by the editors of Outside Bozeman
It seems like only yesterday my beat-up Honda sputtered over Bozeman Pass and into town. Fresh from Flat-and-Boring, USA, I found my new surroundings breathtaking: jagged lofty mountains, beautiful flowing rivers, and endless powder-blue skies. It didn’t take me long, but as you’re about to find out, choosing Bozeman is one of the best decisions you can make.
The Bridger Range: your new back yard.
Our town is truly a place where the world’s most diverse outdoor opportunities are right at your fingertips. Blue-ribbon trout streams, world-class waterfall ice, deep stashes of fresh powder… all right in our collective back yard. In about 30 minutes, you could be blasting through whitewater rapids, climbing a massive granite wall, or peacefully floating down some lazy river, cooler and friends happily in tow. If the possibilities here seem endless, that’s because they are.
And for the vast quantity of outdoor exploits, there are just as many cultural events. Film festivals, art walks, salsa dancing, farmers markets, and dozens of local bands are available to fill your calendar all year long. Music on Main? TEDx Bozeman? Sweet Pea? You might not know what these events are yet, but by the end of the school year, you will. From down-home rodeos to posh wine tastings, Bozeman’s got the entire spectrum. It’s the cultural centerpiece of southwest Montana.
Local eats at the farmers’ market.
Bozeman residents seem to be just as diverse. Rowdy cowboys cheer right alongside hippies at the big homecoming game; jocks shoot pool with the mellow ski bums at the local bar. Instead of factionalizing over differences, the locals here have it figured out: this rich melting pot of culture and country is what makes our town so great. It seems that Bozeman has found (and kept) the perfect balance of big-city opportunity and small-town hospitality.
Now, nearly 15 years after my first day, I’m just as in love. Bozeman still just keeps getting better. Our little mountain town continues to bloom, offering new and exciting opportunities for everyone, from the lifetime local to the starry-eyed freshman. Trust me when I say you’ll only truly regret the things you didn’t do—so put the textbooks down every so often and go have an adventure.