Ski Small, Dream Big: The Magic of Bear Paw Ski Bowl

Updated Jan. 10, 2025

It may be Montana’s smallest ski area, but Bear Paw Ski Bowl has heart – and that’s why you should give it a chance.

Montana’s Hi-Line is known for many things: wheat, barley, trains, bitter cold winds…

What it’s not known for is its mountains. This remote stretch of northern Montana is more of a rolling hills sort of landscape, punctuated with a few river crossings and the odd town. Which is why, even if you’re an avid skier or boarder, you may not know about Bear Paw Ski Bowl near Havre.

Montana’s smallest (and cheapest!) ski area is tucked into the Bear Paw Mountains, which top out at a respectable 6,900 feet and really buck the stereotype that the Hi-Line is as flat as a pancake.

However, Bear Paw has less than one percent of the skiable acreage of Big Sky Resort. If that sounds like an intentionally unfair comparison to America’s second-largest resort, it’s still less than six percent the size of Great Divide Ski Area near Helena. These statistics aren’t intended to denigrate little Bear Paw, though – they’re here to highlight how much fun can be packed into such a small hill.

Bear Paw is a quiet little ski hill. Well no, it’s not really quiet, the wind howls nine out of ten days. But it’s uncomplicated. It’s never busy. As a volunteer-run non-profit that sits on a Native American reservation, it’s a unique experience that you won’t find anywhere else. And that’s why you should consider giving Bear Paw a chance.

Some links in this post are affiliates, meaning we may earn a small commission if you make a reservation. Your cost stays the same!

How Bear Paw Ski Bowl Got Here

Why would someone build a ski resort out on the Hi-Line? More than two hours from Great Falls, the nearest major town (and closest airport)?

For one, because farmers get bored, too, especially in the winter. That’s also why Teton Pass Ski Resort exists near Choteau.

Second, because unlike the surrounding area, the Bear Paw Mountains do get a fair amount of snow, giving the hill an average snowfall comparable to Discovery Ski Area. There’s also a thousand foot-vertical drop, which is more than sufficient for building a ski hill (and compared to other ski areas in Montana, it is just barely the lowest).

And so they did. Bear Paw opened on Black Mountain in 1960 with just a poma lift to haul skiers up the mountain – well, halfway up. There wasn’t access to the top until 17 years later, when a double chair lift was installed with its terminus at the summit. As far as I know, that’s the same chair they’re running today. Don’t worry, they’ve made improvements to it over the past 55 years.

Skiing on Native Land

A unique feature of Bear Paw is that it is one of only three ski resorts in America on a Native American reservation – the others are Sunrise Park in Arizona and Ski Apache in New Mexico.

Bear Paw operates on land wholly owned by the Chippewa Cree Tribe of Rocky Boy, whose reservation is home to around 3,700 tribal members. It’s one of three non-profit ski areas in Montana (the others being Turner Mountain and Bridger Bowl), and is managed by the Snow Dance Ski Association in Havre. The few paid lift operator positions at the otherwise volunteer-run hill are exclusively hired from the tribe.

The Volunteer Spirit & the Heart of Bear Paw

All of the other positions at Bear Paw are filled by volunteers, from ski patrol to ticket seller to grillmaster. Though those last two roles are often the same person, manager Dave Martens, who’s been volunteering there since the ‘70s. During the off-season, “work parties” bring out volunteer maintenance crews to prepare for the next winter, doing everything from clearing downed trees to stringing up new cables for the lone chairlift.

While Bear Paw provides some fun opportunities for winter recreation, it’s also a community builder. The enthusiasm is palpable here. When many ski resorts are being bought up by mammoth corporations cough, Vail, having that ability to bring together so many skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts without all the frills is something to be cherished. And as you can see from the reviews of Bear Paw, that vibe is exactly what people love about it.

The Bear Paw Experience

If you’ve ever bought a ticket to ski at one of the fancier resorts, like Aspen or Big Sky, you know the FOMO that comes at the end of the day. There was so much terrain you missed out on. Even with the high-speed eight-person chairlifts, there will be runs you didn’t have the time (or energy) to explore. That’s how they get you to buy a week-long pass after all.

Bear Paw doesn’t have this problem. While it’s got 24 named runs, there are really only a dozen or so routes from top to bottom. Any moderately-motivated skier could hit them all in a day. Some might see that as boring, but there’s a sense of accomplishment that comes with having explored every inch of your terrain.

This is by no means the most challenging ski area, either. The black runs can get tricky depending on snow conditions, but most of the terrain is solidly intermediate level. And novices love that you can just get off the chairlift midway up the mountain to catch all the easier runs. There’s even a rope tow at the bottom for first-timers.

