
Bozeman, Montana, the gateway to Yellowstone National Park, is a stunning destination that can be quite expensive. However, with some insider knowledge, you can enjoy this beautiful town without breaking the bank. Here are 11 top tips to help you save money without sacrificing the quality of your trip.
Head into the Backcountry
For the adventurous, the backcountry of Custer Gallatin National Forest offers a unique opportunity to camp without incurring fees. All you need is a map, bear spray, and some freeze-dried camp food. Just remember to follow the rules and camp at least half a mile from any road, adhering to the Leave No Trace guidelines.
Save Money on Bear Spray
Bear spray is an essential item when venturing into the Montana wilderness. While it can cost up to $50 at fancy outdoor gear shops, you can find a better deal at Costco in Bozeman. They often offer two cans for around $45 during the summer season. Alternatively, you can rent bear spray at Big Boys Toys for $3.50 per day, but be aware that you’ll need to pay the full purchase price if you use it. Also, keep in mind that bear spray is not allowed on planes, so plan accordingly for your return journey.
Connect with Your Inner Mountain Man in a Forest Cabin
The rustic cabins maintained by the Custer Gallatin National Forest authorities are still a great deal despite recent price hikes. These basic huts offer a stove and bunk beds with mattresses where you can unroll your sleeping bag. A group of four can enjoy one of these cabins for around $15 per head, surrounded by the natural beauty of the forest. You’ll need to hike or ski in, but the experience is well worth the effort.
Be Flexible and Score Some Cheap Flights
If you’re flying into Bozeman, be sure to check fares with budget airlines like JetBlue, Southwest, and Allegiant Air. Avoid checking in any hold luggage to save even more. You might also find cheaper flights and car rentals at the larger airport in Billings, which is only a two-hour drive away.
Grab a Takeaway Gourmet Lunch
The Bozeman Co-op is a local institution and the best place to shop for local produce, bulk organic non-GMO ingredients, and pre-cooked meals. While it’s not the cheapest grocery store in town, it’s still more affordable than eating at a restaurant, and the food is top-notch. Take-out meals, deli sandwiches, rice bowls, and an in-house bakery provide plenty of options.
Have Dinner at a Gourmet Food Truck
Between April and September, you’ll find an impressive array of food trucks parked outside Bozeman’s breweries and along Main Street. These trucks offer tastier, more imaginative, and cheaper fare than most town restaurants. Some of the best trucks include Knuckletruck and Rukus. You can also find dairy-free smoothie bowls at Mountain Berry Bowls and imaginative vegan options at Starseed. Follow the trucks’ social media feeds to keep track of their current locations.
Attend Free Events Throughout the Summer
Montana’s cities and towns celebrate the nice weather with family-friendly and free events almost every day of the week. In Missoula, hang around Caras Park on the Clark Fork River to catch live music on Wednesday afternoons or Thursday evenings as part of the Out to Lunch or Downtown ToNight series. This beautiful community space is also home to the Saturday Farmers’ Market and ground central for First Friday celebrations every month. Attending these events is free, although you’ll need to buy food and drinks.
Travel During Montana’s “Off-Seasons”
Scenic landscapes don’t go dormant in Montana, but there are “off-seasons” where you’ll find better hotel rates and cheaper flights. Spring skiing and wildflower treks define this slow time between March through early May, with a chance of daytime showers and low overnight temperatures. Cloudy weather and the first hints of snow define a similar stretch between mid-September through October, alongside crisp autumn foliage and a good excuse for a campfire.
Go for a Hike
Hiking is a way of life in Montana, and for good reason. There are hiking trailheads around every corner, and the community emphasizes protecting the wild lands they traverse. An entire summer season would be well spent hiking the public lands surrounding Bozeman free of charge, courtesy of Custer Gallatin National Forest. The College M Hiking Trail is an excellent place to start, seen prominently throughout town and part of the Main Street to the Mountains network. And less than 60 miles south, Beehive Basin, beneath the looming Lone Peak, belongs on everyone’s hiking bucket list.
Fuel Up at Grocery Stores and Farmers Markets
Montana has no sales tax, making it easier to stick to a budget when shopping at grocery stores. Shopping at an Albertsons or WinCo Foods is an excellent way to save money on vacation. Non-perishable items like trail mix and canned soup go a long way on a Montana camping excursion, while deli bars and made-to-eat options offer reasonably affordable options on the fly. Farmers markets also occur throughout the extended summer season in almost every city. Plan a vacation around one of these community events and add some fresh produce to your diet. Food truck vendors also line the perimeters of these and other summer events with more affordable fares than traditional sit-down restaurants.
You Might Not Need a Car for Your Whole Trip (or at All)
Don’t rent a car for the days you don’t need one. Public transportation and ride-shares are available from all airports with a short trip into their respective cities, all endowed with buses, shuttles, and sidewalk rentals like bikes and scooters. Instead of paying for a car rental to sit in the driveway most of the day, consider only renting for days with planned out-of-town explorations.
Camp the Night Away
One of the best ways to save money on a Montana vacation is by camping under the stars. Designated campgrounds punctuate the national forests, national parks, and state parks throughout Montana, featuring campsites for tents and RVs, always at a fraction of a hotel room cost. Just be sure to book months ahead for popular sites, such as anywhere in Glacier National Park. Free primitive camping is also available throughout the vast acreage of Montana’s national forests. Primitive sites typically comprise a pull-out from a Forest Service road with zero amenities like running water or restrooms. Aim to camp at an already established pull-out, i.e., where someone else has camped before, and follow all tenets of Leave No Trace while free camping in Montana’s national forests.
Stay in a Forest Service Cabin
If snoozing in a tent doesn’t resonate as a good night’s sleep, there are still plenty of options to sleep with four walls around you. The wilderness cabins maintained by the Custer Gallatin National Forest authorities are still a great deal despite recent price hikes. These basic huts offer a stove and bunk beds with mattresses where you can unroll your sleeping bag. A group of four can enjoy one of these cabins for around $15 per head, surrounded by the natural beauty of the forest. You’ll need to hike or ski in, but the experience is well worth the effort.