Bozeman Montana
From Glacier to Yellowstone
8 days in Montana
Part 3 of a 5 part series
I’m not sure we were ready to leave Glacier National Park, but there was a lot more Montana to see. The next segment of our 8-day trip would be to make our way south toward Yellowstone. To break up what would be over a 6-hour drive, I planned several stops including 2 nights in Bozeman. See the route we took on the map.
Flathead Lake
Within 45 minutes of leaving Glacier National Park, we came to Flathead Lake. This is a destination spot all on its own, but this trip only allowed for a couple of pictures. Flathead Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. It has over 200 square miles of water and 185 miles of shoreline.
The Garden of 1000 Buddhas
Next stop about 2 hours into our trip was the Garden of 1000 Buddhas. It’s a spiritual site within the Flathead Indian Reservation which is said to bring “positive transformation” to those who visit. Who doesn’t think that’s a good idea? I wasn’t sure what to expect but my whole family was fascinated by what has been established as an international center for peace in 2000.
One thousand hand cast Buddha statues are arranged in a “wheel of dharma” around the central figure of Yum Chenmo, or the Great Mother, who represents the “perfection of wisdom”. The wheel represents the “Noble Eightfold Path” which encompasses the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
Missoula, Montana
Next stop was lunch, and the timing allowed us to make a quick stop in Missoula, the home of the University of Montana. Missoula is known as the place where “solitude and adventure” collide with “gourmet restaurants, funky local shops, and a killer music scene”. I would have loved to stay here longer but settled for having lunch at Tamarack Brewing Company. It’s a two floor fun sports pub environment overlooking Caras Park and Clark Fork River.
Back in the car we buckled in for the 3 hour stretch to get us to Bozeman and checked in before dinner. Driving through Butte is worth mentioning because I wish I would have allowed time to make a stop there. The enormity of The Berkeley Pit, a former open pit copper mine, is overwhelming just driving by. Apparently, it is now filled with 40 billion gallons of acidic water and tells a sobering story of the mining history in Butte. You also need to look up in the mountains and you will see a 90-foot statue known as “Our Lady of the Rockies”, sitting on the Continental Divide overlooking the city.
Bozeman
We arrived in Bozeman in the late afternoon with time to unpack and settle in. I opted for a “city” VRBO this time, giving us a little break between our rustic cabins in the parks. Located only 3 blocks off Historic Main Street, allowed us to walk to everything. It also had a washer and dryer, so we took full advantage of repacking all our hiking stuff. Resembling a high-end hotel suite, it was complete with Roku TV and the most comfortable bed ever! Here is the link. You’re welcome!
Bozeman Shopping
With more than 300 sunny days a year, Bozeman is a university town with a diverse choice of restaurants, attractions, and activities. It wasn’t hard to spend a whole day on Main Street. Whether you are looking for a piece of western artwork, need a Montana souvenir, or want to grab a bite to eat, you will discover an array of casual and fine dining restaurants, art galleries, unique retail shops, sporting goods for all your outdoor adventures and much more! Not to mention several scenes from the series Yellowstone are filmed downtown!
Here are just a few you don’t want to miss:
- The Montana Scene
- Head West
- Montana Angler Fly Fishing
- Simms @ The Rivers Edge
- The Dispensary (I had to mention this! A glimpse into the world where Marijuana is legal)
- Sweet Peaks (finally I got my waffle cone with huckleberry ice cream)
Brewery Scene in Bozeman
Everyone who reads my blogs knows I love local breweries so when I heard that Bozeman is known as the “secret destination for breweries” I was on a mission. Unfortunately Montana beer laws made it tough. Beer can only be served between the hours of 10-8 (which explained why everywhere closed so early). In addition to restricted hours, a customer can only receive 48 ounces of beer in a day! We did what we could but will have to be back to try more!
MAP Brewing Company
“Brewed to explore” craft beers with hands down the best view. The outdoor patio sits on Glen Lake with the Bridger Mountains in the background.
Mountains Walking Brewery
Features a range of classic and experimental beers, including rotating seasonal beers. Once you throw in the wood fired pizza and the tachos (tator tot nachos) this place might be my favorite.
Restaurant Scene in Bozeman
Bozeman is known to have the unusual combination of “a diverse food scene thriving in a small country town”. Unfortunately I know much less about restaurants than breweries so we stuck to where the locals told us to go. The good news is that some of our favorite meals were actually at the breweries!
Montana Ale Works
Very cool vibe, located in a former freight house. Served only locally sourced produce, meats, and crafted cheeses. It’s good to know they don’t open until 4.
MacKenzie River Company
Located right on Main Street serving Montana inspired fare using local huckleberries, bison, and trout. Highly recommend the Going to the Sun flatbread!
Sculpture Park
One last stop worth mentioning (and happens to be free) is Sculpture Park. It was literally a block from our VRBO so I was able to check out part of it. Located behind the beautiful Bozeman library, it’s simply a selection of sculptures along an easy walk. My favorite was “The Trickster” by Joe Barrington.
The original plan after Bozeman was to head directly to the north entrance of Yellowstone. Unfortunately, with the flooding that occurred in early June, that entrance was still closed. Instead we spent a day in Big Sky before heading to our cabin outside the west entrance of Yellowstone. Don’t miss the other parts of this 5 part series:
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