By Derek Lennon EBS Contributor
Big Sky is an inspiring place. The surrounding mountains of southwest Montana beckon both locals and visitors alike to get outside and play in Big Sky’s backyard. But sometimes we all just need a down day or the weather, especially this time of year, dictates we take one. The next time you feel like kicking back and relaxing, why don’t you pick up one of these books about Big Sky? I think you’ll enjoy them.
Below I created a quick list of books about Big Sky and the surrounding region. For anyone who’s a fan of Big Sky, you’ll definitely enjoy reading these books. As you can imagine, there are plenty of wild tales involving our mountain town.
Tucked into the middle of the Madison Range on the northwest corner of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, Big Sky has a rich history of cowboys, mountain men, ranchers, skiers, fishermen, celebrities, and of course national parks. These books of history, photography, local knowledge, geology, sports, and more will help you to see Big Sky in a whole new way.
Looking for a good book to read? Here’s a selection of 11 books about Big Sky we think you’ll enjoy:
1.“Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West” by Stephen Ambrose
2. “The Incident at Big Sky: The True Story of Sheriff Johnny France and the Capture of the Mountain Men” by Johnny France and Malcolm McConnell
3. “Empire of Shadows: The Epic Story of Yellowstone” by George Black
4. “Montana: Skiing the Last Best Place” by Brian Hurlbut with photos by Craig W. Herbert
5. “Freedom Found: My Life Story” by Warren Miller and Andy Bigford
6. “Roadside Geology of Montana” by David D. Alt
7. “Good Night, Chet: A Biography of Chet Huntley” by Lyle Johnston
8. “The Skier’s Guide to the Biggest Skiing in America” by Jeff Strickler
9. “Big Sky Names: An Amble Through Western History and Ecology on the Roads, Streams, and Developments of Big Sky, Montana” by Jeff Strickler
10. “A River Runs Through It” by Norman Maclean
11. “Images of America: Big Sky” by Jeff Strickler and Anne Marie Mistretta in cooperation with the Historic Trail Ranch Conservators
Are any of these books about Big Sky on your bookshelf already? Did we miss any books that you’d recommend? Please let us know and we’ll update this list accordingly.
We fully encourage you to read these books about Big Sky. They will help you to see our mountain town in a whole new way and will hopefully give you a new appreciation for what Big Sky is really all about.
Read a book. It’s good for you.
Derek Lennon is a skier and writer who lives, works, and plays in the mountains of the world. He is based in Big Sky, Montana, where he lives with his wife Mia and two dogs.
A version of this story was originally published on the Visit Big Sky blog at https://visitbigskymt.com/books-about-big-sky/. Read more interesting content about the area on Visit Big Sky’s blog at https://visitbigskymt.com/category/blog/.
