Post 4: Montana: Bozeman, Big Sky, and Beyond
- Written by Lindsey Huster
- 6 min read
- Last updated 3 months ago
My mom arrived in Bozeman the night before, and our first couple of days together would be filled with a little activity and some relaxation. This would be perfect for talking and catching up 💖 I had a lot to tell her about my trip so far, plus we were "dot watching" Keith as he was riding the Tour Divide. My mom had also just watched my niece and my nephew for a week while my sister and brother-in-law were on vacation, so it was fun to hear her stories in person. As you can imagine, we were quite chatty!
Post 2: Banff: Canyon, Cruise, and Captivating Landscape
Post 3: Montana: Glacier, Helena, and Mom Joins the Adventure
Post 4: Montana: Bozeman, Big Sky, and Beyond
Post 5: Yellowstone: Yearning for Geysers and Wildlife
Post 6: Grand Teton: Grand Views and Genuine Moments
Post 7: Salt Lake City: All Road Trips Must End
Post 8: Tour Divide Finisher: Finally Reuniting with Keith
Post 9: Adventures and Away Time in Arizona
Bozeman
We started the day with a delicious breakfast at Jam! in Bozeman. This place really set the mood for the day. It was busy and fun, plus our breakfast was amazing! Next, we drove up Hyalite Canyon to the reservoir. I’d been here a couple of years prior, so it was fun to be back and see this area again. The mountain view is beautiful, and it would be a great place to swim, picnic, or just relax. We enjoyed the view, even though the weather was a little cloudy, and then continued on to hike.
Gallery of our breakfast at Jam! in Bozeman, MT
Gallery of visiting the reservoir at Hyalite Canyon
We chose to hike the Palisade Falls Trail, which is about a mile with 200 feet of elevation gain. We were rewarded with a beautiful waterfall at the end. We even sat on a log for a bit just to enjoy the scenery and chat with some other hikers. Then we made our way over to Alpacas of Montana. It was fun to see the curious alpacas on the farm. There was a tour in progress, so we chose only to visit the gift shop and then keep moving. It had already been a memorable day, and Bozeman Hot Springs was up next.
Gallery of the hike to Palisade Falls, the waterfall was amazing to see and not a far hike
Gallery of the visit to Alpacas of Montana, we didn't do the farm tour, but got to see the animals and make purchases at the store
The Bozeman Hot Springs facility was incredible! We were impressed with the number of pools, great seating options, and the lights and fire at night! There was a bit of a storm in the afternoon, which brought everyone indoors, but even then, it wasn’t too crowded. We were able to enjoy the indoor pools until it was safe to go back outside. What a fantastic way to spend quality time together.
Gallery of the pool at Bozeman Hot Springs; the atmosphere was amazing during the day and at night
Big Sky Resort
Our agenda on this day included driving to and exploring Big Sky Resort, a hike, and driving to our next hotel in West Yellowstone. Big Sky Resort is probably the top of my list as far as the next place I want to ski. Even though this wasn’t a ski trip, I was super excited to visit the resort and especially excited to ride the new 8-person bubble lift that opened last season! Did I mention that it also has heated seats in the winter? 🤯 Mom isn’t particularly comfortable on a ski lift, so I had her watch for a while and then decided we needed to go up the mountain! It was a smooth ride, and I thought it was hilarious how far apart we were sitting. When I took a selfie, it looked like I was all alone on a “regular-sized lift.”
Gallery of Lindsey and her mom exploring Big Sky Resort; including riding the new 8-person bubble lift
We ended up spending quite a bit of time just exploring the resort. We meandered around the grounds, walking through the hotels, restaurants, and shops at the base of the mountain. It was nice to explore, and we stopped to sit and enjoy the view in several locations. This was a great stop, and we probably enjoyed ourselves too much because we decided not to hike on our way to West Yellowstone. Instead, we stopped at Riverhouse BBQ for dinner with an amazing view.
Gallery of the delicious meal we shared at Riverhouse BBQ; what a great dinner view too!
Crosswinds Inn in West Yellowstone
Arriving at the Crosswinds Inn in West Yellowstone created lots of excitement for spending the next two days in Yellowstone National Park. Immediately upon check-in, the clerk gave us some tips for the hotel and for the area, including the location of free cookies! This hotel was super cute and very much on theme. We had some extra time in the day, but ultimately chose a relaxing evening since we knew the next few days were going to be long.
Gallery of the Crosswinds Inn in West Yellowstone, a cute hotel very on theme for visiting Yellowstone National Park
Upcoming Post
In the next post, my mom and I explore Yellowstone National Park. It was very special to share the park with my mom, who had never been. Looking for wildlife and visiting the prominent sites was extremely memorable for us.
Are you afraid of heights? Would you like to ride the ski lift at Big Sky? Or do you prefer a more relaxing activity? How about a day at Bozeman Hot Springs? Which would you rather do? Let us know in the comments section below.👇 💬