Entry No. 24 — the Bozeman file — filed under: art-immersive
Art for the People at Moonlight Basin
Big Sky's "Art for the People" initiative has scattered more than a dozen large-scale outdoor sculptures across Town Center and Meadow Village, turning a walk through town into a free open-air gallery. The anchor is Deborah Butterfield's 'Winter': a horse formed from driftwood gathered along the Gallatin, Yellowstone, and Madison rivers, then cast in bronze and patinaed to survive Montana winters. Installed in 2018, it was the first outdoor public sculpture in the state. Grab the Arts Council's walking map and string the pieces together on foot.
The story
At first glance, Deborah Butterfield's 'Winter' looks like a pile of bleached river debris hauled off the banks of the Gallatin, Yellowstone, and Madison rivers and loosely assembled into a horse. Rap your knuckles against the flank, though, and you'll hit cold, solid bronze. Butterfield collected the actual driftwood from local riverbeds, cast every stick in metal at her Bozeman studio, and patinated the surface so precisely that your brain refuses to accept it's metal until you touch it. Installed in October 2018, the piece became the first permanent outdoor public sculpture in Montana by the internationally recognized artist.
The bronze horse serves as the anchor for Big Sky's 'Art for the People' initiative, an ambitious project that scattered over a dozen large-scale outdoor sculptures across Town Center, Meadow Village, and local trailheads. You might spot Kirsten Kainz's 'Waldazo'—a life-size bison welded from salvaged scrap iron in Fire Pit Park—or Jim Dolan's steel 'Bull Elk' hiding in plain sight at the Uplands Trailhead. Between student haikus on trail kiosks and utility boxes wrapped in local artwork, the area turns a mountain stroll into a free, open-air scavenger hunt.
What it's like
You are driving roughly 45 to 50 miles south of Bozeman into Big Sky, where high-end development meets public trail networks. Grab the Arts Council of Big Sky's walking map before you start so you can string the sculptures together on foot. In summer, trail conditions are prime for walking from Town Center out toward the Moonlight Basin trails. The catch: Moonlight Basin blends public trails with private resort communities, so you'll want to verify public access points beforehand to avoid straying onto private grounds.
The move: Take a guided or self-guided hike on the Moonlight trails and time it to reach Butterfield's driftwood-cast 'Winter' along the way.
📍 Before you go Best in summer when trails are open; some areas of Moonlight Basin are part of a private community/resort, so confirm public access points before you go. About 45-50 miles from Bozeman.
- 📍 Big Sky
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: Moonlight Basin, Big Sky, MT 59716
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Big Sky Public Art Trail (Arts Council of Big Sky) — Follow the wider trail network managed by the Arts Council of Big Sky to track down more public sculptures scattered across Town Center and Meadow Village.
- Garnet Mountain Fire Lookout — Trade an easy outdoor art stroll for a steep 4.5-mile hike up Gallatin Canyon to an 8,245-foot fire lookout perched above the trees.
- Norris Hot Springs — Cap off a day of searching for trail bronzes with a soak in a geothermal pool lined with fir planks.
- Palisade Falls — Stop on the drive back toward Bozeman for a short walk to an 80-foot waterfall cascading over ancient hexagonal basalt columns.
Good to know
How far is Moonlight Basin from Bozeman?
It is located approximately 45 to 50 miles south of Bozeman in Big Sky, Montana.
Is there a fee to view the sculptures?
No, the sculptures are part of a free public art initiative installed in outdoor spaces, parks, and along trails.
When is the best time of year to visit?
Summer is best, as the hiking trails are clear of snow and easier to navigate on foot.
How was the 'Winter' horse sculpture created?
Artist Deborah Butterfield gathered driftwood from the Gallatin, Yellowstone, and Madison rivers, then cast the pieces in bronze and applied a patina designed to weather Montana winters.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · bigskyarts.org · bigskyjournal.com · bozemandailychronicle.com
last checked: 2026-06-24