ENNIS – The Ennis and Valley Garden fishing access sites have been closed temporarily due to flooding. 

Ice jams on portions of the upper Madison River have caused water, ice and debris to flow into the sites, creating unsafe conditions, including the possibility for trees to fall. These sites will be reopened when conditions are safe again. 

The Ennis Fishing Access Site is a half mile southeast of Ennis, and the Valley Garden Fishing Access Site is about two miles northeast of Ennis.  

The results are in!

For the 7th year in a row, we asked our readers to vote for all-things-Bozeman in the Bozeman's Choice Reader Poll. Over 200 choices range from arts & entertainment to chomping & chugging to media & info, it's all voted on here. The top 3 vote-getters are listed here and in a print annual guide available at key locations in the greater Bozeman area.

Did you win? Order Your Award Certificate

Congratulations to all the 2021 winners! If you would like a 2022 certificate:

Click here to order your award certificate »

Bozeman, MONT. – The frigid temperatures that have recently plagued Bozeman and the surrounding area are forecast to continue through the upcoming holiday weekend putting community members who are unhoused at high risk for exposure-related injury.

Brian Guyer, HRDC’s Housing Director, issued the Code Blue warning designation this morning saying, “This is a very necessary, but costly action to take. While our Bozeman Warming Center is not currently funded to be open during daytime hours on Fridays and Saturdays, we are extremely concerned about our guests’ safety and can use all the support the community can provide to help us keep our doors open.”

In 2021, due to the growing need for emergency shelter in our area, HRDC doubled its capacity at both its Bozeman and Livingston shelter locations. “Our guests come from every walk of life. While we don’t necessarily think of it in these terms, one or two major crises can upend the trajectory of someone’s life – whether it’s a loss of income, significant unexpected medical costs or the loss of a loved one –  any combination of major life changes can lead to someone finding themselves unhoused, especially in Southwest Montana amid the affordable housing crisis we are experiencing,” said Jenna Huey, HRDC’s Emergency Shelter Services Manager. Huey continued, “Beyond all else, we believe everyone deserves a warm, safe place to sleep at night and we are committed to keeping our doors open during this period of severe weather so that people can come in out of the cold.”

With seven lives lost in the Bozeman area this past year due to exposure-related causes, HRDC strongly believes that the community not only deserves better but can do better. Amplified community outreach has increased engagement allowing HRDC to expand its seasonal shelter hours. With the lengthy cold streak in place, however, additional community support is needed. Cash donations to the Warming Center can be made online by visiting https://thehrdc.org/donate/or can be submitted by mail to HRDC, c/o The Warming Center, 32 S. Tracy Avenue, Bozeman, MT 59715.

Every adult home should have a working home bar. It's a good idea to have something to offer your guests even if you don't drink, and a home bar can add a unique style element to any room. Learn how to make a space that not only has all the tools you need but also makes you want to try new things, whether you're just starting with cocktails and spirits or have been mixing for years. Before you decide where and how to set up your bar to make tequila cocktails, learn about everything you'll need, like bitters, bar tools, must-read cocktail guides, spirits, glassware, mixers, and garnishes. Take a look at these home bar ideas, no matter how much space you have for a single tray or a full wet bar.

Bar Cart

You can't go without a bar cart. Nearly every beautiful room has one. If you have enough space, bar carts are great places to mix cocktails, and they look good enough that people will feel comfortable walking over and making their own. Keep your bar cart clean if it's out. The pantry may even be an excellent place to keep things that aren't used very often.

Console Table

To turn any console table, sideboard, or credenza into a bar, all you need to do is add a tray on top. Glasses, decanters, bitters, bottles, and more should all be on top of the table, with any bar tools that are needed nearby stored in a nearby drawer or vessel; if you need to keep a lot of bartending tools, this is a good choice. It's essential to make room for lamps and other small decor items so that your console can be both functional and beautiful.

Subtle Tray

You can turn any bookcase or bookshelf into a bar like a console table. Organize it by shelf, with spirits on one shelf, glasses on another, etc. The best way to keep your spirits safe is to put them on a tray on top of other furniture. If you don't want your bartending tools to be the room's main point, add art and wall decor around them.

Wet Bar

Wet bars are bars with sinks. Do you have one at home? Then there is no reason not to improve your mixology skills. Keep a bar towel and a small trash can near the faucet if you need to wash glasses or work with fresh ingredients. It would help if you also had all of the other things you need for your bar (keep scrolling for those). This arrangement is sure to make people happy.

Bitters Corner

People add bitters to cocktails in small amounts to make them more attractive. They are made with alcohol that has been flavored with herbs, roots, and spices. Across the country, there has been a resurgence in cocktails. There used to be just one bottle of bitters on the bar. There are bitters for everything, from rhubarb to coffee, at your local liquor store now to get them there too.

Sentence includes fines, restitution and suspension of privileges

BOZEMAN – A Deer Lodge man pleaded guilty this month to several charges after illegally killing a bighorn sheep in the Highland Mountains.

