Bozeman or Big Sky

Hi everyone -

We plan to drive from Yellowstone to Glacier this summer and know virtually nothing about Montana. Right now, we are torn between staying in Big Sky or Bozeman. We are looking for wildlife and beautiful scenery. We heard that A River Runs Through It was filmed in Bozeman, so we were intrigued.

Your suggestions would be most appreciated!

Bozeman or Big Sky

Bozeman will give you more options for lodging and restaurants and has a neat downtown. Big Sky will give you great views of Lone Peak but it is very small. Since you%26#39;ll be in 2 beautiful parks, I might choose Bozeman for more variety (but no wildlife). Will that be your halfway point? You%26#39;ll have a full day of driving from Bozeman or Big Sky to Glacier.

Bozeman or Big Sky

I love the area around Big Sky, but we%26#39;ve never stayed there - heard it was fairly pricey. Bozeman has several chain motels with swimming pools, etc, and several great eating places to choose from, so I%26#39;d vote for Bozeman. BTW, I thought A River Runs Through It was filmed mostly around Livingston, which is close-by, but it%26#39;s great to know some filming must have taken place near Bozeman as well - I%26#39;m not surprised. All three of these areas (Big Sky, Bozeman %26amp; Livingston) are really scenic, have great fishing, and believe it or not, sometimes the wildlife does come right into town. A few years back when we were visiting family in Three Forks, my cousin in Bozeman called to say there was a young black bear in a tree by the park by Hardees...must have smelled those yummy Angus burgers.

If you stay in Big Sky, there is a drive we took just south of town where they were putting in a new sub-division - the gal at the gas station had told us she%26#39;d seen a bear there a few times recently (at the time), so we drove up there. No bears, but there were elk %26amp; deer - got a few nice photos, including the one here with the two fawns.

For more info on Montana, go to www.visitmt.com - you can order a free vacation planning packet that will have a nice state map, information magazine %26amp; calendar of events booklet. That will really get you excited about your trip. :0)

Thank you so much for the thoughtful responses! We will definitely take the advice that you offer...

BTW - What about Butte? Is it prettier than Bozeman or Livingston?

Another website to definitely check out is Montanafilm.com - wow! What a comprehensive site on Montana with numerous photos and recommendations!

Thanks again everyone! :)

I would say that Bozeman and Livingston is much prettier than Butte.

Many of the streamside scenes in ';A River Runs Through It'; were filmed on the Gallatin River. You travel along this river through the Gallatin Canyon on Highway 191 from West Yellowstone to Big Sky up toward Bozeman. Some scenes were filmed in Bozeman and some in Livingston; the scene with the newspapermen club where Brad Pitt hung out was filmed in the Strand Union Building at Montana State University.

No, Butte is not prettier.

If you%26#39;re trying to drive a little farther, one thought I just had is stopping in Phillipsburg (it%26#39;ll put you sort of between Butte and Missoula) It%26#39;s off the main highway, quite small but cute. And that area around Georgetown Lake is quite pretty.

Bozeman is a small city with city things to do, Big Sky is a resort with resort things to do. Butte is a historical old city with interesting buildings and history to discover, quite different from the rest of Montana in many ways.

I%26#39;d rather vacation in Big Sky than Bozeman. There is plenty to do there, white water rafting, horseback riding, hiking, ride the gondola up Lone Mtn, go mountain bike riding (destination area for this), drop down to the park for a day trip to Old Faithful, and more.

We spent a week there recently and did not get bored in the slightest!

Bozeman is worth a day or two. The Museum of the Rockies is great, as is a stroll down the old Main Street.