In the August 2010 issue of Outside Magazine, you'll find the nation's top 25 Best Towns. Read further to find out what criteria they used to make their determinations and the reviews of the other Best Towns in the United States.

Best Towns 2010

Where do you end up when you want a community with incredible access to the outdoors, affordable homes, and solid jobs? Some very surprising places. Introducing the top 25 towns in America for cycling, paddling, running, surfing, skiing, and—because you might want everything—all of the above.

Play Hard, Live Here

What makes a great adventure town? Every year, that same question is at the core of the debate over our Best Towns list. The answer, of course, depends on what you're into. That's why, this time around, we decided to try and please everyone. Instead of compiling a single catchall list, we picked the best places for our favorite sports: running, cycling, skiing, paddling, and surfing—and because some of us like a little of everything, the best multisport meccas, too. But while the quality of the sporting life was a defining factor, it wasn't the only one. For a town to make the list, it also had to be balanced—culturally vibrant, with a resilient economy and a sane housing market. Reconciling all that wasn't easy, but the result is a surprising list of places we're sure are about to get the attention they deserve. Even if some of the locals don't want it. 

How We Picked Them

We started by casting a wide net, soliciting nominations from writers, photographers, gear designers, professional athletes, our families and friends, and people who "like" us on Facebook. Next, we culled the list by examining a few key stats, like the percentage of a town's population with a bachelor's degree (sorry, Salida, Colorado) and the cost of living as compared with the national average (we'll still dream about you, Jackson, Wyoming, and Ventura, California). To further narrow the field, we fact-checked claims of "epic singletrack!" and "empty rivers!" with sport-specific sources such as the International Mountain Biking Association and American Whitewater and hunted down telling facts, like the miles of trail within an hour's drive, the frequency of group rides, and proximity to worthy ski areas. Then the really heated debates began, and many of these were ultimately settled with two decisive questions: Would we be excited to move there? And can you walk—not drive—from your home and, a few minutes later, engage in the sport you love most?

Bozeman, Montana (part 16 of 26)

POPULATION 39,282
MEDIAN HOME PRICE $259,500
HOMETOWN HERO Greg Mortenson, co-founder of the Central Asia Institute and founder of Pennies for Peace

THE LIVING: Last year, Bozemanites did something that's rarer in Montana than buying a two-wheel drive: They voted to raise their own taxes so the county could afford to purchase (and then preserve) ranches that might otherwise have been sliced and diced by developers. Translation: They put their money where their boots, bikes, and skis go. Cradled by 10,000-foot peaks, hyaline streams, and ragged wilderness, the fastest-growing town in the state has a bustling college campus and brains to match: Residents may wear cowboy hats, but the Ph.D. rate is twice the national average. Free live music in city parks during summer and community sporting events like the spectacular 20-mile Bridger Ridge Run keep the blood flowing.

THE SKIING: The joke is that there are two seasons here: winter and August. But with two ski areas and 350 inches of annual snowfall, most locals don't mind. Just 20 minutes away, Bridger features backcountry-style big-mountain runs—now with less hiking required, thanks to the new Schlasman's lift (beacons required)—plus 18 miles of nearby cross-country ski trails. Forty-five minutes south of town, Big Sky Resort and Moonlight Basin offer a combined 5,512 acres of glades and bowls. When the lifts stop running, head to Cooke City or Beartooth Pass for backcountry-corn laps. (And when it all melts, it's time to fish.)

THE NEIGHBORHOOD: Bozeman's too small for any 'hood to be far from anything, but living south of Main can mean living as little as a few hundred yards from trails that run all the way to Yellowstone, 90 miles south.

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