Let’s be honest, Bozeman can be pretty expensive, but that’s what happens when a city is rapidly growing. But don’t worry! There are plenty of fun things to do in Bozeman that don’t require you to break the bank. Check out this week’s blog full of fun and exciting things you can do on even the strictest of budgets.

Main Street to the Mountains

When people first realized that Bozeman was rapidly changing from a small Montana town to a bustling big city, many were concerned it would lose its roots. Bozeman was nestled in between several mountain ranges and was popular for its connection to the outdoors. But people feared that as Bozeman grew and expanded, the outdoors would get pushed farther and farther away. So in the early 1990’s a plan was hatched to create a system of public trails that connected every corner of the city to the breathtaking mountains that surrounded it. Today, over sixty miles of trails snake through Bozeman, connecting many of the parks and shopping centers. The trails all weave beyond the edges of the city, to connect with the many hiking trails that lead farther and farther into the mountains. So if the city is ever to stifling, and you hear the mountains calling, they’re only a short wander away.

Bozeman Climbing Boulders

Bozeman is populated by a large number of outdoor enthusiasts. They range from hunters and fishers to skiers and snowboarders to rock climbers and boulderers. All of them are passionate about their activities, so it was no surprise when a group of local climbers hatched a plan to bring their passion closer to home. In 2005 the group applied for Bozeman’s Park Improvement Grant program to construct artificial climbing boulders all around the city. They strategically planned to build them in every quadrant of the city and near the Main Street to the Mountains trails. At the moment there are six climbing rocks around the city. There is one at three of the largest and well-known parks in Bozeman, Bozeman Pond, East Gallatin Recreation Area, Gallatin County Regional Park. The first climbing rock to be built was at Langhor Park, which is just off of Wilson and runs along the popular Gallagator Trail. The old train depot has a small park named Depot Park and has its own climbing rock, and recently the space behind Roskie Dorm on the MSU campus got its own climbing rock. The new Story Mill City Park is also going to be home to the largest climbing rock in Bozeman was construction is complete, the climbing boulder will be 40-feet-long and 12-feet tall!

Extreme History Project Walking Tours

Learn more about the wonderful and historic city of Bozeman by taking a fun walking tour! The Extreme History Project is a nonprofit public history organization with the goal of making history fun, engaging and relevant to the community and society. The Extreme History Project teams up with museums, libraries, historical societies, and geological societies to find the truth about the history of Bozeman, the Gallatin Valley and beyond. Adventure Through Time is a branch of the Extreme History Project that is meant to bring people a little closer to the history of Bozeman. The Adventure Through Time tours are a series of walking tours designed to help people experience Bozeman in an old way by taking a step back through history. The tours range in topics from spooky tours like Murders, Madams, and Mediums: Bozeman’s Dark Side to tours exploring Bozeman’s diversity like Seeking Fortune: Bozeman’s Historic China Alley. Take the Distilling the Past: Bozeman’s Drinking History tour to see more about the city that has one of the highest White Claw consumption rates per capita. Or learn the complete history of the historic Downtown in From Tents to Towns: Bozeman's Historic Main Street. All the tours have tickets averaging around $20 a person and are available for purchase at the Extreme History Project website!

Photo Courtesy of Extreme History Project

Window Shopping Downtown

Bozeman Hot Springs

A Bozeman past time since the 1890’s has been a nice long soak in the Bozeman Hot Springs. The Bozeman Hot Springs are a delightful natural hot springs facility located in Four Corners! Bozeman Hot Springs offers indoor pools that range from simple kiddie pools to a full size swimming pool to cold pools to hot tubs. Outside you can find four massive pools, each with a different temperature! The outdoor pools also have fun lights at night for late soaking as well as a fantastic stage so you can enjoy live music! Adults get access to the pools for as long as they want for $21-$28 while seniors, kids, and military can get in for around $15-25. To make the Bozeman Hot Springs even sweeter you can get an assortment of treats at the little store inside including ice cream, coffees, smoothies, and milkshakes!

Photo Courtesy of Bozeman Hot Springs

Bozeman is a bustling city with hundreds of things to do! And even though you can spend a pretty penny to enjoy some of the events, there are still plenty of things to do without breaking the bank. So hop on your bike or grab your pup’s leash, there is a whole new side of Bozeman waiting for you to explore! 

Written by: Issa Rabideaux // Edited by Alexa Jorgenson, MGC Marketing Communications Specialist (8/29/24)

Blog Cover by: Averi Thompson, MGC Graphic Designer