When the West calls, Bozeman, Montana answers. But what does it say, exactly?

There is not a specific reason I’m able to put my finger on, yet, certainly, answers abound. Is it the towering mountains, which in the winter months will begin to teem with self-proclaimed “ski bums” encircling the small city (or is it a town?) of just over 50,000 full-time residents?

Is it the fact that within a seven-minute drive from Main Street you are surrounded by rolling fields and ranches, creating a picturesque view typically reserved only for postcards and paintings? Or is it the fact that, no matter how you prefer to spend your time outdoors, your adventurous heart can be fulfilled at nearly every turn?

Skiing, running, biking, hunting, fishing. You name it; if it requires participants to be outdoors, Bozeman is there to provide the support system. 

But even so, what makes this place so cool? No, it’s not the impending forty-below nights that seemingly make their way into any conversation. Rather, it’s the culture. A culture of “doers,” and a town that not only supports, but enables it.

Nearly every other driveway sports a camper, and nearly every other vehicle has a bike rack dancing off the back, or fly-rod holders mounted to the roof, momentarily sparing the lips of a native rainbow. Need the right tools and equipment?  It’s here. Need specialized training to perform at your best? It’s here. If you’re a doer, and you need it, you’ll find it here. It’s refreshing; it’s encouraging, and it entices you to participate — in fact, it demands that you do. Surrounded by Nature’s playground, taunting you at every turn, when the West calls, Bozeman answers.  

Michael Testa is a husband, dog dad, and a striving-to-be outdoor adventurer.