 miles.Easy.
• Bighorn Trail -In the northwest corner of Yellowstone National Park. We ski along the upper Gallatin River for a short distance until we gradually climb to some open alpine meadows above the river. Expansive views north and south, and beautiful downhills to ski on the way out! 6-8 miles. Moderate.
• Fawn Pass Trail- In the northwest corner of Yellowstone National Park. We ski up Fan Creek over gradual terrain, through deep snow with incredible mountain views. For more adventurous groups it is possible to ski up Fan Creek and cross over to Big Horn Pass Trail for a loop back to the van.
• Telemark Meadows - In the northwest Corner of Yellowstone National Park. A moderate tour up and over a ridge traversing a mix of meadows and forest with great views of the surrounding mountain ranges as far away as the Grand Tetons in Wyoming.