GALLATIN COUNTY
County Offices
311 West Main Street, Bozeman
https://gallatincomt.virtualtownhall.net/
Chamber of Commerce
2000 Commerce Way
Bozeman 406-586-5421
https://bozemanchamber.com/
Gallatin County is the most populated and fastest growing county in Montana. The county has a population of just under 100,000. The County Seat of Bozeman is home to over 60,000 of those people, with the rest spread throughout the small towns and unincorporated communities that make up the rest of the county. The county is situated in a breathtaking Rocky Mountain setting, with world-class downhill skiing, blue ribbon trout streams, Yellowstone National Park, and a host of other outdoor activities in the nearby wilderness areas. Basically, if it’s an outdoor activity it can be found here.
Lifestyle
Gallatin County covers over 2,500 square miles of mountain lands varying in topography and climate from temperate river valleys to snow-capped peaks and open ranch lands. Nearly half of all the land in Gallatin County is under public ownership by the Gallatin National Forest, the State of Montana, Bureau of Land Management, or the National Park Service.
Gallatin County is large, featuring everything from the spectacular scenery of Yellowstone National Park to farmland, and a growing economy of high-tech industries. Skiers, outdoor enthusiasts, and residents of every type enjoy a high quality of life. The county features the Bridger mountains in the north, and the Gallatin mountains and Gallatin River in the south, named by Meriwether Lewis in 1805 for Albert Gallatin, the United States Treasury Secretary who formulated the Lewis and Clark Expedition. At the southern end of the county, West Yellowstone’s entrance into Yellowstone National Park accounts for around half of all park visitors. Big Sky Resort, one of the largest ski resorts in the United States, lies in Gallatin and neighboring Madison counties, midway between Bozeman and West Yellowstone.
For those not looking to climb a mountain, fish or mountain bike, there is plenty more to do in this area. Residents can enjoy shopping at local or national stores, dining in a small café or just hanging out with friends at an outdoor table enjoying a locally brewed beverage. The communities that make up the county are mostly small and rural, except Bozeman of course. But all off these locations share one thing in common, the small town feel that Montana is known for. Residents are fiercely loyal to their hometowns and take great pride in them. School athletics are important gathering places for everyone, and annual festivals and events bring everyone together. Neighbors know neighbors and people help each other. All while basking in some of the best scenery to found in the country.
Services
Bozeman’s economy is largely based in agriculture and tourism, but the high-tech industry is becoming a larger part of the economy in the area. Home to Montana State University, Bozeman’s high quality of living attracts residents for the recreational opportunities, a nationally-recognized school system and all of the cultural amenities of a large city.
The educational opportunities are abundant with a variety of public, private, and charter schools. The local school districts continually rank highly among the state’s schools and offer students varied learning opportunities from traditional education through vocational and advanced placement courses. The local public school system is dominated by Bozeman Public Schools. There are eight elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools and a charter academy. There are approximately 7,200 students and 900 full-time and part-time employees. The Bozeman Public School System serves the county as its largest school district. There are two districts, Elementary District #7, and the Bozeman High School District. The schools are recognized for their vast program offerings. The Belgrade School District enrolls a little over 3000 students in its schools, with more than 450 staff. Families can choose from these public school districts or from one of the private or parochial school choices.
For those looking to higher education, Gallatin County is one of the best places in the nation to find it. The county is home to Montana State University. MSU is the largest university in Montana and the largest research and development entity of any kind in the state, which translates into many opportunities for students to be a part of real hands-on research and creative projects. The Montana State University Innovation Campus is a high-tech campus located in Bozeman’s education and research corridor adjacent to the university. It provides a place where MSU, private and government researchers and scientists collaborate to conduct cutting-edge research, advance technologies and promote academic and industry collaboration.
Gallatin College MSU is Southwest Montana’s premier two-year college, offering associate degrees and one-year professional certificates. Gallatin College ensures access to education and workforce development that promotes a vibrant local economy. Supported in part by local funding, Gallatin College is committed to meeting the workforce needs of the area’s industries. The College collaborates extensively with business leaders to develop programs and training options that meet local and national workforce needs.