Harold Horine, 45, shot a bighorn sheep ram on Nov. 22 without a license. He did not report the kill to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, and he left the meat to waste. A witness who observed the violation contacted FWP after finding the dead sheep abandoned. Game wardens interviewed Horne, who said he mistook the sheep for an elk.

Horine pleaded guilty in Madison County Justice Court on Dec. 7 to hunting without a valid license, unlawful possession of a game animal, failure to obtain landowner permission when hunting, and waste of a game animal.

Horine was ordered to pay $5,245 in fines and restitution. His hunting, fishing and trapping privileges were suspended for two years, and his ability to apply for special permits was suspended for 12 years.

Montana game wardens rely on tips from people who observe crimes against wildlife. FWP’s 24-hour hotline for reporting these crimes is 1-800-TIP-MONT. Callers could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

Since January of 2021, at least 7 of our neighbors passed away while experiencing homelessness. On the first official day of winter, their lives will be celebrated while honoring their memories.


BOZEMAN – HRDC firmly believes everyone deserves a warm, safe place to sleep and actively takes measures to provide overnight shelter and housing navigation services for community members in need. Losing 7 lives in one year calls for greater community awareness, support, and engagement. The general public is encouraged to attend the Annual Homeless Persons Memorial Day vigil beginning at 5:30 pm on the front lawn at the Bozeman Public Library. A candlelight vigil will be held followed by a brief memorial service in which the names of those who passed away will be read.

Traditionally held on the first day of winter, the day with the least amount of sunlight, the annual Homeless Persons Memorial Day builds upon the themes of remembrance, hope, and healing, and is commemorated across the U.S. This event is designed to provide a collective space in which to celebrate the lives of those we have lost while honoring their memories.

Studies across the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia have confirmed a direct correlation between a lack of housing and increased mortality rates. On average, people with housing in the U.S. can expect to live to age 78. Our neighbors experiencing homelessness can expect to live to an approximate age of 50 (https://nationalhomeless.org/category/mortality/)

Nearly everyone who finds themselves in this unthinkable situation expresses intense feelings of loneliness and invisibility. This event will shine a light on the realities of homelessness across Gallatin Valley while also commemorating the lives of those we have lost – to ensure they are seen, valued, and remembered.

HRDC and its various community partners who are engaged in overcoming this critical and growing challenge, encourage everyone in our region including those experiencing homelessness, advocates, shelters, faith-based organizations, healthcare providers, concerned citizens, city representatives, and local and state legislators, to join the memorial service and to recommit efforts to prevent any additional unnecessary deaths.

Jenna Huey, HRDC’s Emergency Shelter Services Manager, witnesses daily the crucial need to help our neighbors who are struggling to make ends meet. “At our Warming Center, we are prepared to handle double the number of guests we were able to shelter last season and we simply couldn’t do this without the support of the many partners we have throughout our community,” said Huey. Many of those same partners have been involved with organizing and hosting the candlelight vigil and include Continuum of Care, formerly known as the Greater Gallatin Homeless Action Coalition, Dahl Funeral Home, Reverends Connie Campbell Pearson and Roxanne Klingensmith of St. James Episcopal Church, Family Promise, Volunteers of America, United Methodist Church, Vietnam Veterans of America, and other local community advocates.

GVLT has completed its 120th conservation easement on a 200-acre parcel owned by Peggy and Harry Ring of Big Sky, Montana. The parcel is located about three miles south of Big Sky. It is visible to the public traveling along US Highway 191 and Beaver Creek Road. The eastern portions of the land can be seen from several established community centers of Big Sky, including the public schools. Wilson Peak and Beehive Basin can be seen from the property, and viewsheds include both the Madison and Gallatin Mountain Ranges.

The Rings relocated from Bozeman to Big Sky in the early 1970’s so that Harry could open and run Lone Mountain Sports. Peggy owned design and home accessory stores in both the Mountain Village and the Meadow. Peggy, an avid skier, was one of the first people ever to ski the Big Couloir in Big Sky with her poodle trailing behind. She regularly took her employees out for early morning ski adventures along Big Sky’s old logging roads.

“I would take the logging roads to the treeline and ski down,” Peggy said. “We could get 80 - 90 telemark turns down to Beaver Creek Road.”

While skiing, Peggy came upon the 200-acre property that was owned and logged by Big Sky Lumber Company. She was so struck by the scenic beauty of the property that she skied home to write a letter to her husband - who was on a commercial fishing trip in Alaska - to tell him about the “neat property” she had found.

The two purchased the parcel and put a stop to commercial logging on the property. The Ring parcel neighbors another GVLT conserved property owned by the Pessl family, protecting an important wildlife corridor from development. The land serves as both year-round and seasonal habitat for native plants, fish, and wildlife, including elk, grizzly bear, gray wolf, mule deer, moose, mountain lion, sandhill crane, and grouse. Sagebrush grasslands provide valuable forage for elk and mule deer, while the eastern portions and north facing slopes contain conifer dominated forest, providing security cover for the numerous mammals that inhabit the area.

