Once open range beneath Lone Peak, Big Sky has become one of the Rockies' defining mountain communities. Across Montana's fourth-largest state, few places capture the imagination like this one.

Lone Peak rises to 11,166 feet above the resort's terrain and tram-served bowls.

What sets it apart

Summer visitors trade skis for the trails, rivers and golf of the Gallatin Canyon. Small as it sounds, it is exactly the sort of thing that defines the experience on the ground.

The town remains unincorporated, governed by a patchwork of districts and community groups.

Why it matters

What ties it all together is a distinctly Montana balance between wildness and self-reliance. However you come to it, this is a place that stays with you long after the drive home.