Hyalite Reservoir south of Bozeman, MT   When tales of Montana are traded on front porches, commercial airplanes and executive offices across the United States, they usually include a repertoire of epic skiing, trophy trout rising to dry flies, horseback riding in the back-country, hikes, mountain biking trails, even hunting big game.  I would venture that seldom are the terms “scuba diving” and “Montana” used in the same sentence.  There are, however, a group of hardy enthusiasts whose pursuit of new outdoor experiences leads them into the depths of Montana’s lakes and rivers.  I happen to be one of those tortured souls who use any body of water, no matter the temperature or visibility, as an excuse to get out and get wet. Southwestern Montana may not compare to the tropical destinations that draw travelers from across the globe to effortlessly drift in their warm, clear waters, but our little corner of the globe offers a glimpse into the not often seen natural wonde ...

Southwestern Montana is dotted with a plethora of clear mountain stream and crystal lakes, and many of them are located a short distance the recreation centers of Bozeman and Big Sky.  The trouble lies not in the decision to visit these natural wonders but in which one to choose as the days destination.  A couple weeks back, my wife and I loaded up kids, car seats, stroller and camera and headed to Fairy Lake which is located in a mountain cirque in the Bridger Range north of Bozeman.  After exiting the asphalt we followed the Forest Service road approximately 7 miles to the campground, trailhead and parking lot.  The parking lot also services hikes for the North and Middle Forks of the Brackett Creek hikes as well as the trails to Sacagawea Peak, Hardscrabble Peak and the Bridger Foothills National Recreation Trail so there were more than a handful of cars present on this beautiful Montana day.  For you hardcore back country ski enthusiasts, this may be an area to place on your lis ...

Madison River near Cameron, MT A common thread among my friends who are looking for property in this area of Montana revolves around the dream of having a property where they can walk out their back door and hear the calming rush of water. From small, private creeks to the power and recreational opportunities of rivers like the Madison and Yellowstone, the presence of water has always been a large driving factor in the decision to purchase investment or recreational properties. In our little corner of the globe, we have been overwhelmingly endowed with access to phenomenal water courses. The fishing on the Madison, Gallatin, Yellowstone and Missouri are famed for a reason and smaller stretches of live water such the spring creeks in Paradise Valley, the East Gallatin, Smith, and Stillwater Rivers are as good or better in terms of fisheries with limited access making them highly sought after destinations. If you are looking for property that has direct river frontage on these or other fabled Mon ...

  Tourism is arguably the main economic driver for Bozeman and the Gallatin Valley as a whole, competing with Montana State University for largest overall economic impact. In terms of direct, quantifiable economic impact on the Gallatin Valley, tourism generates more than $600 million annually, the result of upwards of 1 million visitors coming through every year. Moreover, not only is this sector prominent, but it is continually growing. According to the City of Bozeman, in 2008 there were more than 10 million visitors to the state of Montana, putting a combined $3 billion into our economy. In terms of jobs, the sector employs nearly 50,000 people across the state, a number that is projected to continually grow as tourism itself continues to grow. This huge influx of tourism is generally associated with the many amenities we enjoy here in Big Sky Country; they provide the necessary incentive for out-of-staters to come and put their hard-earned money into our local economy. The ...

      It has been said that without adequate transportation, economic growth is not possible. Why is that, exactly? Just to clarify, I’m not talking about standard automobile-based transportation here; I’m talking about flight.   A study by Headwaters Economics has established a direct link between economic growth and mean travel time to a major airport, showing that as mean time to an airport decreases, per capita income, mean earnings per job, and service/professional occupations increase while the degree of specialization decreases. What this means, is that the farther away you are from an airport, the worse your area’s economic performance (measured by those four indicators) tends to be.          (Graphs: “The Economic Importance of Air Travel In High-Amenity Rural Areas,” Headwaters Economics)        This is because in today’s continually changing advancing business world, it ...

              The media is all abuzz with news of the economy these days.  Be it the Internet, television, radio, or any source, all are talking about the economy.  However, there is one phrase in particular that tends to permeate the conversation: "economic growth."  What is economic growth?  What drives it?  What hinders it?  What can we do to increase it?  These questions are especially relevant to the Bozeman area, as well as to Gallatin County as a whole.             First, let's take a look at a couple of the indicators of economic growth and how they have been faring for our valley.  Three in particular seem to stand out: population growth, number of bank deposits, and resiliency to economic change.  Positive population growth and increases in the number of bank deposits are typically construed as good economic growth indicators, while the ability t ...

Joe Brooks Madison-Gallatin TU Yellowstone River Clean-Up The Chapter Joe Brooks Trout Unlimited, based in Livingston, is the oldest active local TU chapter in the state of Montana. Formed in 1968, they currently have 197 members and a 10 member Board of Directors dedicated to conserve, protect and restore the Yellowstone River and its tributaries. JBTU has received both state and national attention for their work on behalf of the Yellowstone River and one of the most successful annual events they host is the one day clean-up of the river.   Pre-event Instructions to Volunteers The Event The river clean up emerged after a group of local fishing guides and conservationists realized that the pristine Yellowstone River that they called home was no longer so pristine in some places. Spring flooding, recreational users, illegal dumping and legacy businesses along the banks of the fabled river had taken their toll over the years. As members of both Joe Brooks ...

Crazy Mountains north of Big Timber, MT The Beauty of Road Trips One of the benefits of working with ranches for sale in Montana is the opportunity to experience some really amazing country and meet some really remarkable people. I was reminded of both of these important points this past weekend when business took me to the town of Winifred, MT to view another fantastic Montana ranch. This was my first trip to this particular burg and it reminded me very much of the town where I was raised. Winifred is a small community (Pop. 156) that had been much larger during the boom years of the 1920’s and 30’s. It is surrounded by tillable farmland, vast expanses of grazing land and dramatic topographical changes as you ventured north out of town towards the Missouri River and the famed Missouri Breaks country. I left Bozeman early and by the time I was a short trek north of Big Timber, the sun was rising on the eastern front of the Crazy Mountains. The Crazies rise dramatically from ...