While Gallatin County may offer newcomers a breathtaking environment of unspoiled natural beauty, the healthcare services offered to residents are highly developed. Serving the community’s health needs Billings Clinic is Montana’s largest health care organization and offers resources, expertise, specialty and subspecialty services across the region. Billings Clinic has been serving the community of Bozeman with high quality, compassionate women’s and children’s services at their two locations in the Gallatin Valley, known as Billings Clinic Bozeman OB/GYN and Billings Clinic Bozeman Acorn Pediatrics. In addition, Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital is an 86-bed facility, DNV GL-accredited, licensed Level III trauma center located in Bozeman that has been recognized as a Top 100 Rural Community Hospital by The National Rural Health Association in 2020. Bozeman Health Big Sky Medical Center offers critical
care to the Big Sky and West Yellowstone communities and surrounding areas of the county.
Belgrade
City Offices
406-388-3760
http://ci.belgrade.mt.us/default.asp
Chamber of Commerce
406-388-1616
https://visitbelgrade.org/
Belgrade is located 10 miles northwest of Bozeman and is one of the fastest-growing small towns in Montana. The city is home to residents who enjoy a high quality of life, with everything they could want close to home. The city is minutes from several outdoor attractions like Bridger Bowl, Yellowstone National Park, Big Sky Resort, Lewis and Clark Caverns. Outdoor recreation is the main business in this area and Belgrade is a great place to start an adventure on the trails and into the mountains and valleys that are such a big part of the community. This community is home to fiercely loyal residents who take great pride in their hometown. Attending one of the local school athletics events is a great way to see this neighborly spirit. The Belgrade Special Events Center is a 4,800-seat indoor facility constructed by the Belgrade School District. The building is home to the Belgrade High School Panthers basketball, volleyball, and wrestling teams as well as numerous other school and community events. As one of the largest high school athletic facilities in the state, the Special Events Center hosts numerous district, divisional, and state athletic events. Drawing people from all over the state to attend the events. For those more interested in something a little louder, the Gallatin Speedway is located on the outskirts of Belgrade northeast of Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport. The 3⁄8-mile dirt oval hosts stock car racing events from May to September. The city also plays host to several annual events that bring in residents and visitors from all over. The Belgrade Fall Festival is an annual tradition that takes place on Homecoming Weekend, typically the third weekend in September. The day’s activities include a parade, community open-pit beef barbecue, car show, arts and crafts fair at Lewis and Clark Park, and the Belgrade High School Panthers varsity football game.
Belgrade is also a great place for those who enjoy fishing. The most popular fishing sites are the main fork of 16 Mile Creek, the East Gallatin, the Missouri and Madison Rivers are also nearby. Hiking biking and backcountry camping are also popular in this area, with everything easily accessible to residents.
Belgrade offers a very traditional downtown, with shops and restaurants featuring local business owners. This is a great way to spend an afternoon or to meetup with friends for a relaxing evening with family. Whatever residents need they can find it close to home. And if they want something more urban, Bozeman is a short drive away.
