Between Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks lies the great state of Montana. My wife, Lynne, and I scheduled a couple of days exploring 3 towns – Livingston, Bozeman, and Missoula. I was curious what we would find in Big Sky Country. We kept an open agenda and wandered our way through the state. Besides beautiful mountains and rivers, we found quite a few activities unique to this part of the country.
Livingston
I had read about cool, small towns to visit in the U.S. and Livingston showed on the list. Livingston has a storied railroad history. It was a key stop on the Northern Pacific Railway. The Livingston stop became a hub of activity when America’s first national Park, Yellowstone, opened in 1872. We wanted to find out what was so cool. We started at the Murray Hotel, a Livingston landmark. located right across from the train depot. The hotel was built in the early 1900s and it drips with history. You must stay there or stop by for a visit if you are in town. For dinner, we dined at the Second Street Bistro, which was delightful and ended up on our Best of the Rockies Roadtrip list.
In the morning, we ate breakfast and strolled around town. We browsed through interesting shops offering books, clothes and other unique items. It looked like a town out of an old-time western movie. No big chain stores located here. One of the galleries we visited was the Osborn Gallery. Photographer Robert Osborn recently completed work on the Indians and Cowboys of Montana. Click on the link to view austere photographs offering fascinating insights of Indians and cowboys from Montana. As we were headed out of town toward Bozeman, we stopped in at the Coffee Crossing on 2nd Street and grabbed a robust cup of coffee for the trip. Also in town is the historic Livingston Train Depot, Sacagawea Park and the Yellowstone Gateway Museum. You could easily spend several days exploring the town.
Bozeman
From Livingston, we jumped on I-90 West headed toward Bozeman. Halfway there, we stopped at the Montana Grizzly Encounter. This is a rescue operation open to visitors. They have 5 grizzlies, of which we saw three: Bella, Jake and Maggie. The encounter has a roomy natural area for the bears to roam and play while you view them. You can tell the staff cares a great deal about the bears and your education, especially the owner. We had a really fun visit, learned quite bit and left with a greater appreciation for these magnificent creatures. The entry is a reasonable fee and you are able to leave donations, which you will want to do after you witness the work and care being delivered. Obvisouly, no bears were harmed in the making of this encounter.
After the encounter, we arrived in Bozeman and drove directly to the Museum of the Rockies (MOR) on the Montana State campus. The museum holds a variety of cool items. On our visit, we saw Native American artifacts, an interactive guitar exhibit, and a planetarium show. Most notably, the museum has multiple, large displays of dinosaur bones. I strongly encourage a visit. It has exhibits to entertain all ages.
After leaving the museum, we stopped by Z’s Meze Market for authentic Greek gyros. The food was awesome and Friday was $5 gyro day. What a deal! After a hot tub soak at the hotel, we headed over to MAP Brewing Company for a local brew. MAP is a relaxed brewery with friendly staff and great tasting beers. We hit several breweries on our trip and this one was the best! While there, we sampled several on the outdoor patio overlooking the river and mountains behind the brewery. Note: Breweries in Montana stop serving at 8 PM and place a 3 beer limit per patron to comply with state law. So, I encourage you to get there early and
Missoula
On the way to Missoula, we decided to call around for white water rafting. I looked at reviews and called Zoo Town Surfers. We went for a float down the Clark Fork River. Excellent guides, nice (not great) rapids and beautiful surroundings. We had a fun-loving group on our boat which really enhanced the experience. After rafting, we grabbed dinner then headed to
Goldsmith’s Inn, a terrific B&B located downtown. The home began as a fraternity house at the University of Montana. The house was designated for demolition, but the Goldsmith’s bought the house and moved it to the banks of the Clark Fork. The hosts prepared a wonderful breakfast and encouraged mixing at the breakfast table. This was our favorite overnight accommodations of the entire road trip. Best of all, we were well rested for our next drive to Glacier National Park.
We spent a day in each of these towns and we thoroughly enjoyed each in their own unique way. The scenery is beautiful and the people are friendly and outgoing. Relaxed even. Spend some time touring the cities of Montana. You will love it!