Stuff to do in Bozeman and Missoula?

Graves14

Graves14

WKR
Joined
Jul 23, 2015
Location
Idaho
Hey guys and gals, the fiancé and I are making our first of 4 trips west exploring different areas to see where we want to move in 2018 when our contracts are up. We're road tripping it from CT out through billings, Bozeman, and Missoula planning to spend 2-3 days in each city. Dates will be first two weeks of June.

For those living out there, What are the not to be missed things to see or do? We're taking our two Drahthaars so some day hikes and hopefully fishing will be in the cards.

Not looking for touristy stuff but trying to get a feel for what local life is like.


Thanks much and maybe We can meet some of you for a beer or ten while we're there.

Pat
 
What kind of fishing are you hoping to do? There are good trout streams near both towns. Depending on how runoff goes this year, it could still be high water and tough wading if that's what you're wanting. However, if you have a raft or don't mind paying a guide you are looking at the peak of the salmonfly hatch which can be a ton of fun.

Missoula- tons of great breweries in town to check out. My favorite local beer is Cold Smoke scotch ale by Kettlehouse. You really can't go wrong with any of the breweries though, including Big Sky, Bayern, Kettlehouse, Great Burn, Missoula Brewing Co., Draught Works and Tamarack. Tamarack also has really good food.

A little touristy, but the RMEF headquarters in Missoula is pretty cool to check out. So is the Boone & Crockett headquarters.

As for hiking, the really cool high country may still be pretty snowy in early June. If things are melted off the Bitterroot range has a lot of good hikes on the west side of the valley. For a stroll that's less intense and low elevation, check out the Rattlesnake, Blue Mountain and Pattee Canyon recreation areas right outside of town. They tend to get crowded with other hikers and mountain bikers, but are good options if the big hikes are still snowed in.

Food in Missoula: Notorious P.I.G. has great BBQ downtown. Big Dipper downtown for ice cream. If you head down the Bitterroot to hike, go to Naps in Hamilton for really good burgers.
 
This is exactly what I'm looking for thanks! Beer, BBQ and fishing are right up our ally. I think with all the $ we saved by driving we may book a fly fishing guide one of the days. Any recommendations on who we should contact?

Thanks for all the help guys it's saving me a ton of time researching.
 
In Bozeman go to Montana Ale Works or Cooper Whiskey Bar and Grill for drinks and dinner. For breakfast my favorite was the Western Cafe downtown. I spent some time at the grizzly bear encounter off hwy 90. It's a cool little town with a really laid back feel. Good beer and food from what I found
 
While you're down around Billings you should go see the Big Horn Battlefield and then go up the river to Yellowtail Dam. Pretty neat area. The Pryors are also worth seeing.

A lot of your best hiking around Bozeman will be pretty inaccessible in early June. You could go hike out at Beartrap Canyon on the Madison. Schnee's is a good store to visit. You could also visit the Powder Horn, Stone Glacier, and Mystery Ranch. Shedhorn Sports in Ennis is a fantastic store. The Gravel Bar right down the street has good food and good beer.

Probably want to go see Lewis & Clark Caverns. Also Virginia City/Nevada City if you have time.

For fishing I agree on hiring a guide and hitting the salmon fly hatches (aka stoneflies). Both the Madison and Blackfoot Rivers are great options.

Take the cutoff from Anaconda through Phililpsburg. It doesn't add a whole bunch of time and is a really cool drive.
 
if youre a bowhunter while in Bozeman be sure to stop in and see my friends Bill & Gabe at Big Sky Archery. awesome bow shop, great guys tell em Jimmy sent you. Black gold sights, Ripcord and Tightspot are all in town as well. all great people
 
Here are some ideas for Bozeman.
Food - Ale Works, Copper Bar, Inn on the Gallatin (great breakfast spot in Gallatin Canyon)
Hikes - Hyalite area waterfalls, Storm Castle, Ousel Falls (Big Sky)
Go white water rafting on the Gallatin, should be pumping big about then.
Touristy go see Yellowstone, it's worth it.
 
Look up Blackfoot River outfitters in Missoula for fly fishing ... John Herzer is a stand up dude !
 
Missoula trout fishing... contact Scott Nicolarsen at Montana Topwater. Tell him Tim Shoales sent ya... he'll probably charge you double! :) Seriously, great, great guy and guide.
 
Like others have said, check out the breweries! They are a really large part of our Montana culture. Kettlehouse and Big Sky Brewery are the two largest in the state. I also really like the museum of the Rockies in bozeman too.

Hike the M trail above the University of Montana. It'll give you a great view of the city! I try and hike it 2-3x a week. Takes about 20 minutes or so. Caras park downtown usually has some fun things going on in the summer. You can watch people kayak and surf brennans wave and that's really cool!
 
The hikes in June around Bozeman should be clear of snow. You can pick up a book called Day Hikes around Bozeman that will have a ton right here to do. If you want mellow, South Cottonwood has all its elevation gain in switchbacks the firs 1/4 mile before slowly decending back down to the creek and you eventually cross three log bridges. I usually turn around at the 3rd bridge. As with most hiking trails around, there is the common turn around spot or you can keep going a long ways. My favorite spot to hike is Sypes Canyon. Not nearly as busy as the M and a better workout and sweeter trail. You can go until you hit snow, which will probably be close to the top of the mountain range. Say 7 miles or so and about 3500 feet in elevation gain to go to the top if memory serves. Its a sweet hike. You'll see people for the first 3 miles or so. A few people for the next 1.5. And then noone the rest of the way. Hikes that are easy to get to around Bozeman are plentiful. Along with those I mentioned North Cottonwood, Middle Cottonwood, Triple Tree, Mount Blackmore, Bear Canyon....these are all with in about 5 miles of Bozeman. Fishing, to get a guide I would go through Troutfitters. I've never hired them to guide, but their shop has always steered me right as far as finding the hatch. Good guys.

As far as food goes, Open Range is great. Fantastic drink menu. Copper is a sweet bar too. Don't waste your time going to the Western for breakfast. Its all about Main Street Over Easy. Everything else in Bozeman is IHOP compared to it. Not really, but its great. Starky's or the Cat Eye Cafe, and Nova are all good for breakfast. The breweries are good, the distilleries I wouldn't waste my time at. The best brewery in the area is over in Livingston. Katabatic.

Visit all the shops listed. Big Sky archery carries FHF stuff too if you want to get your hands on it. There's also Extreme performance archery to check out as well.

There was another fishing thread for the area that I posted a ton of info on. Check that thread out as well.

In Missoula, go check out the Sunrise Bar, for a fun time.
 
Not living in Montana, but have spent a lot of time in Hyalite Canyon just outside of Bozeman. Awesome place to get out for a day hike
 
If you're serious about finding a place to live, you might consider taking the time you're allocating to Billings and splitting it between Bozeman and Missoula.

We did essentially the same trip last year, only did it all at once and spent about a month on the road. When we got to Billings, it was crossed off immediately. We then spent almost a week in Bozeman just looking around, hiking, eating, drinking, etc.

We ended up going to Bozeman, CDA, Boise, Lewiston/Clarkston, Idaho Falls/Pocatello, Logan, Ogden, Provo, Laramie, and Cheyenne while we were on the Western swing of our trip and settled on Bozeman. We did make brief stops in Helena and Missoula, too.

To each his own, I just don't think anyone ever chose to move to Billings. Seems more like an employment-driven decision.
 
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