Bear Paw is a fun, family-friendly hill that’s more often compared to the tiny local ski areas back East than to the other ski resorts in Montana. Whatever the opposite of pretension is, that’s what you’ll find here. They’re also only open on Saturday and Sunday, so everyone’s had the whole week to get stoked for skiing, making for a more lively atmosphere.

No one’s decked out in avi gear or shooting videos on their GoPro. They’re just having fun with friends and family, something that’s getting lost as skiing and snowboarding become more commercialized and more about getting a shot for Instagram than about shredding pow for the sake of it.

No surprise, Bear Paw almost exclusively attracts skiers from Havre and the surrounding area. If you’re from somewhere else, you might be the only one – but you’ll be warmly welcomed by locals happy to see more people enjoying their hill.

Snow Conditions at Bear Paw

Bear Paw’s snow is… a chance to develop your patience and skiing prowess. It’s always the last Montana ski resort to open and has the lowest annual snowfall of any hill in the state, thanks to its location within the rain shadow of the much taller Rocky Mountains.

For three years, from 2015 to 2018, and again last year, Bear Paw sadly didn’t open at all due to weak snowfall. In operational years (like 2025, woohoo!!), opening and closing dates vary considerably – in 2022, it didn’t open until the third weekend of February, literally months after most Montana ski areas.

With a summit elevation just a mile above sea level, the mountain struggles to hold on to the snow it gets. Either it’s too warm and the snow all melts, or gale force winds scour away any fluffy powder that’s managed to fall near the summit.

To make matters worse, that summit is completely bald, without any trees to block the brutal winds. What’s left is an icy crust of a summit. The headwall (known as The Face) is a challenging black diamond run only because it’s so icy.

Those same winds can be strong enough to stop the lifts, which happens not infrequently. And for a hill that’s only open a dozen or so weekends a year, any downtime feels like a catastrophe. If you’re up at Bear Paw when the lifts shut down, all you can do is hunker down in the parking lot or over at the warming shack. Wait… what about the lodge?

The Lodge at Bear Paw Ski Bowl

I’m going to level with you, there is no lodge. There’s a warming hut, but seating is extremely limited, and the only food comes from a guy grilling cheeseburgers outside, which are actually a really good deal as far as ski hill food goes. The deck has some picnic tables to sit at, so hope it’s a bright and sunny day with no wind – ask someone from Havre how often that happens…

The other option is to pack a lunch and use your car as the warming hut. Personally, I usually bring a cooler and a tiny crock pot that plugs into my car’s 12V adapter on ski trips. My lunches are tasty, and I’ve saved a ton of money (not to mention my arteries) not eating mediocre lodge food, but that’s beside the point.

Especially on nicer days, the lack of a lodge gives Bear Paw a bit of a tailgating atmosphere, which is part of the fun. People bring out folding chairs, share food, and actually talk to each other instead of staring at their phones (reception is terrible unless you’re on the summit). Plus, everyone’s saving money – money that can go towards more lift tickets or some beers at the Triple Dog back in Havre.

You Can’t Afford Not to Buy a Lift Ticket

As the smallest Montana ski area, both in terms of vertical drop and skiable acreage, it’s probably no surprise that Bear Paw is also far and away the least expensive hill, with lift tickets costing just $25 (discounted to $20 for kids and $15 for Chippewa Cree tribal members).

Because I’m a huge data nerd, I actually put together a spreadsheet of the stats and cost of every ski resort in America awhile back. And I found that Bear Paw, along with a few other Montana ski hills like Turner Mountain and Maverick Mountain, has among the most vertical feet per dollar of any ski area in the country. What I’m saying is, Bear Paw is a fantastic value.

If $25 is too rich for your blood, you can get a free lift ticket in the springtime if you ski in a bikini. It seems this policy is only available for women, although men could always try their luck. Whether a one-piece counts also seems to be a bit of a gray area, with low temperatures sometimes considered as an extenuating circumstance.

Ski Rentals at Bear Paw

So, if there’s no lodge, where do you get rentals? A little bit of planning is required, because you have to pick them up in Havre at Bear Paw Winter Sports, and the hours are limited. The price though? Unbeatable. Just $20 per day for a full set of gear, or $35 for the whole weekend (less than half what most Montana ski resorts charge). Their seasonal rentals are unbelievably cheap, too, at only $100.

If you’re from Great Falls, that’s 50% less than you’d pay at Skiers Edge, so if you’ve got a group, it’s kind of worth it to take a day trip up to Havre to get them, even if you’ll only ski at Showdown or Teton all season.

Bear Paw’s rental gear is excellent quality, too, thanks to a recent donation of 200 sets of skis, boots, and poles from Bridger Bowl and snowboards and helmets from a Havre-area pawnshop.

