Ten Spring Essentials

Maybe you’re a first-timer to Bozeman or you spent your whole life in the Gallatin Valley - doesn’t matter what zip code your mail goes to, this list offers some handy local tips for shaking off the stifling effects of cabin fever.

1. Powder Day at Bridger - The first official day of spring is March 20th, and Bridger’s projected closing date is April 4th, leaving sixteen full days to enjoy the town’s favorite hill. Even though the Bridger Bowl posse still occasionally rambles about the storm in December of 2004 that left 71” of snow in twenty-four hours, locals know that March is traditionally a far snowier month. If the BBC (Bridger Bowl Cloud) isn’t churning, then enjoy a beer on the sunny slopeside decks at The Grizzly or Jimmy B’s.
2. Get Outta Dodge (Part I) – Windshield time is a great tonic for what ails ya. Take a drive over the pass and visit Livingston, Montana. Make an evening of it with dinner at the Rib and Chop House followed by a great night’s rest at the historic Murray Hotel. Or venture a little farther – Helena is a mere 1½-hour trip and home to some of the state’s great restaurants. Plus, winter splits town several weeks earlier over there (which means the trails are open!). Golfers: Old Works in Anaconda might be the state’s best course - they open early and the greens fees are a steal at $36.
3. Road Biking in Yellowstone National Park – It takes weeks for the road crews to clear all the snow that piles up in Yellowstone over the winter. Much of the park roadways won’t officially open until the middle of May – to automobiles. That means several weeks of glorious road biking in the country’s first national park sans the dreaded traffic jams. Expect to see lots of wildlife, bring everything for four-season camping, and pick travel days carefully since YNP can experience wintry conditions into June.
4. Spring Shape-up/Summer Sign-up – Warm weather sports begin in just a few short weeks. Be ready. The Ridge Athletic Club offers classes specifically geared toward getting tuned and toned for the summer. And don’t forget sign-ups: buy that season pass to Bridger Creek Golf Course, get a team together for summer kickball, or make this the year for one of the state’s great marathons like the ‘Lewis and Clark’, right here, on June 6th.
5. Take In Some Culture – With the ‘Bozeman Winter Farmers and Art Market’ on select Saturday mornings through April 24th and events ranging from the “Telluride Film Festival” to a Bozeman Boulder Initiative fundraiser, check the Emerson Center for the Arts website for specific dates and info. Museum of the Rockies is a favorite for the kids with the Taylor Planetarium and exhibits like Dinosaurs under the Big Sky. And even though the Art Walk season starts June 11th, why wait? Montana Trails Gallery and Visions West Gallery spent the last few months scouring Montana for the next Charles M. Russell, while The Bacchus Pub and Plonk offer plenty of libations to keep you in high spirits along the stroll.
6. Spring Fly Fishing – We’re taking a chance telling you this because the neighborhood anglers don’t want the competition, but the fishing on all the rivers in southwestern Montana is exceptional in the early season. If you’re a beginner, your timing couldn’t be better, shops like The Bozeman Angler and the savvy rivermen of Montana Fly Fishing Guides would love to get you hooked. If you’re already an expert … take it easy now, big fella, and put down that filet knife.
7. You Like It Hot? - Chico Hot Springs Resort is a short drive from Bozeman. After more than a century, they’re über-experienced in accommodating you: the top-notch dining room has an awarded wine list, the quarters range from stately to luxurious, and the artesian spring-heated pool is divine. A more rustic option, Norris Hot Springs is a sure-fire way to mainline the essence of Montana. A low-key, freshwater pool with choice beer, the 100+ degree ‘Water of the Gods’ is best enjoyed on weekend evenings with a bluegrass band strumming inside the plastic igloo.
8. Main Street’s Afternoon Specialty – Sip an espresso at perennial favorite The Leaf And Bean or the cushy HomePage Cafe, where you can enjoy the free Wifi or go old-fashioned with hardcover literature from the Country Bookshelf or Vargo’s Jazz City & Books. Keep one eye on the door, though, even the valley’s reclusive A-list can’t quite resist the call of the local baristas.
9. Tickets to the Show – the Equinox Theatre Company in Bozeman presents ‘The Rocky Horror Show’ for six nights in April. Meanwhile, Livingston’s beloved and super-cozy community show house, The Blue Slipper Theatre, features ‘The Nerd’ from April 16th through May 9th. And don’t forget The Players Theatre Company and their performances in the old Bozeman Stockyard’s Sale Barn.
10. Get Outta Dodge (Part II) – The best-trained locals all have their favorite ambush picked out for the spring fling. Trailheads and campgrounds in far off Moab, Utah, are plagued by Montana license plates at this time of year. If mountain biking isn’t your thing or the canyonlands are still too cool for your thermostat, just keep driving south on I-15. Summer is waiting for you down there … even if you have to go all the way to Cabo.
    

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