ALL OUT for Parks & Trails

Capital Campaign

Join us to support the recreational and athletic

needs of our growing mountain community.

Over the past 25 years, the BSCO has been the leading provider for recreation, fitness, wellness, athletics, and community building providing accessible programming to all who live, work, and play in Big Sky. The opening of BASE in 2022, the only community and recreation center available to the public, represented a watershed moment for our town.

Today, we are ready to pursue the next era of our critical vision: A Healthy, Connected, and Thriving Community. Building upon the success of BASE’s significant positive impact, we are thrilled to announce the ALL OUT for Parks & Trails campaign that turns BSCO’s focus outdoors to build community through recreation. 

Why are we seeking community financial support? Unlike most towns, Big Sky is unincorporated. BSCO has historically served in the capacity of a traditional Parks and Recreation Department but is funded by philanthropy and the Big Sky Resort Area Tax District instead of municipal taxes. As they did in supporting BASE, it behooves community members to pull together to cover the costs of these projects.

During BSCO’s recent Community Engagement Workshops, participants consistently pointed to three primary needs priorities.

Design and build a new six-acre south side park

Creating more park space with a variety of activities for people of all ages and abilities.

BSCO – SFNP – Concept

Dive Deeper

To provide symmetry and access to the Big Sky community, a new six-acre public park will provide fields, courts, and playgrounds in the Southfork area!  Thanks to the generosity of Lone Mountain Land Company this new park’s location and recreational amenities will make it a Big Sky favorite that compliments the upgraded Community Park assets. Our vision includes a large area for relaxation and play, a shelter for gatherings and picnics, tennis and basketball courts, a walking trail, a multi-use sports field, and two children’s playgrounds. Charitable support will be essential to making this vision a reality.

Improve our existing local parks

Improving existing and increasing the number of athletic fields and courts for all to use.

View our concept re-design of Big Sky’s beloved Community Park

Read Our Plan

Big Sky’s parks serve as affordable and accessible magnets for children and families looking to be outside and take full advantage of BSCO’s open spaces.  The time has come for us to create new
spaces and make overdue improvements that capture the imagination and meet the needs of the young and young at heart.

Generous financial support will allow BSCO to transform the existing Big Sky Community Park, adding a new adventure-based playground for all ages and abilities, expanding the skate park and pump track, improving the soccer and baseball fields, relocating Camp Big Sky with additional yurts and improved safe play areas, rebuilding the volleyball courts, and enhancing the park’s heavily utilized bathroom facilities.  Beyond these necessary enhancements, BSCO seeks to increase the total number of paddle sport courts, add more parking, and improve the disc golf course.

In Len Hill Park, a new warming hut will serve the users of the Marty Pavelich Ice Rink, enhancing experiences for all.  The play area in Kircher Park will be modernized with safety improvements. In addition, the trail to the park requires a stable and solid foundation.  These projects will greatly improve park safety and experience for all users.

Enhance, grow, and connect our trails

Growing the trail network by creating connectivity in town for pedestrian and cyclist safety and adding more miles for multi-use recreation.

View Strategy

All year long, being out on Big Sky’s remarkable trails is an essential part of what makes living and snowshoeing in the winter, some of our deepest and most memorable connections to this place are tied to our trails network. But with increased usage and pressure come new challenges and needs for investment. The community has also expressed great desire for new and expanded trails that connect people and places in town and surrounding wild spaces. Charitable gifts and pledges will help BSCO realize its goal of adding 20 miles of trails to the existing network.

More specifically, pledges and gifts provided as part of this special 25th anniversary campaign will allow Big Sky Community Organization to make vital safety improvements to Ousel Falls trail, finish the 191 Connector trail, and create a new multi-use single track trail that connects Town Center to the canyon.  We’ll also be able to complete the much-anticipated Huff’s Trek, Tanner’s Way, and Powderlight Bridge trails and trailhead projects. With the pressures and demands on our open space, these trail projects present an opportunity to leverage easy and equitable access to the outdoors.

Local generosity will also allow us to expand our cross-country skiing trails and provide for improved winter grooming and trails maintenance for the Nordic-inclined among our passionate users, as well as winter bikers, snowshoers, and dog walkers. Moreover, BSCO needs to be ready when opportunities come our way to secure access and improve land for trails in and around Big Sky that welcome the community and support the kinds of health and wellness that can only come from being in nature.

Increased usage and pressure mean that our current amenities face higher demand than capacity. Now is the time to enhance and secure trail access, connectivity, and park space that will serve current and future needs.

For more information or to schedule a meeting to discuss your participation in the ALL OUT for Parks and Trails campaign, please contact Whitney Montgomery, CEO at BSCO.

Based on the comprehensive input received from the community, BSCO’s Board of Directors and staff have developed and approved a new and ambitious strategic plan that honors our past and lays out a compelling path forward.

 

Charitable gifts at all levels will allow us to provide affordable and accessible amenities to all who live, work, and play in Big Sky.

Hikers heading up Uplands trail in Big Sky

Stay connected with the BSCO App!

 

Join our 2024 Year-End Match Campaign! With the start of BSCO’s Year-End Fundraising Campaign, we’re excited to announce a bonus — 100% of the Board of Directors have committed to match donations up to $97,000! That means your gift will go twice as far to create a brighter and healthier Big Sky future. 

Big Sky Community Organization