Big Sky, MT elevation
Downtown Big Sky sits at 7,220 ft (2,201 m) above sea level. The city limits climb well above that: the highest of our USGS sample points is 10,895 ft, 4.0 mi from downtown.
USGS elevation downtown
7,220ft
2,201 m above sea level
Ground elevation at 45.28465, -111.36829 (GNIS populated-place coordinates (city center)).
Source: USGS 3D Elevation Program, via the Elevation Point Query Service
- Range inside city limits (sampled)
- 5,952 to 10,895 ft
- 1,814 to 3,321 m · 155 USGS points
- Source: USGS 3DEP + 2024 Census boundary
- Average of sampled points
- 7,802 ft (2,378 m)
- Source: USGS 3DEP
Data updated · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made
Check your exact spot in Big Sky
Elevation changes from street to street. Use your location, search an address or click the map to get the USGS value for one point. Green pins mark the points named on this page.
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Elevation range inside the city limits
Big Sky covers 120.0 sq mi of land. Across it, USGS elevations at 155 sampled points run from 5,952 ft (1,814 m) to 10,895 ft (3,321 m), a spread of 4,943 ft. The average of those points is 7,802 ft, higher than downtown.
Method: Sampled: USGS 3DEP elevation at 155 points (the city center plus a regular grid about 1,416 m apart) inside the 2024 Census boundary. The true highest and lowest points can lie between grid points.
Life at 7,220 ft
Standard-atmosphere estimates for downtown Big Sky (7,220 ft). Weather moves the real values a little from day to day.
- Oxygen per breath
- 77 % of sea level
- Air is still 20.9% oxygen; there is just less air.
- Oxygen calculator
- Home canning
- Above 1,000 ft, USDA processing times and pressure-canner pounds go up.
- Canning adjustments · Baking
Sources: pressure from the U.S. Standard Atmosphere, 1976 (NOAA, NASA, USAF); boiling point from the Antoine equation for water (Lange's Handbook of Chemistry); canning thresholds from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning. Not medical or food-safety advice; follow the tested USDA recipe for your altitude.
Big Sky compared with nearby and similar-size cities
- Big Sky (downtown)7,220 ft
- Bozeman, MT4,811 ft
- Livingston, MT4,502 ft
- Belgrade, MT4,457 ft
- Manhattan, MT4,245 ft
- Three Forks, MT4,074 ft
Landmark elevations
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Big Sky | 7,220 ft (2,201 m) | USGS 3DEP at GNIS populated-place coordinates |
| Highest sampled point | 10,895 ft (3,321 m) · 4.0 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Lowest sampled point | 5,952 ft (1,814 m) · 6.6 mi from downtown | USGS 3DEP grid sample |
| Nearest public airport: Ennis Big Sky (KEKS) | 5,433 ft (1,656 m) · 14 mi away | FAA field elevation |
Big Sky at a glance
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Land area | 120.0 sq mi (310.8 km²) | Census 2024 Gazetteer |
| County | Gallatin | USGS GNIS |
| USGS 7.5-minute topo map | Gallatin Peak | USGS GNIS |
| Downtown coordinates | 45.28465, -111.36829 | USGS GNIS |
More places and tools
Nearest city pages
- Bozeman, MT — 4,811 ft, 32 mi (51 km) away
- Helena, MT — 4,048 ft, 96 mi (154 km) away
- Jackson, WY — 6,238 ft, 128 mi (206 km) away
- Missoula, MT — 3,209 ft, 167 mi (269 km) away
- Kalispell, MT — 2,955 ft, 245 mi (394 km) away
- All Montana elevations
Frequently asked questions
What is the elevation of Big Sky, MT?
Downtown Big Sky is 7,220 ft (2,201 m) above sea level, from the USGS 3D Elevation Program at the city-center coordinates. Inside the city limits, USGS values at 155 sampled points run from 5,952 to 10,895 ft.
What is the highest point in Big Sky?
The highest of our 155 USGS sample points inside the 2024 Census city boundary is 10,895 ft (3,321 m), about 4.0 mi from downtown (45.2772, -111.4492). The true high point can be slightly higher because it may fall between grid points.
What is the lowest point in Big Sky?
The lowest sampled point is 5,952 ft (1,814 m), about 6.6 mi from downtown. That is 4,943 ft below the highest sampled point.
At what temperature does water boil in Big Sky?
At 7,220 ft, water boils at about 198.9 °F (92.7 °C) and standard air pressure is 22.90 inHg (775 hPa), so each breath holds about 77% of the oxygen it would at sea level. Cooking times for pasta, eggs and beans run a little longer than at sea level.
What is the elevation of the airport near Big Sky?
Ennis Big Sky (KEKS), 14 mi from downtown, has an FAA field elevation of 5,432.6 ft (1,656 m).
Do I need to adjust canning times in Big Sky?
Yes. At 7,220 ft downtown, USDA tables call for longer boiling-water processing times and higher weighted-gauge pressure than at sea level. Check your own address, because the city spans 5,952 to 10,895 ft.
Sources
- USGS Elevation Point Query Service (3DEP) — downtown elevation and every sampled point
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Cartographic Boundary Files (places, states; 1:500,000) — city boundary used for sampling
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files (places) — land area and Census place match
- USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), Domestic Names — city-center coordinates, county and topo map name
- FAA Aeronautical Information Services, Airports (field elevation) — airport field elevation
- U.S. Standard Atmosphere, 1976 (NOAA/NASA/USAF); water boiling point by the Antoine equation (Lange’s Handbook of Chemistry) — boiling point, air pressure and oxygen
- USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning — canning altitude thresholds
How each number is produced: methodology and data sources.
Data updated · By Ankit Kumar, compiled from public U.S. government and open datasets · How these numbers are made