Hiking
There's no lack of trails around Bozeman—within 20 miles you'll find enough hiking to keep you busy for years of Sundays. Since most trails head into the mountains, be ready for some up and down, and plan on rocky, rugged conditions underfoot. Also be ready for sweeping views of the Gallatin Valley and six different mountain ranges.
When the name of your state means "mountain," things look pretty good for hiking and backpacking. Towering peaks in all directions, foothills galore, and an active outdoor populace all add up to one thing: a vast and well-maintained trail system, taking you wherever you want to go. So what are you waiting for? Load up the pack, strap on the boots, and get gone.
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To alleviate user conflict, the Forest Service recently implemented "timeshares" - usage schedules segregating hikers, bikers, horse riders, and motorcyclists. During the summer, these trails are closed to certain users on certain days. Read more >>
The day before Missoula’s 2012 GrizzlyMan Adventure Race, Team First Descents athletes Jordan Stoner and Josh Vandermeer were set to scram with $1,800 in pledges for First Descents, a non-profit that takes young adults with cancer on outdoor adventures. Read more >>
Montana lawmakers recently voted against a bill that would have amended current trespassing laws and enhanced access to public land for hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts. The House Judicial Committee tabled the “Corner Crossing Bill” on January 30. Read more >>
So the lifts have closed and the rivers are cold, muddy, and blown out. Your yard looks like half of Bozeman tossed their dog leavings there, and it’s too cold and wet to break out the road bike. If you’ve got the time and gas money, head south for that ultimate slot canyon or desert river trip. Read more >>
Pull on your climbing shoes, buckle your life jacket, and saddle your horse: Paradise Valley has all the activities you need to satisfy your outdoor-adventure cravings this spring. With so much to do, you won’t even miss the snow.
Climbing Read more >>
Some of the best things in life are hidden in plain sight, and Paradise Valley’s Tom Miner Basin is definitely one of them. There’s the petrified forest containing 50-million-year-old trees frozen in time. Read more >>
The second-highest point in the Spanish Peaks is neither named nor assigned an elevation on any National Forest or USGS map. Read more >>
Looking for a new venue for your favorite winter activity? Just head over the hill. Doesn’t matter what blows your hair back—once the snow comes down, you can find it in Paradise Valley. Read more >>
The Porcupine Creek Trail begins near the Gallatin River and climbs nine miles up to its headwaters in Onion Basin at the Gallatin-Yellowstone Divide. En route, the trail gains more than 3,000 feet to the basin and Gallatin Crest Trail along the ridge. Read more >>
According to Robert Stone, author of Day Hikes Around Bozeman, Montana, “The Hyalite Creek Trail is considered the most spectacular hike in the Bozeman area.” And justifiably so. Read more >>
After a successful ascent of Mount Blackmore in 1872, members of the Hayden Survey were very intrigued by the craggy gorge at the head of Middle Canyon, which is today’s Hyalite Canyon. Geologist Albert C. Peale, best known for his exhaustive study of Yellowstone geothermal features, wrote: Read more >>
Looking for something the whole family can enjoy? In about 30 minutes, you and your brood can be side-hilling up Storm Castle Peak, aka Castle Rock, a massive mountain of limestone that rises to 7,170 feet just inside the mouth of Gallatin Canyon. Read more >>
When Saturday dawns warm and bright and outdoor ambitions rise within you like spring snowmelt, it’s time for a Montana multisport: two or more outdoor activities spliced into a single day of fun and adventure. Read more >>
If exploring the unknown on foot is more your style, open up Peakbagging Montana (Riverbend Publishing, $15) and prepare for a long summer—and a lifetime, for that matter—of vigorous outdoor adventure. Read more >>
Day Hikes with Dogs (Pruett Publishing, $19), by Wendy Pierce and regular O/B contributor Becky Warren, features over 50 rated hikes for furry friends who like to run in the mountains. Read more >>
“Where ya headed?” I asked. He turned, occupied with the task of saddling his horse, and said simply, “up-valley.” “Well,” I said, “have a good ride.” Read more >>
“Beyond Road's End”National Parks Servicenps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/upload/beyondroadsend.pdfLeave No Trace: A Practical Guide to the New Wilderness EtiquetteAnnette McGivneyBear Aware: Hiking and Camping in Bear Country Read more >>
I couldn’t believe my eyes. Here I was, languidly enjoying coffee at 10am after spending the night at a designated backcountry campsite on Slough Creek, when the backpackers who reserved the site for that evening began loitering at the edge of it, waiting for me to pack up and leave. Read more >>
Even though nearly four million people swarm Yellowstone each year seeking to experience its magic and majesty, a relatively small number leave the roads or boardwalks. Even fewer make it to the remote and fabled Cascade Corner. Read more >>
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