Stop #42: Bozeman Hot Springs Campground, Bozeman, MT
- Denisse Storti
- Sep 9, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 18, 2024
We hesitated a bit when decided where to book in Bozeman. Bozeman Hot Springs was a bit more per night than nearby campgrounds but we decided to go for it and realized there's a good reason why. When staying at this campground you get full access to all facilities at Bozeman Hot Springs, including their fully equipped gym. This is the most beautiful, most well maintained hot springs facility we've visited to date. We visited the outdoor area on our first night there and immediately loved it. There are four pools outside with surrounding areas for lounging which were lit up by fire features along the walls and colored lights in the pools. Pools had varying temperatures, including one that was perfect for the kids to enjoy playing in. Light background music helped set the tone for a very relaxing evening. On this first night we did not venture indoors but we did return several times during our stay to enjoy those areas as well.
The indoor space has an additional eight pools including two cold plunges, a sauna and a steam room. Locker rooms and showers are also located in this area... all of which was squeaky clean. There wasn't a moment while using the facilities that I felt grossed out which makes for a very pleasant experience and as we all know is not always a given when visiting these types of facilities. The gym is also the best one we've seen at a campground. Super spacious, clean, and with all the equipment you could need - all of which looked in great shape.
In addition to the hot springs, the campground itself is also beautiful with surrounding trees, green areas for the kids to run in, streams running through, and spacious sites with individual fire pits. This campground was also very peaceful as it is not adjacent to the main road or near any railroads. Our kids enjoyed cycling around during the day and making smores at night. This a family friendly campground with amenities for kids of different ages including, a small playground, outdoor game sets such as ladder golf, a seasonal mining camp, and pedal cart rentals.
While not in Bozeman, this campground is just 8 miles from the city center. We had very little sunshine and even a few snow showers during our stay but we did take advantage of breaks in the weather to go on small adventures. We first visited Hyalite Canyon which had beautiful lake and mountain views. After doing some sightseeing from the car, we took the kids fishing at Hyalite Reservoir. Inspired by the scenery Paul shared with us that he'd do a cold plunge however, being that we'd heard that many times before we didn't believe he was serious and I accepted his bet to follow suit if he indeed went through with it. To our surprise... he took it all off when we had the lake to ourselves and jumped right in and got out right before a couple showed up to take in the lake views. If this couple would've stayed longer they would've spared me from having to do my part but alas, they left soon after leaving me with no excuses. So in I went with the kids screaming and holering in the background. lol They didn't go in but had the best time watching us do this. While indeed freezing and you do feel your heart stop for a second while going in, doing this cold plunge felt very invigorating and we hope to do another one during our RV adventures.
A visit to The Museum of the Rockies came next because we were in dinosaur fossil-rich Montana after all! While not as impressive as the Museum of Natural History in NYC, the dinosaur fossil collection at this museum is truly remarkable. Considering the crummy weather we experienced, this was a perfect homeschool field trip outting for us all. In the Hall of Growth and Behaviour we saw fossils of dinosaur babies and embryos which are not very common. It was a learning experience for all and one we do recommend doing while in Bozeman.
Our stay was brief. Four nights in total. But well enjoyed nonetheless despite the weather.
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