We’ve been in Bozeman, Montana since Tuesday and are getting ready to fly home again tomorrow.  It was a work trip where we traveled together, but we weren’t able to make it into Yellowstone this time.  The weather was surprisingly cold, even by Montana standards for September, and it has been rainy until today and the higher elevations, above 7,500 feet, are covered in snow.  Bozeman is a beautiful little town that sits in a valley surrounded by mountains on all sides.  We’ve been fortunate to visit Bozeman many times over the past fifteen years and are always drawn to its quaint, historical, charm.

Many people fly into Bozeman for the many different locations that you can reach once you land here.  During the ski season, Big Sky Ski Resort is a short drive away, although the locals ski Bridger Bowl.  You can get to both the North and West entrances of Yellowstone from Bozeman, so it is really convenient for anyone interested in heading to the park.  The area is probably best known for its fly fishing and people flock here from around the world to take advantage of what we understand to be some of the best fly fishing that can be found anyplace.  Needless to say, opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, rafting, biking, or simply enjoying nature abound throughout the area.

One of our favorite restaurants in downtown Bozeman is the John Bozeman Bistro.  They often have unique specials, but it is the atmosphere that we like the most.  You can also enjoy a burger at Ted’s Montana Grill, which oddly enough was not the first of the locations in the restaurant chain, although Ted Turner does have a huge bison ranch in the area.  One nice thing about Bozeman being a draw for tourists is that there are plenty of nice restaurants for people to enjoy.  In addition to being a tourist location, Montana State University (MSU) is also located here, which keeps the town young and vibrant.

Since the weather didn’t really cooperate, highs in the low 50’s and lows at night into the middle to lower 30’s, we didn’t have as many opportunities on this trip to get out and enjoy the outdoors.  We’ll likely be back again, knowing how much we like the area, so we’ll be sure to make the most of our next trip.