Places
This is God's Country, and we've got the places to prove it: Yellowstone, the Missouri Headwaters, Hyalite, the Bridgers and the Beartooths, the Madison and the Jefferson. Let's just say it ain't called the "Last Best Place" for nothin'.
Yellowstone Park
The effects of climate change are already evident, and the stakes are high for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers living in southwest Montana who recreate year-round in Yellowstone National Park. Read more >>
One winter morning, after spending the night at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge in the middle of Yellowstone, I woke early for a short solo ski tour. The boardwalks around the Upper Geyser Basin were still covered in a thin layer of snow. No one was around. Read more >>
With three million people swarming its gates every year, Yellowstone can get a little crazy in the summertime. Not so in winter, when the endless human hordes are replaced by open roads, vast fields of white, and a cold, quiet beauty. Read more >>National Forests
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 >>
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 >>Wilderness Areas
Summers are short in Montana, so it’s important to get out there and take advantage of what makes this the Treasure State. Montana FWP is happy to help. Where the Wild Things Roam Read more >>
With its blocky shape, truncated summit, and unique color, Sphinx Mountain has drawn more people climbers to its summit than any other major peak in the Madison Range. Read more >>State Parks
Located near Three Forks, Montana, this 638-acre park features spectacular views over the Madison River Valley. 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 >>
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 >>Mountains
Every so often, a blue light flashes on top of the Baxter Hotel, alerting anyone within view of the tallest building in Bozeman that snow is falling at Bridger Bowl. Read more >>
Located just northeast of the Yellowstone National Park in south central Montana and parts of northwest Wyoming, the massive Beartooth Range is home to Granite Peak, Montana's highest point, and sits upon the highest true elevation plateau in the US. Read more >>
The Absaroka Range makes up the eastern boundary of the Yellowstone National Park, and was named after the Indian tribe of the same name. Read more >>Rivers & Streams
The boat slices through the last standing wave and carves smoothly into the placid eddy on my right. The thrill of the upstream rapids courses through my veins while I slowly spin in the calm water. Read more >>
The shadows stretched long as my wife, daughter, and I drove to our friends’ ranch to catch a few fish on the Madison. Getting out of the car we noticed a commotion above us. Three ospreys flew around erratically; then we saw an eagle, and then another, talons outstretched and beaks open. Read more >>Lakes
Nobody moves to southwest Montana looking for balmy beaches. The choice to live here is a choice to embrace the long winters that come with the territory. June snowstorms aren’t out of the question, nor is ice-fishing in November. Read more >>Crags
Directions: Drive north on N. Rouse Ave. Take a right on E. Tamarack St and follow it until it curves right. The boulder will be on your right side after the curve. Read more >>
Directions: Located near the "Bozeman Beach" at the East Gallatin Recreation Area, also known as Glen Lake Park. Drive north on N. Rouse Ave past the interstate. Turn left on E. Griffin Dr. and then take a right on Manley Rd. The lake and road access will be on your right. Look for the sign. Read more >>
Directions: From Main Street head west until it turns into Huffine Ln. Continue on Huffine Ln. past Ace Hardware and turn right onto S. Fowler Ave. Take your first right into Bozeman Pond Park. Read more >>
Langohr Park Boulder is the first of the Bozeman Boulders to be built. It is located on the Gallagator Trail towards the South end at Langohr park. Read more >>
The Gallatin Canyon has prominent rocky features that will entice the inexperienced and expert rock climber. The east side is home of Garnet Mountain, while Gallatin Tower and the Cube are on the west side. Read more >>Trails
One winter morning, after spending the night at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge in the middle of Yellowstone, I woke early for a short solo ski tour. The boardwalks around the Upper Geyser Basin were still covered in a thin layer of snow. No one was around. Read more >>
Directions: From Bozeman, drive west on interstate 90 to the highway 287 exit west of Three Forks. Drive south on high way 2/287 and continue on highway 2 west along the Jefferson River until you reach Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park. Parking will be on the north side of the highway. Read more >>
Bozeman Creek Trail (a.k.a Sourdough Canyon Road) is an old logging road that parallels Bozeman Creek. Bozeman Creek Trail's proximity to town and easy grade makes this a popular hiking, biking and cross country skiing route. Read more >>
Pine Creek Lake is a pristine alpine lake in a huge basin sitting in the glacial cirque on the north slope of Mount Black. The trail is well defined meanders through forest en route to the base of Pine Creek Falls. Read more >>
The Lava Lake Trail follows Cascade Creek through a thick evergreen forest. The trail begins at the Gallatin River and continues past a few waterfalls to a forest-lined lake surrounded by granite walls with the Spanish Peaks in the distance. Read more >>Cities & Towns
First comes runoff, flushing snow out of the mountains and forcing fisherfolk off the rivers. Read more >>Nobody moves to southwest Montana looking for balmy beaches. The choice to live here is a choice to embrace the long winters that come with the territory. June snowstorms aren’t out of the question, nor is ice-fishing in November. Read more >>
In Bozeman, truly remarkable landscapes are a fact of life. And, in my opinion, there is no better way to experience them than from the seat of a bike. Read more >>
Last February, a motley crew of four couples from the Gold Coast of Florida convinced me that taking a snowmobile tour into Old Faithful was a good idea. Read more >>Other Places
Click here for a map of all Forest Service cabins available for rent in the Gallatin National Forest. Read more >>
For the average outdoor enthusiast, winter can be a difficult time to squeeze in a fun-filled overnight or multiday adventure without freezing your buns off or breaking the family budget. 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 >>
There is no time on a river. There is only light and dark. The river becomes your clock, your controller. The river decides where you go and when you get there. Read more >>
Developed: Bozeman Hot Springs. 586-6492; bozemanhotspring.com Norris Hot Springs. 685-3303; norrishotsprings.com Chico Hot Springs. 333-4933; chicohotsprings.com Undeveloped: Boiling River. Mammoth, YNP Read more >>Attractions
The Museum of the Rockies’ Taylor Planetarium is a Bozeman landmark: its 40-foot, 110-seat domed theater offers an intimate and unique look at the Montana night sky. Read more >>
Every adventure, even a spring “staycation,” needs a good base camp—and Ennis fits that bill quite nicely. Traditionally a rest stop for travelers between the Gallatin Valley and the gold fields of Alder and Last Chance gulches, Ennis was a place to rest, refuel, and resupply. 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 >>
I’m kicking and gliding along the impeccably groomed Nordic trails at Lone Mountain Ranch in Big Sky. Snow-laden trees line the edge of the trail, threatening to drop gobs of snow; North Fork Creek gurgles near the trail, verdant green moss peaking out from under the snow. Read more >>
There’s a tradition I repeat twice a year, every year. It begins in late May three miles east of the tiny mountain town of Pony, Montana, at the Karl Ohs Ranch. Read more >>
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Yellowstone Park
Three decades of experience offering programs in the Park, focusing on small-group learning and good times in the field, led by instructors and naturalist guides who know Yellowstone inside and out.
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