Montana
We briefly visited this gorgeous State and cannot wait to go back again. During this trip we visited Big Sky and hiked Beehive Basin; ziplined and went whitewater rafting on the Gallatin River with Montana Whitewater; and visited Yellowstone National Park from the North Entrance. We also enjoyed strolling through downtown Bozeman, where the historic district is filled with shops, restaurants and bars. Bozeman is growing rapidly and we can see why it is so popular.
Things To-Do
Big Sky: Big Sky, Montana, is a well-known ski resort area that is also a great outdoor spot during the summer. We passed through here on our way to Bozeman, and decided hike the Beehive Basin Trail. This trail is 7.1 miles round trip with 1650 feet of elevation gain. We agree with AllTrails "moderate" rating. This is a B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L hike and our favorite spot of the places we visited in Montana. It had all Montana had to offer, including beautiful views, single-track trails, snow, wildflowers, and towering trees. We definitely recommend this hike even if you run into snow like we did.
Yellowstone National Park (North Entrance): Yellowstone was established in 1872, as the world's first national park. Our second day in this amazing Park was from the North Entrance, in Gardiner, Montana. It which included a drive through the wildlife-rich Lamar Valley, a visit from a black bear almost to our car window, a hike to the top of Bunsen Peak, ice cream in the Mammoth Hot Springs Historic District, and Mammoth Hot Springs. We did a ton of driving so we recommend making frequent stops and throwing in at least one hike mid-day.
Gallatin River/Montana Whitewater: Montana Whitewater, located in the Gallatin Gateway, offers a super fun "Zip & Dip," day of Ziplining and Whitewater rafting. Too early in the season for the all-day rafting trip, we decided to try this mixed adrenaline day. The guides at Montana Whitewater are super fun and quite obviously knowledgeable. We felt safe and well-cared for throughout our experience, including taking on first Category IV rapids! We highly recommend this company if you're looking for an adventure while staying in the Bozeman/Gallatin area.
Where We Stayed
Gallatin Gateway, Montana: Bozeman AirBnB options can be pretty expensive so we opted stay just outside in the Gallatin Gateway. It actually ended up being super convenient for our trip to the Gallatin River. The neighborhood is not upscale but it's quite and safe. The house itself was well-stocked an perfect for our needs. Photo credit AirBnB listing.
Blog Posts - Montana
