Kevin's Bozeman Local Guide

Hi, I’m Kevin, owner of My Guy Plumbing. I’m a Bozeman local, and I’ve spent 30 years doing plumbing work around here. That’s a lot of time in a lot of Bozeman basements, kitchens, and crawl spaces, and in between jobs I’ve gotten to know this valley pretty well.

People ask me all the time where to eat, where to hike, and what’s worth doing, whether they just moved here or are showing family around. So I put it all in one place. This isn’t a complete list, and nobody paid to be on it. It’s just the stuff I’d tell a neighbor.

Dining

Bozeman’s food scene has grown a lot along with the town. The best place to start is Main Street downtown. In a few blocks you’ll find everything from casual lunch spots to sit-down dinners, and it’s easy to park once and walk. The Downtown Bozeman Partnership keeps a directory of downtown restaurants, shops, and events, and it’s the most up-to-date list you’ll find.

For a wider look around town, including spots out toward Four Corners, Belgrade, and Big Sky, Visit Bozeman has a good restaurant guide.

My advice: eat local. Bozeman has a lot of independent, family-owned places, and those folks are your neighbors.

Breweries and Coffee

Coffee. You won’t go thirsty in this town. A couple of local roasters and shops worth knowing:

Wild Joe’s Coffee on Main Street is a downtown standby and a good place to meet someone.
Rocky Mountain Roasting Company is a local roaster. Pick up a bag of beans to brew at home.

Breweries. Montana takes its beer seriously, and the Gallatin Valley has plenty of breweries. Bozeman Brewing Company is one of the longtime local ones and a nice place to sit with friends after work. You’ll find more taprooms downtown and across the valley. Just check the hours before you go, since Montana taprooms have their own rules on hours and serving.

Outdoors and Trails

This is why a lot of us live here. Within minutes of town you can be on a trail.

Main Street to the Mountains. Bozeman has a big trail network running through town and out into the foothills, much of it built and cared for by the Gallatin Valley Land Trust. Their site has trail maps. Peets Hill/Burke Park, right next to downtown, is a quick favorite with great views.
The “M” and Drinking Horse. Just up Bridger Canyon, the M trail gives you a steep climb and a view over the whole valley. Drinking Horse Mountain, across the road, is a slightly gentler loop.
Hyalite Canyon. South of town in the Custer Gallatin National Forest, Hyalite has trails, waterfalls, the reservoir, camping, and in winter, ice climbing. Fun fact for a plumber: Hyalite is one of the sources of Bozeman’s drinking water, so treat it with respect.
Fishing and hunting. The Gallatin, Madison, and Yellowstone rivers are all within reach. Check Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks for licenses and regulations before you go.
Yellowstone. Yellowstone National Park is an easy day trip, through West Yellowstone or Gardiner. Check road status before heading out, especially in spring and fall.

Pack layers. Montana weather changes fast, even in summer.

Skiing: Bridger Bowl and Big Sky

You don’t have to choose. You’ve got two very different ski areas close by.

Bridger Bowl is the locals’ hill, a short drive up Bridger Canyon from town. It’s a nonprofit community ski area known for its steep terrain and its famous “cold smoke” powder. Catch a powder day there and you’ll get why people move to Bozeman.

Big Sky Resort is about an hour south through Gallatin Canyon. It’s a big mountain with a lot of terrain and Lone Peak on top. It’s a great full-day trip, and I spend a fair amount of time in Big Sky for work, too.

Winter driving tip: the canyon roads can get slick. Good tires and some patience go a long way.

MSU and the Bobcats

Montana State University is a big part of what makes Bozeman, Bozeman. It brings in students, research, arts events, and a whole lot of energy every fall.

And then there’s football. I’m a lifelong Bobcats fan. Nothing beats a fall Saturday at Bobcat Stadium with the whole town in blue and gold. Grab a schedule on the Bobcats football page and follow every MSU sport at MSU Bobcats Athletics. Basketball, rodeo, and plenty more are worth catching too.

Go Cats!

Museums and the Arts

Museum of the Rockies. If you only see one museum, make it this one. It’s on the MSU campus and is known for its dinosaur fossils. There’s also a planetarium and exhibits on regional history. Great with kids and just as good without them.
Gallatin History Museum. Local history, housed in the old county jail. A good way to learn how this valley came to be.
Montana Science Center. Hands-on science for kids. A lifesaver on a cold or rainy day.
The Emerson Center for the Arts & Culture. Studios, galleries, and events in a historic former school building just off Main Street.
Performing arts. Catch the Bozeman Symphony or Montana Ballet Company, and check out what’s playing at the historic Ellen Theatre downtown.

Parks

Bozeman has parks all over town, and a few stand out:

Lindley Park, on the east side of downtown, is home to the Sweet Pea Festival every summer and has trail access into the Gallatin Valley trail system.
Bogert Park is near downtown and home to a weekly summer farmers market.
Peets Hill/Burke Park has trails and great views right next to downtown.

The City of Bozeman Parks & Recreation department runs city parks, pools, and programs. You’ll find them on the City of Bozeman website.

Events

Sweet Pea Festival. Bozeman’s summer arts festival in Lindley Park, with music, art, food, and a parade. It’s a local tradition.
Farmers markets. The Gallatin Valley Farmers’ Market has been going since 1971 and is a summer Saturday tradition. The Bogert Farmers Market at Bogert Park is another local favorite in summer.
Christmas Stroll. Downtown Bozeman’s holiday kickoff, with Main Street lit up and packed with people. Bundle up.
Downtown events all year. The Downtown Bozeman events calendar covers Music on Main, art walks, and more.
Bobcat game days. See above. Go Cats!

Community Resources

Bookmark these if you’re new to town, or even if you aren’t:

City of Bozeman. The city’s website covers utilities, water and sewer billing, permits, trash and recycling, and snow plowing. It’s also where you’ll find the annual water quality report.
Gallatin County. County services, property records, elections, and more.
Bozeman Health. The area’s health system, including Bozeman Health Deaconess Regional Medical Center.
Bozeman Public Schools. School District 7: enrollment, calendars, and school info.
Bozeman Public Library. A beautiful library downtown with programs for all ages. Find it through the City of Bozeman.
Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce. Local business support, networking, and community info.
Downtown Bozeman Partnership. Downtown businesses, parking, and events.
HRDC. Housing, food, and other community support programs in the area.
Gallatin Valley Food Bank. A good place to get help, or to give it.
MSU Extension. Gardening, home, and well-water resources from Montana State.
Call Before You Dig: Montana 811. Planting a tree, building a fence, or digging for anything? Requesting a locate through Montana 811 is free, and it’s required before you dig. Buried gas, power, and water lines are no joke.

When Your Pipes Need Help

I hope this guide helps you enjoy Bozeman. And if a pipe freezes, a water heater quits, or a drain backs up, that’s where I come in.

My Guy Plumbing is locally owned and based at 1838 E Valley Center Rd in Bozeman. We’re licensed, bonded, and insured (Montana plumbing license #15401), we offer free estimates, and we take emergency calls 24/7.

📞 Call (406) 600-2177 · 💬 Text (406) 600-2177

Learn more about our Bozeman plumbing services.

Go Cats!
— Kevin

Areas We Serve

Bozeman

Three Forks, MT

Livingston, MT

Gallatin Gateway, MT