Walk down Bozeman’s Main Street and you’re just as likely to see worn-in cowboy boots and Carhartt barn coats as Patagonia ski shells and Sorel boots. In the heart of big sky country, bracketed by Yellowstone National Park to the south and skiable mountains in all directions, Bozeman is known in outdoor circles as a veritable outdoor playground. Regardless of the season, there’s always something to do outside — and wintertime is no exception. Two world-class ski resorts, Big Sky Resort and Bridger Bowl, are both within an hour’s drive of downtown and offer a combined 7,000 vertical feet and nearly 8,000 skiable acres. A plethora of backcountry and cross-country skiing are also nearby, meaning there’s plenty to occupy outdoor-folk, and the town offers a variety of dining and lodging for all budgets.

Bozeman is a haven for rock climbers of all levels, with hundreds of routes that can be accessed within less than an hour of driving. Though famed for its plentiful ice climbing routes in the winter, Bozeman’s canyons offer tons of climbing experiences from spring to fall, from bouldering to sport and trad, and even some easy, beginner’s top-rope routes. 

While most Bozeman-area climbing destinations are on public land, a few do require private permits or require you to pass through private land. To ensure the continued use of these areas, remember to be respectful to nearby neighbors, follow posted rules and clean up after yourself, following Leave No Trace guidelines. Above all, safety should be your first priority when climbing, so make sure you are confident in your abilities and knowledge of risk mitigation. If you’re not 100 percent sure, go with a guide! 

This blog relies heavily on research using the Mountain Project app, a staple in the climbing community for sharing information about sites and routes. It allows you to search for routes by location, climbing style, difficultly, and more. It’s a handy tool to have when trying to locate a particular route outside.  With that in mind, here are some of the top spots near Bozeman for outdoor rock climbing. New to the sport? You’ll find guided options and climbing courses in this blog as well. 

In 1992 Robert Redford spoke the opening line, “In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing” and Bozeman was changed forever. The movie was A River Runs Through It, which tells the story of the Maclean family and their love of fly fishing. The film was narrated by Mr. Redford and featured a young Brad Pitt as the troubled younger brother of Norman Maclean, set in the town of Missoula, Montana. But the entire movie was filmed in the Bozeman and Livingston areas, which put the towns on the map as the premier fly fishing destination in the United States.

That moniker still holds true today with three pristine rivers within a short drive: the Gallatin River, Madison River, and Yellowstone River, not to mention the Missouri and Jefferson rivers and all the small mountain streams and lakes that feed into these larger rivers. Fly fishermen of all ages and ability levels flock to Bozeman each year for the experience that A River Runs Through It shared so passionately. If you are planning on fly fishing in Bozeman, here are a few spots where you can get your own little taste of the action.

Montana summers aren’t long, but they can get hot. There is nothing better than spending a day at the lake or catching an afternoon dip on a hot day. From local ponds to scenic mountain lakes, there’s no shortage of water bodies to cannonball into when you need to cool off. So as the temps heat up, we’ve gathered up a few of our favorite swimming holes for you to explore on a hot day this summer in Bozeman. 

Bozeman is surrounded by mountains, so it’s little wonder that the locals spend much of their recreation time exploring them. Thanks to a bustling cycling community, mountain bikes are a common sight in Bozeman, and riders of all skill levels and preferences will find trails to explore. Whether you’re looking for a lung-busting climb—and the subsequent adrenaline-jolting downhill—or a more mellow, rolling ride along mountain creeks, the Bozeman area won’t disappoint. Here are seven of our favorite area trails.