A variety of springs originate on the property and create a large unnamed tributary that flows into Beaver Creek below.  Beaver Creek itself flows through the northwest portion of the serves as an important cold-water input of the Gallatin River which flows less than two miles below the land.

Now, 30 years later, the native grasslands of the parcel have improved dramatically, and wildfire-fuel reduction projects have kept the timber tidy. The Rings graze a few horses on the land and want the property to remain in a natural state forever.

“We’re just happy GVLT is here,” Harry said. “Keep up the good work.”

These 200 acres mark a total of 51,148 acres conserved through GVLT conservation easements. The viewsheds, water resources and unspoiled wildlife habitat of this gorgeous Big Sky property are now protected for the community and visitors, forever. Not only did the Rings donate the entire value of the conservation easement, but they also made a generous contribution to the GVLT Stewardship Fund. GVLT is very excited to have helped bring the Rings’ conservation vision to reality.

What is a conservation easement? The Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT) partners with private landowners to conserve working farms and ranches, fish and wildlife habitat, open lands and scenic views.  To protect these special places, GVLT uses conservation easements, which are voluntary agreements with landowners that limit development on a property while keeping it in private ownership.  Each easement is tailored to the specific property and runs with the title of the land in perpetuity. GVLT is responsible for upholding the easement’s terms.  Because a conservation easement limits development rights and therefore decreases the value of the land, landowners may be eligible to write off the difference as a charitable donation. In some cases, landowners receive financial compensation for a portion of the value of the conservation easement.  The public benefits from the protection of conservation values such as prime agricultural soils, wildlife habitat, river corridors and the overall character of our region.

About Gallatin Valley Land Trust

Gallatin Valley Land Trust connects people, communities, and open lands through conservation of working farms and ranches, healthy rivers, and wildlife habitat, and the creation of trails in the Montana headwaters of the Missouri and Upper Yellowstone Rivers. For more information, visit www.gvlt.org.

Whether it’s the spring wildflowers that grow on the hillsides or the colorful flowers of local gardens, Montana is rife with beautiful floral splendor.

Seeing Montana’s flowers up close will take your breath away. So, for the most incredible flora in the state, make sure you visit the following six amazing destinations.

1. The National Bison Range and Other Locations in Montana

For breathtaking wildflowers, drive around the open slopes, ridges, and low-elevation grasslands of Montana during the month of May to see the infamous arrowleaf balsamroot transform the state’s landscape.

The gorgeous yellow flowers particularly transform western Montana’s hillsides during the springtime and they can grow up to three feet tall.

Once upon a time, tribal nations used the arrowleaf balsamroot as food and medicine.

The best place to see the flowers is at the National Bison Range around May. 

2. Montana Arboretum and Gardens

Although relatively small, the Montana Arboretum and Gardens in Bozeman feature many native plants that grow in the north Rocky region and the drier parts of the state.

Located at the northwestern corner of the Montana State University campus, you will discover many established specimens of trees and the beautiful flower-filled Xeriscape garden.

Springtime is the ideal time to visit the gardens, as you will find numerous beautiful spring flowers, but the arboretum and gardens are worth visiting any time of the year. 

3. Old Lexington Stamp Mill and Gardens

In Butte, you will find the city’s first stamp mill, which dates from 1867. Surrounding the mill are beautiful gardens with various plants and flowers.

The Old Lexington Gardens are most well-known for the re-creation of a floral butterfly, which was originally in Butte from 1899 to 1973. 

4. Memorial Rose Garden

Located in Missoula is the Memorial Rose Garden, which serves as a memorial to the casualties and veterans of modern wars and conflicts that the United States has been involved with.

The beautiful and inspiring garden contains over 2,500 colorful rose bushes. They tend to begin blooming in mid-spring. 

5. Glacier National Park

While Glacier National Park is most well-known for its wide variety of coniferous trees, such as the Douglas fir, the Engelmann spruce, and the western larch, it also contains some of Montana’s most beautiful wildflowers. 

You’ll find dense human-tall beargrass plants in late May in the lower country and into August in the higher country, although beargrass only blooms every five to ten years. 

But if you visit Glacier National Park in the summer months, you can find a variety of flowers, including the Indian Paintbrush, which has rich scarlet or yellow hues. You can also locate them in the subalpine meadows and mountainous slopes of Montana. 

6. Tizer Botanic Gardens and Arboretum

The top destination for a wide variety of glorious flowers in Montana all year round is undoubtedly Tizer Botanic Gardens and Arboretum, in the heart of the Elkhorn Mountains of Jefferson City.

You can see beautiful roses, annuals, wildflowers, perennials, herbs, and vegetables in some extraordinary settings.

There are several gardens to visit. Kids will love the fairy and gnome garden. In fact, moms and dads will too. You will also want to check out the sheltered secret garden and the serene Buddha garden.