Back in Bozeman
We had spent five years living in Livingston, MT, just outside of Bozeman, during the second half of the 10’s. So, before beginning the long trek back to New England, we decided to spend a couple nights near our old home area. We stayed in White Sulphur Springs though would have tried harder to get closer to the city as the drive from here was quite long! Our first stop was to Hyalite Lake to hike in a familiar area. The lake was relatively quiet while we were there and we only saw a couple of people on our hike. This is unusual around the area but we weren't complaining! The hike was called Hood Creek and is about 4 miles round trip to a beautiful spot overlooking Hyalite Lake.
The trail itself is fairly basic but the fresh smelling air and cool day were a treat to hike in. This area has plenty of trails of all lengths and launches for boats and kayaks from the main lot.
On our way back from the hike we stopped in Bozeman to walk around and check out what has changed since we left. There seemed to be more high end clothing and apparel stores and restaurants than when we were last there. Though overall it felt like the same Bozeman that we grew to love.
After exploring, we met up with our good friends Jeff and Nicole for some dinner at Montana Ale Works. This is one of our favorite spots in Bozeman to grab a burger and a drink and includes a lively tavern atmosphere. It was the first restaurant we went to before making the move out there years ago and is still as good as it was back then.
The next day we took a drive down Paradise Valley, our old home south of Livingston, to Sage Lodge Restaurant. Sage Lodge is a luxury resort with firepits by a pond and gorgeous views of Emigrant Peak in the background. It offers some of the best food we've eaten in all of Montana. It's a "dress up" kinda place but in the Montana way, jeans and a nice top. This property was built up while we were living there and had become a go to for us ever since it opened. If you happen to be going to Yellowstone, this spot is about an hour out from highway 89 and we'd highly recommend checking it out!
