Beehive Basin, Montana, United States
My friends Don and Ann Marie informed me a few weeks ago
that they’d be in Bozeman for the weekend and would like to see me. With
relatives in nearby Livingston, I’m the sole attraction in the Bozeman area for
them, but they told me they’d like to meet for dinner and would be interested in
doing a hike on Sunday.
With virtually unlimited options for hikes of all kinds in
the area, I came up with the suggestion of Beehive Basin based on several
criteria. First, it is considered especially scenic. Second, I haven’t hiked
there yet. Third, the elevation gain is
only 1,400 feet and roundtrip distance only seven miles, so it’s not too long
or strenuous. And fourth, it would force us to drive through Big Sky ski
resort, which I hope seeing might entice Don and Ann Marie to return to for
skiing this winter since they are also Ikon Pass holders for skiing.
Big Sky ski area is about 45 miles southwest of Bozeman,
less than an hour’s drive up Gallatin Canyon, but once you get to the area and
the lower village, it’s still several miles up to the ski village on the
mountain.
The road to the Beehive Basin trailhead is another two miles up. Being so close to the resort, Beehive Basin is
super popular, especially on sunny weekend days like this one. A Bozeman friend
recommended getting to the trailhead by 8:00 A.M. because there are so many
cars there you sometimes have to park along the road quite a distance away. Fat
chance for us; we got there around 11:30, which wasn’t too bad because some of
the morning hikers were already leaving opening up some parking spaces. The
trailhead itself is located at about 7,900 feet.
My understanding is that Beehive Basin holds snow quite late
into the season. By July 21st, though, it was all melted and the
wildflowers were out in their glory. What was notable about this hike was less
the sheer quantity of wildflowers in the fields but rather the great variety
compared to some of the other hikes I completed recently. Although nowhere very steep, the trail rises
quite steadily at a fair incline passing through some wooded areas but mostly
through open meadows with continuous great views to the rocky cirque ahead at
the upper part of the basin and often back to Lone Peak and the ski slopes at
Big Sky.
And it sure is popular! I’ve never seen so many people on a
trail in Montana, except for possibly the College M trail right near
Bozeman. When we arrived at the lake in
the center of the basin at the end of the main trail, there were dozens of
people around eating their lunch or soaking up some rays. The cirque of rock
walls includes several prominent peaks, the highest of which is Gallatin Peak
at 11,015 feet. The small lake in the basin it itself at a rather impressive 9,274
feet. You might not have guessed on the day we were there, though, considering
how balmy it was.
That hike seemed easy. Maybe we should continue the hike to
one of the peaks? Perhaps Blaze Mountain at 10,384 feet, only another 1,100
feet up with supposedly a good trail?
Ann Marie’s nephew Nicholas boasted the other night about climbing
several of the peaks from the basin. It can be done. Time as well as energy
were a limiting factor, though, and a couple beers in the village a stronger
pull than the scenery from a peak. We arrived back at the trailhead about four
hours after setting off, just about what my guidebook suggested the hike takes
even though we stopped for an extended rest in the basin to take in the
scenery.
I’m familiar with Lone Peak Brewery in the lower village at
Big Sky, having been there on several occasions on visits to Montana. A Bozeman
friend recommended the new Beehive Basin Brewery, so we thought we’d give it a
try. Although it’s only a taproom and not a full pub serving food, I probably
prefer it to Lone Peak – better atmosphere, lower priced beers. I know where I’ll
be returning for a pint after skiing during the winter months.
2025-05-22