Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
nightlife and enjoying the spectacular recreational opportunities in every direction. Nearby
Big Sky
is a popular destination for skiing in winter as well as for biking, hiking, and horse-
back riding in summer.
Three Forks
and
Manhattan
offer an excellent taste of small-town
Montana and are worthwhile stops, especially if you can be there for a favorite local event:
the
Three Forks Rodeo,
or
Manhattan's Christmas Stroll.
Just over the pass from Bozeman is
Livingston,
a small but vibrant community with a
lot of character (and plenty of characters). You could happily spend a morning or afternoon
browsing the shops and galleries downtown, and Livingston has an inordinate number of
excellent restaurants to sample. The town explodes with enthusiasm and visitors over the
Fourth of July,
and if you can secure a parking spot for the parade and a ticket to the rodeo,
dealing with the crowds (this is Montana, remember) will be well worth the effort.
Aptly named
Paradise Valley
links Livingston with the northernmost entrance to Yel-
lowstone National Park at Gardiner. The mountains are spectacular and beg to be hiked.
Chico Hot Springs
is the place to stay and boasts some of the best dining in the state in
addition to a long list of activities.
The plains seem to unfurl themselves, green and then golden, as you drive from Living-
ston through
Big Timber.
Anyone interested in Norwegian immigrant history in Montana
should not miss the
Crazy Mountain Museum,
and a meal at the historic
Grand Hotel
right downtown is a treat. In
Columbus
the sheer bulk of the Beartooths dominate the ho-
rizon. There are wonderful side trips en route: a riverside hike in the
West Boulder Val-
ley,
a burger at
Holly's Road Kill Saloon
in McLeod, and if you time it right (Labor Day
Sunday) the
Great Montana Sheep Drive
in Reed Point.
Red Lodge
is itself a wonderful destination for skiers, bikers, hikers, and even driving
enthusiasts who want to tackle the
Beartooth Highway.
It would be an easy and worth-
while place to spend a couple of days before heading back to civilization in Billings or
Bozeman, or into the wilds of Yellowstone through the northeast entrance at Cooke City.
With Montana State University anchoring it and a geographical setting that has always ap-
pealed to outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers, over the last 20 years Bozeman (population
38,025, elevation 4,810 feet) has grown from a cow town to a town of wine bars and art.
The historic downtown is the heart of the community and attracts locals for numerous spe-
cial events. There are a number of excellent restaurants and bars that appeal to everyone
