Day Thirty-Four –Wednesday, June 8, 2022-Bozeman, Montana

We departed Buffalo, Wyoming early this morning for our 325-mile journey on the I-90 to Bozeman, Montana. Bozeman was settled in 1854 by John Bozeman in the Gallatin Valley. The area is stunningly beautiful. Mountains surround Bozeman and the Gallatin River runs near it.

The valley was a sacred hunting ground of the Sioux Indians and Bozeman with his party were ambushed and killed three years after they arrived. It took nine years before anyone would brave their way back to the area. Nearby is Livingston, Mt. which one of the gateways to the northern entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Paradise Valley, portrayed in the popular Kevin Costner series called “Yellowstone” starts at Livingston and runs south along the Yellowstone River.

I found the entire area from Bozeman to the Paradise Valley stunningly beautiful. Tall mountains, rivers, streams and quaint towns all participate to make this place so special. I painted north of Bozeman at Hyalite Lake, and at Daily Lake in Paradise Valley. The rains were starting to pick up on Thursday, June 9.  From that day forward, it rained steadily for almost two weeks. The Yellowstone River flooded its banks and by Sunday, June 12 Yellowstone Park was closed. As of today, it’s still closed. I feel very fortunate that I was able to do as much as I did in the area and it was all, of course, weather permitting.

There’s a very informative and comprehensive museum located on campus at the Montana State University in Bozeman. It’s called Museum of the Rockies and contains several museums in one. The state is geographically unique as pre-historic dinosaurs once roamed the land. The exhibits include natural history, tourism of Yellowstone Park, a pioneer living history, and Native American life and culture.

Since Bozeman is a college town you will find the local population eclectic. You’ll see cowboys, college hipsters, up and coming fashionistas, families and of course, lots of tourists. I had a nice lunch downtown at Bacchus, in the Hotel Baxter, which is a seven-story hotel built in 1929 in the Main Street historic district of Bozeman, Montana. Designed in Art Deco style by architect Fred F. Willson, it opened for business on March 2, 1929. The grand opening party was held Saturday, March 16, 1929.

Main Street (Downtown Bozeman) is a fun place to visit. There are designer stores, small boutiques, cafes, restaurants, saloons, coffee shops, art galleries, and much more. The street scene has a cool vibe and, like I said, a varied crowd. Don’t worry about fitting in, you will.

I only had three nights in Bozeman. If you come here, plan on at least seven. It will steal your heart.