Area Activities
 
The abundance and variety of wildlife is what makes this Rocky Mountain location so exceptional. Bring your binoculars and camera as, depending on the season, you will have the opportunity to see many mule deer, white tail deer, elk, wolves, big horn sheep, antelope, bear, moose, mountain goats, and mountain lions. There are numerous bird species in Paradise Valley including American bald and golden eagles, owls, hawks, falcons, wading birds, four species of hummingbird, and many song birds, including the Montana state bird, the melodious western meadowlark.

As the seasons change, so do the vistas and activities available to guests of Shining Mountain Cabins. In Spring, as the plants and grasses are budding, migratory birds return, newly born calf elk are appearing on the mountain and in Yellowstone, the first tiny wildflowers bloom, and the streams open for fishing in late May. As summer unfolds, the meadows turn to green, the robins have their chicks, elk and deer are minding their young, playful baby buffalo are frolicking around their moms, rodeo season is under way, floating the Yellowstone is enjoyed, and horseback riding and hiking are always fun with wildflowers in full bloom.

As fall approaches and the days get shorter, the elk are bugling, the bear are busy feasting on berries, mushrooms, apples, tomatoes ripen, the hummingbirds head south, the cottonwoods and aspens slip on their golden coats, the nights are cooler and the flannel sheets and wool blankets are welcomed. When winter sets in and snow covers the mountains, the squirrels, finches and chickadees cluster around the feeder, elk by the thousands graze the foothills, skiers head for the slopes or the backcountry, fireplaces warm the toes, and luxuriating in the spa with stars so brilliant in the cold clear skies makes for the end of a perfect day.