Big Sky
Offices
406-995-3000
https://www.visitbigsky.com/
Chamber of Commerce
406-995-3454
https://bigskychamber.com/
Big Sky is a census-designated place in Gallatin and Madison counties in southwestern Montana. It is 45 miles from Bozeman and home to over 2500 residents. This unincorporated community straddles both counties, is not considered a town, and does not have a town government. The primary industry of the area is tourism. With the Big Sky ski resort and Yellowstone being the drivers of the tourism industry. Big Sky is an outdoors person’s dream, nestled high in the Gallatin National Forest, presided over by Lone Mountain and just a few miles from Yellowstone Park. The Big Sky Ski Resort dominates the area and is the home for all season activities, with skiing and snowboarding in the winter and scenic lift rides during the summer. The terrain and trails in the area make excellent biking, snowshoeing, horseback riding or snowmobiling escapes, while the Gallatin River offers thrills for the intrepid rafter. To the northeast, the choppy Gallatin River cuts through the rugged Gallatin Canyon. On a tributary, Ousel Falls Park has a waterfall, picnic areas and viewpoints. Big Sky is broken up into several different areas that each has its own feel and options. Located on HWY 191 between West Yellowstone and Bozeman, the Canyon area of Big Sky was developed along the bottom of steep rocky cliffs next to the Gallatin River. It is home to a selection of dining, lodging, outfitting, and other options available. The Big Sky Chamber of Commerce and Greater Yellowstone Welcome Center are also located here. The Meadow Village Center contains most of the businesses. In the Meadow Village, you will find the local Post Office, Big Sky Chapel, Big Sky Resort Golf Course, and Big Sky Water and Sewer District. In addition to these you will also find multiple restaurants, shops, and businesses. Located next to Town Center, West Fork Meadows was the original commercial development area of Big Sky in the early 1970’s. West Fork houses many retailers, businesses, health and wellness centers and restaurants. Mountain Village is home to almost a third of Big Sky’s year round residents, as well as many shopping and dining amenities, it is also home to the Big Sky Resort. The Town Center development houses many of the newest buildings in Big Sky. The Town Center area is a close to a downtown as you will find in the area. It is home to the newest buildings and facilities in the area, including dining, shopping and medical facilities. The area also play s host to many outdoor events such as concerts, rodeos and other local events. The area is a fantastic place top call home.
Bozeman
City Hall
406-582-2300
https://www.bozeman.net/
Chamber of Commerce
406-586-5421
https://bozemanchamber.com/
Bozeman lies at the southern end of Montana’s Gallatin Valley, an agriculturally rich area still considered one of the most fertile in North America. The headwaters of the Missouri River, located on the northern end of the valley, were visited in 1805 by Lewis and Clark during their trek to the Pacific. Bozeman is the largest city in Gallatin County and is the county seat. Bozeman residents are known as Bozemanites. And they take their name seriously. Residents enjoy life in this smaller city surrounded by stunning natural beauty.
Bozeman is home to a unique mix of residents, with everything from ranchers, artists, outdoor enthusiasts to entrepreneurs, all coming to the area for outdoor recreation, Montana State University and the high quality of life. Bozeman is surrounded by six mountain ranges, thousands of acres of Custer Gallatin National Forest and hundreds of miles of trout streams, offering a broad range of recreation. Bozeman is an important winter recreation area, having been named the number one place to work and live in North America for skiers by Powder magazine. In addition to a large network of trails for Nordic skiing, Bozeman boasts two major ski areas: Bridger Bowl, located 16 miles northeast of town, and Big Sky Resort, 45 miles to the south.
Downtown Bozeman has been a gateway to the West for more than 100 years. The local merchants have supplied miners, farmer and ranchers and even the military with their necessities. Modern downtown Bozeman features rows of turn-of-the-century buildings and more than 100 shops and restaurants. Art and culture are alive and well in Bozeman. It is home to many museums, talented artists and galleries. In addition, the community hosts more than 30 events each year that bring residents and visitors together in celebration. The retail shops and restaurant in downtown offer a mix of the modern and the traditional. Food choices range from good old fashioned burgers to five star dining. The local shops and boutiques offer residents a range of items from gifts to household items. And of course, there are plenty of national retail stores to choose from. The Gallatin Valley Mall is home to more than 60 stores. Bozeman is also home to several antique and farmers markets as well. It is truly a place to find everything.
If shopping and the great outdoors aren’t enough to entertain, Bozeman is also home to the arts. The Museum of the Rockies features a planetarium, paleontology, ethnology and displays of dinosaurs and dinosaur eggs unearthed in Montana, as well as Plains Indian artifacts, pioneer exhibits and Western art exhibits and a full-scale T. Rex. Bozeman is also home to the Bozeman Symphony which has surpassed more than 51 seasons of performances. Or if theater is more in line than Bozeman has the Historic Ellen Theater or the Bozeman Actors Theater ready to entertain. In addition to all of these, residents will find historic sites and history museums throughout the county.
