Lakes
From large bodies of water for all types of recreation to small alpine lakes accessible only by foot, Montana's lakes are an under-frequented treasure. Take a break from the grind and visit one of the following alpine lakes for quiet solitude and great fishing.
On those blazing summer days in Bozeman, sometimes all you want is to grab a swimsuit and some beer and go in search of sweet relief. There are a number of places to swim around Bozeman if you’re willing to look. Read more >>
Alpine Lakes
The Hidden Lakes are a series of eight high mountain lakes in the Gallatin Range between Bozeman and Big Sky. The chain of lakes, at the base of a ridge, rests at an altitude of 9,000 feet. The Hidden Lakes Trail begins above 8,000 feet and follows a ridge with spectacular vistas. Read more >>
Southwest Montana is blessed with hundreds of alpine and subalpine lakes, also known as tarns. Gifts of the glaciers that also carved our iconic mountains, these sparkling little lakes make perfect destinations for overnight hikes. Read more >>
Everybody knows about Hyalite Reservoir and Fairy Lake, Bozeman area's "drive-up" lakes. But if you're willing to hike a little, you can escape the crowds and revel in the sunny solitude of these "secret" lakes nearby.Frazier and Ainger Lakes Read more >>Twenty-eight road miles (22 miles as a GPS-equipped crow would fly) southwest of the Bozeman city limits, one arrives at the Spanish Creek Guard Station, a major trailhead for the Spanish Peaks Unit of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness Area. Read more >>Canyon Ferry Lake
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 >>
The true force behind ice fishing is that it is better than no fishing at all. –Jim Harrison, “Ice Fishing, the Moronic Sport” Read more >>
Love snorkeling and scuba-diving but can’t afford a week in the Caribbean? Think there’s nowhere to dive around here? Sure, Bozeman’s no Cozumel, but consider this: between tourists and locals, some two million people swarm southwest Montana each summer. Read more >>
Blasting across the frozen wasteland of Canyon Ferry Lake, the skinny fiberglass frame of the ice boat rattles like an unbalanced washing machine. Hardened-steel runners spit ice chips at me, the tiny bullets bouncing off the face shield of my helmet. Read more >>Quake Lake
Hyalite Reservoir
Refining the focus of the spotting scope, my jaw drops. The largest mountain goat I’ve ever seen is standing on the same damn cliff as the previous morning. Read more >>Love snorkeling and scuba-diving but can’t afford a week in the Caribbean? Think there’s nowhere to dive around here? Sure, Bozeman’s no Cozumel, but consider this: between tourists and locals, some two million people swarm southwest Montana each summer. Read more >>
From the Tobacco Roots to the Gallatin Range, the mountains around Bozeman hold stunning alpine lakes perfect for an overnight camping trip—but sometimes, you want to get outdoors without trying too hard. Maybe you got a late start, or you need a stationary base camp for your clan of young kids. 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 >>Harrison Lake
Love snorkeling and scuba-diving but can’t afford a week in the Caribbean? Think there’s nowhere to dive around here? Sure, Bozeman’s no Cozumel, but consider this: between tourists and locals, some two million people swarm southwest Montana each summer. Read more >>At 10:30 am, heat waves swim off the asphalt on Hwy. 287 north of Norris. It's gonna be a warm one. A quick stop at the Harrison store for munchies and Gatorade, and we're cruising down the dirt road to Willow Creek Reservoir, aka Harrison Lake. A 50-yard-long wake of dust billows out behind us. Read more >>Hebgen Lake
The true force behind ice fishing is that it is better than no fishing at all. –Jim Harrison, “Ice Fishing, the Moronic Sport” Read more >>
Spending her childhood summers in the cabin her grandparents built on Hebgen Lake in 1932, Lynda "Lyndy" Caine developed a deep, abiding love for Montana. The summers were a chance to experience an entirely different way of life than she knew in the city. Read more >>Yellowstone Lake
Looking for a big-time paddling adventure close to home? Want a flat-water canoe or kayak trip that will test your skills and your endurance? Read more >>
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