We’re Here. Now What?

You made it to Montana! Congratulations! While we know that our weddings is obviously the event of the week, it’s only for a day. And only the second half of that day. What the heck else are you supposed to do around here?

Luckily, you’ve got some options!

If you plan on driving anywhere outside of Bozeman, I highly suggest you download the Passwarrior app (here)! It shows you road conditions, and the locations of accidents and construction. It includes all of the roadway cameras in the state, so that you can get a visual and analytical report of road conditions on mountain passes, and other inclimate-weather-prone areas.

Check out the city of Bozeman

You’ve already done your fair share of traveling! You’re in Bozeman, so you might as well check out what it has to offer, right?

  • Downtown Bozeman is a mix of local and name-brand retail stores, restaurants, book stores, art galleries, local jewelry stores, and coffee shops. It’s a pretty pleasant place to take a stroll on a nice day. We recommend parking in the parking garage on E Mendenhall St/N Black Ave. Check the calendar for events!

    • The first Art Walk of the summer is on Friday, June 12th. It’s 6-8pm, and involves drinking free wine while “looking at art” in the participating stores downtown. Let us know if you’ll be here, and if you want to join! We know who has the best wine and snacks.

    • Museum of the Rockies: Come check out MOR’s amazing dinosaur exhibit, learn about the history of Montana, check out a mini Yellowstone, explore space in the Planetarium, or experience what it would be like to be a Montana homesteader in 1900 at the Living History Farm! The museum’s rotating exhibit is currently Frogs: A Chorus of Colors.

  • Alpacas of Montana farm tour: Hang out with alpacas, a few llamas, and some big, fluffy doggies on a gorgeous farm in Bozeman. They even have a retail store, so you can bring something warm and cozy back from your trip!

  • Bozeman Hot Springs: Indoor and outdoor pools (12 total) of varying temperatures, plus a sauna and a fitness center! First developed in 1879, the hot spring has seen a lot of years and a lot of changes, with the most recent renovation being completed in 2024. Check their schedule for concerts! Be aware that an adult day pass can run you anywhere between $21-$35.

  • The Bozeman Public Library is a great place to hang out downtown! Check out their events calendar! It’s also located right in front of Lindley Park, if you fancy a nice stroll.

Go Touch Grass (around Bozeman)

There are a plethora of outdoor activities you can enjoy without having to go very far!

  • Let us know if you need to borrow bear spray! Heavily trafficked trails are likely fine, but if you plan on doing a longer hike, we would recommend bringing some with you. Neither of us has ever had to use it, but we’ve definitely seen a bear here and there.

    Hiking: We’ve got short hikes, we’ve got long hikes, we’ve got waterfalls, and lakes and views. There’s likely an endless number of Bozeman area hiking lists on the internet, but we’ll provide you with this one and this one. Also, feel free to ask for recommendations!

    For a map of trails around town, check out the Gallatin Valley Land Trust Trail Map!

    • The Bridgers are the closest mountains to town! Popular short hikes near town include: The M Trail, Drinking Horse Mountain, and Sypes Canyon. If you’re looking for a longer hike, we recommend the Bangtail Divide Trail (starting at Stone Creek) or the North Cottonwood Trail. Both are gorgeous in the spring.

    • Hyalite Canyon is a very popular spot to visit, and is just south of Bozeman. There are hikes of all different lengths and levels. Short hikes to waterfalls include the Grotto Falls trail and the Palisade Falls trail. For a longer hike, you can continue past Grotto Falls up the Hyalite Creek trail, which takes you to Hyalite Lake (small), and eventually Hyalite Peak. It also has a number of optional short side trails branching off that take you to waterfalls.

    • Gallatin Canyon: U.S. 191 takes you down to Big Sky through Gallatin Canyon. There are a ton of hiking opportunities throughout the canyon! Here are some popular spots:

      Notes on Gallatin Canyon/191: This is a beautiful drive, but people tend to make some dumb driving decisions on this road. Just make sure to be alert while driving. If you have a line of vehicles gathering behind you, please use one of the many turnouts when you feel comfortable doing so. Check out potential construction delays using the Passwarrior app.

    • Hyalite Reservoir is a great spot for all sorts of boating/paddle boarding/fishing (motorized boats are allowed, but there is a no-wake rule).

    • Whitewater rafting/tubing: The two big names in the industry are Montana Whitewater and Madison River Tubing.

    • If it’s unseasonably warm, you can also rent or buy a tube and go float the Madison! Check out what to do here.

  • If you have your own gear, there are plenty of places where you can head out and go fishing! Just make sure you get your fishing license first, and check the fishing regulations, and restrictions.

    If you’d like a guided excursion, there are a ton of places that offer these services! Two big names are Montana Troutfitters, and Montana Angler, but there are certainly other great companies to choose from!

  • I’ve never been on one, but I know they’re a thing! Here are a couple of local companies: Montana Llama Guides (Bozeman), and Yellowstone Llamas (Livingston).