Housing choices in and around Bozeman range from apartment living to small and large single family homes. There are also plenty of newer homes and large ranch type properties, with modern sub-divisions all over the city and surrounding areas. So, there is something for everyone. All of this combined with the high quality of life make Bozeman an ideal location to call home.
Manhattan
Town Offices
406-284-3235
http://www.townofmanhattan.com/
Chamber of Commerce
406-284-4162
https://www.manhattanareachamber.com/
This small farming community is located about 25 miles from Bozeman. Manhattan is best known for its annual Potato Festival. It takes place each August with a parade, 5K run, car show, children’s activities, and a food and crafts fair. It brings visitors from all over the region to celebrate with locals. Manhattan has a long history of growing malt for the beer industry, but today is also known for wheat, meat and dairy along with the potato. The community also gets together each year to celebrate the holidays with the annual Christmas Stroll through downtown. This event has everything you would expect from a small town holiday celebration and is a shining example of how the community comes together. Residents can enjoy the downtown area, visiting one of the local shops or restaurants in the area. Residents are drawn to this growing community from surrounding areas due to the small town charm and available housing. With the growth of Bozeman, smaller rural towns like Manhattan are seeing a surge in growth. New residents can choose from several types of housing, ranging from condos to single family homes and even farms or ranches. A high quality of life, small town charm and natural beauty all make this a great place to call home.
Three Forks
City Hall
406-285-4152
https://www.threeforksmontana.us/
Chamber of Commerce
406-285-4753
https://threeforksmontana.com/
Located at the site where the Madison, Gallatin and Jefferson rivers converge to form the Missouri Rive
is the town of Three Forks. It’s home to the Missouri Headwaters State Park which has historical exhibits, interpretive signs, scenic viewpoints, picnic areas and hiking trails all related to this unique location. Other Three Forks attractions include the Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park, one of the most highly-decorated limestone caverns in the Northwest; Headwaters Heritage Museum, which includes a replica of a turn-of-the-century village and thousands of historical artifacts; Clark’s Lookout State Park, which highlights Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery adventures; and the Madison Buffalo Jump State Park. Scenic is the best way to describe the landscape of this community, with a backdrop of mountains and forest. Outdoor recreation plays a big part in the lifestyle of residents. Fishing is one of the more popular activities here with water playing a big part in this area. Three Forks has a historic downtown area that is shaped by its history with the railroads. Residents and visitors alike enjoy this historic area as they stroll main street and enjoy one of the restaurants or shops located there. This small community offers a little of everything for its residents with all of the major amenities of Bozeman nearby. Residents here have several housing choices including single family homes on small lots to large estates on expansive lots in newer subdivisions.
West Yellowstone
Town Offices
406-646-7795
https://www.townofwestyellowstone.com/
Chamber of Commerce
406-646-7701
https://destinationyellowstone.com/
This Montana town was first settled and became an official entrance to Yellowstone National Park in 1907. It sits at the west entrance to Yellowstone National Park. This rural community of a little over 1500 residents can see more than 12,000 visitors a day – all headed to Yellowstone for adventures. While other towns in the state are also gateways the park, West Yellowstone has become the place to go. The community has a ton of lodging options for visitors that makes it a bustling hub of activity most of the year. For residents, this tourism is a driving force in the economy, making up a large percentage of the economic base. This also means that residents benefit from the activities and businesses that support the visitors. The downtown is home to restaurants, coffee shops, cafes, shops, and galleries. In addition to the main street businesses, residents enjoy all of the outdoor recreational opportunities that the area offers. In the summer, water sports are common with kayaks and stand-up paddleboards on Hebgen and Quake lakes. Fly-fishing here is a yearlong activity that draws anglers from all over the world. The Madison and Gallatin rivers are world renown for their trout fishing. In the winter snow sports dominate the outdoor adventures of locals, with Nordic skiing, snowmobiling and other winter sports.
The community also hosts annual events that locals look forward to, including the Wild West Yellowstone Rodeo in June through August. Other annual events mark the local calendar every month of the year. Housing choices are varied, and residents have a broad selection of choices. The town has a strong sense of community and residents enjoy their small town life, punctuated by the activity that being the gateway to one of the most visited national parks in the country brings.
