| Activities | American Heritage#Antiques#Cultural#Education#Exhibit#Heritage#History#Museum#Photography#Tour |
| AltSiteTypes | Landmark#Museum#State Historic Site |
| Amenities | Parking#Picnic Tables#Public Restroom#Tour#Unescorted Tour |
| Bookit | |
| CreatedBy | dbo |
| DateCreated | 8/19/2025 5:02:10 PM |
| DefImageAuthor | Historic Crail Ranch |
| DefImageDesc | |
| DefImageFileName | 638901668693181177.jpg |
| DefImageType | BMP |
| Directions | The Historic Crail Ranch is located in the Meadow Village area of Big Sky, off of Spotted Elk Road. Follow the Lone Mountain Trail (Highway 64) west off of Highway 191 for 2 miles until you reach Little Coyote Road. Turn right on Little Coyote and follow until Spotted Elk appears on the left. Historic Crail Ranch is on the left hand side of Spotted Elk.The Historic Crail Ranch is located in the Meadow Village area of Big Sky, off of Spotted Elk Road. Follow the Lone Mountain Trail (Highway 64) west off of Highway 191 for 2 miles until you reach Little Coyote Road. Turn right on Little Coyote and follow until Spotted Elk appears on the left. Historic Crail Ranch is on the left hand side of Spotted Elk. |
| Discounts | |
| Email | crailranch@bsco.org |
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| EventDay | |
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| HrsOfOp | 12:00pm - 3:00pm |
| ImageAuthor | Historic Crail Ranch#Historic Crail Ranch#Historic Crail Ranch |
| ImageFileDesc | #Crail family#community event |
| ImageFileName | 638901670115074241.jpg#25123h.jpg#25124h.jpg |
| ImageType | BMP#BMP#BMP |
| Latitude | 45.2698454 |
| Longitude | -111.2962803 |
| MailingCity | Big Sky |
| MailingFirm | HCR at Big Sky Community Organization |
| MailingState | MT |
| MailingStreet | PO Box 161404 |
| MailingZip | 59716 |
| NetDescriptions | The unique log structures of the Historic Crail Ranch date to the time of the earliest settlers in what is now Big Sky, Montana.
The establishment of Yellowstone Park in 1871, and the coming of the railroads to the Bozeman area in the 1880s, gave a strong push to open up the Gallatin Canyon. In the 1880s, the first roads were cut to facilitate logging of pine trees for railroad ties. Ranchers then began moving herds of sheep and cattle up the logging roads in the summer months. By the late 1890s, a few ranchers had begun the process of building cabins and establishing homesteads in the meadow areas of the Canyon.
Daniel Inabnit, the first homesteader in the Gallatin Basin, now the Meadow area of Big Sky, finished his first cabin around 1887.
In December 1901, Augustus Franklin Crail purchased the Inabnit homestead. Mr Crail quickly acquired additional parcels growing the ranch to 960 acres.
For more than 50 years, the Crail Ranch was an active ranching operation with herds of cattle and sheep, and fields of wheat and hay.
Today, the Crail Ranch is operated as a homestead museum under the Big Sky Community Organization, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Two of the original log structures have been preserved, along with a collection of historic documents, photographs and artifacts depicting the life of the Gallatin Basin families during the homestead era.
The Historic Crail Ranch is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Historic Crail Ranch Homestead Museum and park are always open for self guided tours. Guided tours, inside three historic cabins, are run on Saturdays and Sundays from late June through September. Click here to sign up for a free tour: https://www.visitbigsky.com/event/historic-crail-ranch-homestead-museum-tour/1741/ |
| NoOfRooms | 0 |
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| PhoneNo1 | 406-993-2112 |
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| Prices | |
| Reservations | Group Reservations Required#Walk-Ins Welcome |
| SeasonOfOp | The grounds and gardens are always open and free to the public.
Tours are offered on Saturdays and Sundays
The parking lot is open all year
Winter activities include xc skiing and winter special events |
| ServiceCity | Big Sky |
| SiteId | 14081 |
| SiteMembers | 1|http://www.visitmt.com|Y#11|http://www.wintermt.com|#32|http://www.lewisandclark.state.mt.us|#94|http://indiannations.visitmt.com| |
| SiteName | The Historic Crail Ranch |
| SiteRegion | Yellowstone |
| SiteRegMem | YELLOWSTONE |
| SiteType | Museum |
| StreetCity | Big Sky |
| StreetFirm | |
| StreetState | MT |
| StreetStreet | 2110 Spotted Elk |
| StreetZip | 59716 |
| Url | https://bsco.org/crail-ranch-homestead/ |