  • There are a number of places around town where you can rent mountain bikes, and plenty of trails.

    Crosscut, near Bridger Bowl, also has a trail system and bike rental.

Get Outta’ Town!

On any slightly typical year, June is THE time to explore Big Sky country. Everything is beautiful and green and full of life! Even Billings looks gorgeous in the spring. This winter has been so warm, and so dry, that all we can do is keep our fingers crossed that June will still offer that lovely Montana springtime experience.

Distances = Distance from Bozeman

  • State Parks: Montana has a whole bunch of wonderful state parks! Here are the three that are closest to Bozeman:

    National Parks:

    • Yellowstone National Park:

      • West Entrance in West Yellowstone: 90 mi/2 hr

      • North Entrance in Gardiner: 78 mi/ 1.5 hr

    • Glacier National Park: It’s a bit of a drive… If you’re planning on driving the Going to the Sun Road, check the road conditions, and the vehicle reservation system first!

      • West Glacier/Apgar Visitor Center: 314 mi/5.25 hr
        (We recommend taking the route that goes through Seeley Lake for scenery.)

      • East Glacier/St. Mary’s Visitor Center: 282 mi/4.5 hr

  • Someone made a really handy website with a map! Here are the closest developed hot springs:

    Note: Fairmont Hot Springs, outside of Anaconda, is not on this list because it is no longer open to day-use. To use the pools, you must have lodging reservations.

  • Small Tourist-Friendly Towns with a Western Feel

    • Ennis: 53 mi/1 hr
      Visit the cute downtown, or enjoy some sunshine at Ennis Lake!

    • Virginia City: 66 mi/1.25 hrs (you’ll pass by Norris Hot Springs, and through Ennis on the way there.)

      Virginia City is a living ghost town! Founded in 1864 It boasts 163 properties from before 1920, with many of them having been around since they were first built in the late 19th century. There are shops, and activities abound!*** (see Notes section further down on this page)

    • Gardiner: 77 mi/1.25 hr (you’ll pass through Livingston, and by Sage Lodge and Chico Hot Springs on your way there. You’ll also pass by the Old Saloon, which regularly hosts concerts.)

      Gardiner is the north entrance to Yellowstone NP! It’s a cute, touristy town with shops, and restaurants, and the Yellowstone River running right through it!

    • West Yellowstone: 90 mi/1.75 hr

      West Yellowstone is… you guessed it! The west entrance to Yellowstone NP. It has shops and restaurants, and everything huckleberry flavored. It even has the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center!

    Old Funky Mining Towns

    • Butte, America: 85 mi/1.25hr
      Once Montana’s largest city, and home to one the world’s largest copper mines in the early 20th century, Butte is a funky town full of history. Oh, and also a giant acid pit (which you can visit!).

      Butte has a fun downtown, cool historic buildings, and still sports 17 original headframes throughout the city, many of which are from the late 1800s. You can visit the Mineral Museum, take an underground tour of the Orphan Girl mine, or go on an underground city tour! There’s also a store called Butte Stuff, because that’s the kind of place Butte is (and Katie loves it).


      (***For a few more historical Butte facts see Notes section further down on this page)

    • Anaconda: 109 mi/1.75 hr
      Just a little ways past Butte, sits Anaconda! It’s a pretty small old mining town, but it does have some newer shops and restaurants. Oh! And check out the Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park!

    • Philipsburg: 140 mi/2.5 hr (30 mi past Anaconda)
      Admittedly, we haven’t been, but people keep telling us we should go. The area is gorgeous, and we know they have a brewery!

Notes:

  • The businesses in Virginia City and neighboring Nevada City are undergoing a period of uncertainty and change. While there will still be a significant number of businesses open, there are certain to be some newly-vacant properties, due to some shitty recent decisions by the State of Montana (the “landlords” of many buildings in VC and NC). In December, the state terminated leases that were set to end in 2036. The new 5-year contracts are a ridiculous money grab, and have priced out some long-standing businesses. You can read more about that here (it’s a FB post, but it’s accurate). Please support the remaining businesses while they fight to keep the spirit of Virginia City alive!

  • Butte was once the largest town in Montana (all Silverbow County license plates begin with the number 1, because it was the largest county when the license plate numbering system was established - Gallatin County is 6)!

    During the late 19th century/early 20th century, Butte was one of the most prolific copper mining districts in the nation, with the Anaconda Copper Mine producing the most copper in the world from 1892-1903.

    It attracted hard working folk from across the globe, and became a union stronghold in the early 20th century. In fact, 1890 saw the creation of the Women’s Protective Union, which sought protections for all working women, regardless of occupation!

    Now, the Butte-Anaconda Landmark District is one of the U.S.’s largest National Historic Districts, with over 4,000 historic structures! Uptown Butte is an amazing place to go and look at old architecture. Katie’s favorite building to look at is the Curtis Music Hall.