At 7 a.m. on a dark November morning in Emigrant, a coffee window opens at 200 Dome Drive. It's the drive-through at Southwind Coffee, one of four businesses at Auster at Dome Mountain that serve the public. Auster is the valley's newest year-round resort, and it opened this fall. Put that window next to the hours already posted at Chico, Sage Lodge and the Old Saloon, and the valley now has something open at every hour from early coffee to last call. A winter day here can start and end without a drive to Livingston.
The BBQ shack has closed for the year. Follow Yer' Nose says its outdoor Emigrant smoker usually runs from April to the middle of October, weather permitting. That's the usual signal that the valley's eating options are thinning out. This winter there's a new name on the list, and it fills the times of day that used to be hardest to cover.
What Opened at Dome Mountain
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported that Arthur Blank cut the ribbon on Auster at Dome Mountain, calling it Paradise Valley's newest year-round resort. Blank also owns the nearby Mountain Sky Guest Ranch and West Creek Ranch. According to the Chronicle, the property has 20 cabins plus a restaurant, coffee shop and saloon, all designed by Bozeman's Miller-Roodell Architects within the 1960s footprint of the old Dome Mountain Ranch. Redeveloping the complex took more than two years.
The Chronicle story also made clear who Auster wants at its tables. Blank told the paper he wants "folks living (here), to feel like this is your home," whether for community work, gatherings or "places to share ideas, vent over issues, problems, opportunities." General manager Kayla Russum told the Chronicle that staff were "excited for a full four-season property." That four-season part is what changes things for year-round residents. Auster's own FAQ puts the property about 20 miles from Yellowstone's North Entrance in Gardiner.
All four Southwind businesses are open to the public. Here are the hours Auster lists:
| Southwind business | Posted hours | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Southwind Coffee | 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Drive-through espresso, tea, house-made pastries, breakfast burritos and sandwiches |
| Southwind Market | 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. | Beer, wine, everyday essentials, local goods, packaged sandwiches and salads made in the Kitchen |
| Southwind Kitchen | 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. | Counter-service breakfast, lunch and dinner |
| Southwind Saloon | 3 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday | Local beer, cocktails and wine, plus Kitchen food ordered from the bar |
The Morning Gap Is the One That Closed
Morning is where the new hours stand out. The Historic Dining Room at Chico Hot Springs in Pray serves breakfast from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and from 8 to 11 a.m. on Sunday. Dinner reservations there are highly recommended. Sage Lodge's Fireside Room serves breakfast on weekdays and brunch on weekends, and its bar and lounge open at 7 a.m. Both are sit-down rooms. Southwind Coffee adds a window you can drive up to at 7 a.m., hand over a card and leave with a breakfast burrito without taking off your boots.
The Market opens at 8 a.m. and adds a second kind of convenience. You can buy a bottle of wine, a packaged sandwich made in the Kitchen or a few everyday basics there. The Chronicle reported that the lodge market carries products from Livingston and Paradise Valley businesses, and that Mountain Sky Beef is featured in the dining area. The Kitchen's own page names Mountain Sky Guest Ranch beef on its menu.
Midday Runs on Burgers in Three Places
Lunch already had options in Pray. Auster's opening adds one in Emigrant that runs on a different clock. Chico's Poolside Grille serves burgers, salads, sandwiches and cold beer from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day. The Chico Saloon serves food from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Southwind Kitchen starts at 8 a.m. and serves straight through until 8 p.m. The Kitchen menu posted in October covers:
- Breakfast burritos and breakfast sandwiches, avocado toast, fruit and yogurt
- Burgers, including a Mountain Sky Wagyu burger and a Gardiner veggie burger
- Salads and bowls
- Chicken tenders and wings
- Sandwiches and soup
The Kitchen page also lists vegetarian options. That means breakfast is still available at the hour Chico's Poolside Grille opens for lunch, and a late-afternoon meal doesn't depend on catching a dinner seating.
After Dark, the Valley Is Covered Until 2 a.m.
The evening is where the existing businesses have always carried the valley, and the new hours slot in early. Southwind Saloon opens at 3 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. on weekends, and it has a roof deck facing the valley. It closes at 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 p.m. on weekends.
Here's how the rest of a winter evening lines up on posted hours:
- Sage Lodge, Pray. The Fireside Room serves dinner daily from 4 to 9 p.m. The Grill runs Thursday through Sunday, 4 to 9 p.m.
- Chico Hot Springs, Pray. The Historic Dining Room serves dinner nightly from 5 to 9 p.m., and the Saloon stays open until 1 a.m. every day. Chico's FAQ says the resort operates year-round.
- The Old Saloon, Emigrant. Its website lists 10 a.m. to 2 a.m., seven days a week.
Together, that's coffee from 7 a.m. at one end of the day and a 2 a.m. close at the other, with lunch, groceries and dinner in between, all on the valley floor. For anyone who lives south of Pray, the new early hours sit in Emigrant itself.
The Late-November and December Calendar
The new hours set the daily routine. The calendars at Chico and Sage Lodge give the next few weeks their special nights. Here's what's on the schedule for the rest of November and into December:
- Nov. 20–21: Gary Small & The Coyote Brothers play the Chico Saloon at 9 p.m.
- Nov. 26, Thanksgiving: Chico's Thanksgiving buffet runs from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Event Center. Chico strongly recommends reservations at 406-333-4933.
- Nov. 27–28: Brandon Hale and the Dirty Shame play the Chico Saloon at 9 p.m.
- Nov. 30 to Dec. 5: The spa and fitness center at Sage Lodge close for renovation.
- Dec. 5: Sage Lodge holds its spa grand reopening from 1 to 4 p.m., with regular access starting Dec. 6. The Christmas tree lighting follows in the Lobby from 5 to 6 p.m.
- Dec. 12: Holiday Tea & Ballet at Sage Lodge, with seatings at 1 and 4 p.m. Tickets are $69 for adults and $39 for children 12 and under, and part of the proceeds supports Core Ballet School.
Sage Lodge notes that event details may change, so check its page before you go. The Sage Lodge address is 55 Sage Lodge Drive, Pray.
Auster has room for its own events, too. The Chronicle reported that the property has a private dining room for celebrations and an outfitters room that can host lectures on wildlife, landscapes and Indigenous history. Those rooms sit a short drive from the coffee window.
If you're curious how this season's Paradise Valley lines up with your own place in Pray or Emigrant, the neighbors at Small Dog Realty will happily walk you through it over a coffee from that new window. A share of every sale goes to Montana animal shelters. Get Your Home Valuation.
