Work trip to Bozeman

[Lukedog]

I am headed out to the Bozeman area from Southern Maine on a work trip tomorrow and will be there thru Friday, so basically 2.5 days. I will have some free time specifically the first 1/2 day. I'm strongly thinking about bringing my packable fly rod for the downtime that I have...
What are some things I should make it a point to check out? Take a drive down the Gallatin Gateway? Stone Glacier? Sitka?
Any great lunch / dinner spots?
Thanks in Advance.

 

[Johnny Tyndall]

Can't tell you about the fishing, but there's tons of good food. I like the backcountry burger bar, cateye cafe, blackbird, and mountains walking. Bozeman brewery is good for beers. Crystal bar seems to have a bit of the old Bozeman feel. If you just have evenings free I'd be more inclined to go up Hyalite than down towards Big Sky or the Paradise Valley. There's a great trail system in and around town if you just want to go for a walk/run. Locals might have more to say.

 

[TaperPin]

With any western trip, it’s good to stop by the local fly shop - I can’t remember the name of the one I was at, but they were very helpful.

 

[hunterjmj]

You could get some fishing in on the lower Gallatin. Not to far and a bunch access.

 

[Stache Attack]

I’d hit the east Gallatin just out of town fly shop downtown that could help you I bet terrestrials are going real good. Stop by stone glacier forsure and maybe Sitka, kenetrek and schnees too. Cannery and crystal likely the most historical copper whiskey bar is cool if still around.

 

[Mt Al]

Good advice above and I'd add that you can fish Hyalite creek below the dam for fun and small fish and likely few people doing the same. Also Storm Castle creek as it goes into the Gallatin. Nordic is also a good place to eat. Museum of the Rockies if you have time.

 

[Yoder]

I was just there two weeks ago. I did pretty good on the Gallatin below Turners property. There's a lot of access and not that many people fishing. The Axtell bridge access was a complete circus. It looked like a drunken water park when I drove by. I also did pretty well on Hyalite creek. Both are close to Bozeman.

We ate at the Cateye cafe for breakfast one morning. The food was awesome but it took almost two hrs to eat and we watched a server fill someone's water glass with a garden hose which made me glad I didn't order water.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Dino / Rockies museum is worth it IMO but only if you are into that sort of thing.

big sky is pretty.

If you haven’t been, yellow stone gate in Gardiner is 1.5 hours but the park is HUGE so you would need time to drive around and hit some front country spots.

 

[ikesnipecity]

GO TO SCHNEES

 

[Lukedog]

Thanks all for the great recommendations. Just following up form my trip to Bozeman and taking your advice I visited / ate at:

• Lunch at Backcountry Burger Bar
• Bozeman Fly Shop
• Fly fished the Gallatin River - luckily wasn't skunked as I caught 1 rainbow
• Dinners at Copper, Tanglewood and Montana Ale Works
• Checked out Schnees
• Drove down and checked out Big Sky - tons of construction, that place is blowing up with big money...

MT is beautiful and I cannot wait to get back ASAP.

 

[sf jakey]

Skip Copper and go to Open Range next time. And don’t waste time on the Gallatin.