Where to Stay Near Bear Paw Ski Area

Without many tourists making their way up to the Hi-Line, accommodations are sparse compared to areas near other Montana ski hills. Nevertheless, there’s a decent selection of hotels and Airbnbs for any skier’s budget.

Great Northern Inn

Undoubtedly one of the nicer hotels in Havre, the Great Northern is heavy on amenities with an indoor pool, hot tub, gym, and highly-rated complimentary hot breakfast. Rooms are modern and clean, and you can’t beat the location within walking distance of downtown Havre.

Just next door is one of Havre’s best coffee shops, Four Oh Six Coffee Roasting Company. You wouldn’t think it from the outside, since it’s attached to a large gas station and casino, but they serve an incredible cup of coffee, and their baked goods are top-notch. It’s a great spot to pick up snacks before you head to the hill.

Siesta Motel

If you’re more of a budget-conscious ski bum, and you probably are if you’re considering a trip to Bear Paw Ski Bowl, the Siesta Motel might be a better choice. No pools or gym here, but the wood-paneled rooms and pastel tiles have a certain nostalgic charm that make it the perfect crash pad after a day of skiing Bear Paw.

Foothills Outlook Inn

If you’re with a group, this spacious vacation rental must be the best place to stay in Havre. A 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom house with a full kitchen, fire pit, and outdoor patio offering views of the Bear Paws, it’s got everything you’d need for a group ski trip.

3rd Avenue Inn B&B

As long as you don’t mind a shared bathroom, this gorgeous B&B has got to be the best value in town, and it’s a great place to meet other travelers. The four bedrooms each have their own unique theme – Parisian, Jungle, Highline, and Western – and guests have access to the common kitchen, dining room, and library. Breakfast is included, and the host (who lives on-site) gets rave reviews.

Things to Do in Havre, MT

Let’s be real, the Hi-Line isn’t near the top of anyone’s bucket list. It’s cold, windy, (mostly) flat, and seemingly desolate.

There’s actually a lot of great things to do in Havre, though, and just getting back to Great Falls will take two hours. So, you might as well spend the night in Havre and enjoy what the Crown Jewel of the Hi-Line has to offer.

Cross-Country Skiing at Beaver Creek Park

If you’re still itching for powder and want it served with a healthy dose of cardio, Beaver Creek Park has a massive trail system to explore. It’s the largest county park in America (!) at over 10,000 acres, stretching for 17 miles between Havre and Bear Paw. Montana cross-country trails are often ungroomed, and Beaver Creek is no exception. The trails are relatively flat though, making this a great opportunity to practice getting out of the track.

Use of the park requires a day permit which you can purchase online. The annual permit also covers camping fees in summer, but the campground isn’t open in the winter.

Havre Beneath the Streets Tours

If there’s a must-visit attraction on the Hi-Line, it’s surely Havre’s famed subterranean adventure. You’d never know it from above ground, but a labyrinth of dentist’s offices, funeral homes, gambling dens, and even bordellos is waiting to be explored just a few feet below street level.

The unique attraction was borne out of Havre’s tendency to burn down near the turn of the century. While the town was being rebuilt, many businesses moved underground, with the added benefit that law enforcement was less likely to see any illicit activity taking place.

Today, many of those businesses are still well-preserved, and you can explore them on a guided tour. Tours last an hour or so and are given Monday through Saturday during the winter. The last one starts at 2:30pm, so it’s not something you can do after a full day of skiing – but it’s a great activity to do in Havre the morning after a day at the hill. Call ahead to book your tour.

Triple Dog Brewing Company

There’s no lodge, and thus no bar, at Bear Paw, so your first stop for post-shred beers will be at Havre’s Triple Dog Brewing Company. The town’s first (and sadly now its only) brewery is the official hangout for Bear Paw, and pints are just $4 if you show your lift ticket. They host events like “Pray for Snow” parties, and this cool Bear Paw merch is available there, too.

Rod’s Drive In

Something of a local institution, Rod’s is home of the Ugly Burger, a juicy, toppings-heavy mound of meat that ranks on a number of Montana bucket lists. You can also add flavoring to any of their sodas, and the syrups cover everything under the sun, from marshmallow to huckleberry. It’s drive-thru only, but Triple Dog won’t mind if you bring a bag of burgers into the brewery.

Bow & Marrow

Given that you only spent $25 on a lift ticket, it’s safe to say there’s some cash leftover for a more upscale evening meal. Bow & Marrow is one of the fancier joints in Havre, serving such haute cuisine as lentil-crusted walleye and a 14-oz. New York strip steak with parsley gremolata.

For the dirtbag skier, there’s also a burger smothered in hash browns, a fried egg, and gravy. Top it all off with a pineapple-jalapeno margarita, and don’t overlook the dinner rolls, either – they get rave reviews.

Are you ready to give Bear Paw Ski Bowl a chance?

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