10 Best Things to Do in Bozeman in the Fall

#1 Fall Festival at Gallatin Valley Botanical at Rocky Creek Farm

A visit to Gallatin Valley Botanical at Rocky Creek Farm is a classic Bozeman tradition in the fall, and fun for the whole family! The Fall Festival starts on September 29th and runs through the end of October on Fridays (1:00 - 5:00 pm) Saturdays (9:00 am - 5:00 pm) and Sundays (10:00 am - 3:00 pm). They have wagon rides, pumpkin picking at the pumpkin patch, apple picking, cider pressing, and more! They also have a farm stand that will be stocked with seasonal produce, carving pumpkins, apple cider, and many more items. They ask that you make a free reservation online before you come, to help manage parking. We love that the owners have done a fantastic job of keeping this long-standing Bozeman tradition alive!

#2 Go to a Corn Maze

We've got not one but two great corn mazes near Bozeman! The Montana Corn Maze will be opening on Saturday, September 16th in Manhattan. They will have a 5-acre maze with 3 different levels of challenges, a wagon ride, a barrel trail for kids, and many more fun activities! You can buy your tickets online. The other corn maze that we love is the Edgewater Farms Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch, located just outside of Townsend. They will be open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from September 22 - to October 28th this year. They have so many fun activities for all ages to enjoy including a corn maze (duh), a jumbo jumper, a giant slide, apple slingshots, a corn box and so much more! You can find more details on their website. 

Photo credit: Montana Corn Maze Facebook page. 

#3 Visit the Farmers' Market

With harvest season in full swing, fall is the best time to visit a farmers market. The Bozeman Winter Farmers' Market is held from 9:00 to noon every Saturday at the Gallatin Valley Fairgrounds. We love stocking up on local honey from Little Stingers, grabbing some steaks from Shields Valley Ranchers or Wickens Ranch, eggs from Black Dog Farm and of course loading up on all the seasonal veggies from our favorite local farmers! 

#4 So Many Fun Events!

There are some great events happening in Bozeman this fall, here are our top picks. The Harvest Market (September 30th, 11:00 am - 4:00 p.m) is hosted by Yellowstone Alliance Adventures at their location at 13707 Cottonwood Canyon Road. They will have bounce houses, a climbing wall, a pumpkin patch, a hayride, face painting, and yard games! The Bridger Raptor Festival (October 7th & 8th) is a long-standing local event at Bridger Bowl Ski Area where you can enjoy raptor viewing, nature walks, and educational programs for people of all ages. The Bozeman Fall Made Fair (October 6th & 7th at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse) is an event where attendees can shop a curated collection of more than 195 local and regional artists. The Montana Fresh Hops Festival (October 14th at the Gallatin Valley Fairgrounds) is an event that celebrates the end of harvest season and features fresh-hopped beer from over 30 Montana breweries! 

#5 Pitch a Hammock in Lindley Park

Lindley Park is beautiful year-round, but as the leaves start to turn, this is the place you want to be! Tie your hammock to a tree and enjoy looking up at all the changing leaves. If a hammock isn't your style, bring a blanket or camp chairs and enjoy this beautiful corner of Bozeman.; 

#6 Bike the Main Street to the Mountains Trail System

Have you ever ridden a bike through a pile of leaves? We don’t care how old you are, hopping on your bike and enjoying the crisp fall air is one of the best things to do in Bozeman in the fall! Find the nearest Main Street to the Mountains trail access and explore this wonderful network of trails that winds throughout Bozeman. One of our favorite bike rides in Bozeman starts at Story Mill Park and takes the "Path to the M" which is a paved multi-use path on the north side of Bridger Drive up to the M and Drinking Horse trailheads.

#7 Grab a Pumpkin-Spice-Something and Stroll Downtown

There are a handful of great locally-owned coffee shops downtown that are serving up some delicious, fall-inspired drinks. So grab a pumpkin spice something at Wild Joes, Rockford Coffee, or Zocalo Coffee House and take a walk downtown. Once you've explored all the shops and sights along Main Street, we suggest veering off into the neighborhoods that surround downtown and enjoying all the unique and beautiful homes in this area. If you are curious about what homes are for sale in downtown Bozeman, check out this post. 

#8 Go on a Hike

Lucky for us, there are so many trails in and around Bozeman where you can enjoy the fall colors along with beautiful views, lakes, and waterfalls. From expert to beginner, there are so many options for fall hikes in Bozeman. Click here for our top picks. 

#9 Go to a Football Game

Nothing says fall like a football game! Since Bozeman is home to Montana State University (Go Bobcats!) attending a game is easy. There is a great tailgating scene on game days at Bobcat Stadium and with so many great sports bars to hit up before or after the game, you can make this a full-day activity. There are also plenty of opportunities to cheer on our younger football teams by heading to a Hawks (Bozeman High) or Raptors (Gallatin High) game!

#10 Pumpkin Carving Contest

We are so excited that the Kenyon Noble Junior Carpenter Pumpkin Carving Contest is happening this year! This is a great family event open to kids 12 and under. Kenyon Noble provides the pumpkins, and awards prizes to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in several age categories! You can take part at any of their store locations in Belgrade, Bozeman, and Livingston on October 21st, 2023 starting at 12:00 p.m. Visit the community page of their website for updates.

Looking for ideas outside of Bozeman? Click here for 10 things to do in the fall in Montana