Community News

The reasons why so many of Bozeman’s inhabitants chose to live in this area are often not directly related to career advancement or extremely high earning potential. And much to our benefit, they include choosing to live where you love to be. For those of us who have lived in the region for most or all of our lives, we truly tend to take for granted the fact that we live in a place where many people save all year to spend a week of vacation. In fact, many people who move away from the area to “see the world” often find themselves immediately starting to plan on how to come back. We have the opportunity to live in the midst of clean air, open space, green parks, mountain splendor, and views that go on for miles. 

A recent rating in Backpacker Magazine brought some of these amenities to the forefront once again. Bozeman was rated #18 of the “Best Cities to Raise an Outdoor Kid”. Though we were the only Montana city included, our region was well represented with Boulder, CO topping the list in the #1 position. The inclusion of Jackson, WY (#2), Durango, CO (#3), Colorado Springs, CO (#7), and Fort Collins, CO (#9) further filled out the Top 10 as being able “to beat nature deficit disorder”.   The magazine worked along with the Outdoor Foundation to research varied criteria in the categories of amenity, proximity, and livability. Amenities considered whether the actual physical area encourages you to want to spend time outdoors (climate, air quality, topography, etc). Proximity included accessibility to national parks and trailheads (which is certainly a strong point for Bozeman).  Livability measured the feasibility to live in an area based on economic and educational factors.
 
To paraphrase the article, the highlights of Bozeman that helped it to make the grade are that the Mountaineering Association and Montana Outdoor Science School teach joint youth classes; we are a college and emerging high-tech town with 15% of commuters biking or walking; and most homes are within a 15-minute walk of a mountain trailhead or a 1-hour drive to Yellowstone National Park. Additionally, we are surrounded by wildlife and stunning national forests including the Gallatin and Beaverhead-Deerlodge. 
 
The timing of this accolade partners nicely with the Gallatin Valley Land Trust’s recent recognition from the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks by receipt of Montana’s Trail of the Year award. The “Main Street to the Mountains” trail system in Bozeman has reached over the 50-mile mark due to extensive community support. The trail system began in 1978 under the volunteer efforts of the Bozeman Noon Rotary Club and has made tremendous strides over the past 30 years including six major bridges and numerous construction and restoration projects.
 
This is the third time in the past 2 years that our region has received national acclaim for outdoor amenities.  Livingston received the  #6 ranking last fall in a guide titled “101 Best Outdoor Towns: Unspoiled Places to Visit, Live & Play” by The Countryman Press. Earlier in 2008, Livingston was found on Outdoor Life’s list of the 200 “Best Places to Live!”.
 
This all suggests that proximity to a wide variety of recreational opportunities is a prime factor that draws tourists and new residents to our community.  I remain convinced that all of the ingredients that make our “special place on earth” so desirable will cause us to weather the current economic challenges and emerge not only as a sought-after destination tourist location but as a premiere second home market. Wherever I travel, I hear the same song, “If I could live anywhere, I would live in Bozeman.” I wholeheartedly agree.