Nye
Originally settled as a mining community, Nye gets its name from Jack Nye, who discovered copper and gold in the area. Nye rests on the Stillwater River, and provides ample access to pristine outdoor recreation areas in the Custer Gallatin and Shoshone national forests and the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. It’s also a stop along the way on the breathtakingly picturesque Absarokee Loop Scenic Drive.
The Nye area is also popular spot for deer, elk, and bighorn sheep hunters, as well as fishermen. Hikers hit the popular Stillwater River Trail to Sioux Charley Lake, through a gorge and up a river canyon to a lake. This is a year-round hike, which is a rarity in the Beartooths.
The Nye Trading Post offers “convenience at the of the road” and claims that whatever you need they’ve “got that somewhere.” It’s your one-stop shop for everything from gas to locally tied flies to cheese graters and windshield wiper blades—whatever you need. If you play your cards right there will likely be a local in the store who will chat you about the best fishing holes on the Stillwater.
Just down the road is the Tippet Rise Art Center in Fishtail, hosting classical music and recitals, large-scale exhibits and outdoor sculptures. Tippet Rise celebrates the concept that art, music, architecture and nature are inextricably linked through human experience. Don’t miss it.
