Southwood Park: A New Park in Bozeman

(Photo Credit: KBZK, Cassidy Powers)

Southwood Park, a new 27-acre community park at the corner of Stucky Road and South 17th Avenue, opened June 12, 2026, with a ribbon cutting by the City of Bozeman. Phase 1 includes a playground, open lawn, pavilion, and public art. A dog park is projected to follow in fall 2026. The $964,000 project was funded entirely through developer contributions under Montana's Park Dedication System, not a tax levy.

For years, the south side of Bozeman has been one of the fastest-growing parts of town and one of the least served when it comes to green space. Apartment complexes, student housing, and newer subdivisions have piled in, and the nearest parks, Lindley and Dinosaur Park, have always been miles away. Last Friday, the City of Bozeman cut the ribbon on Southwood Park, and that gap finally closed.

What is Southwood Park in Bozeman, and what does it include?

Southwood Park sits on 27 acres at the corner of Stucky Road and South 17th Avenue, Phase 1 opened June 12 with a large playground, open lawn, community pavilion, and public art installations. It's designed for the people who live within walking distance: apartment residents, students at Montana State, families in newer developments like Nexus Point and Highmark.

Phase 2 will bring a dog park, projected to open in fall 2026, and per the City of Bozeman, it's planned as an off-leash park. There's also talk of a potential skatepark and pickleball and tennis courts, though only the dog park has been confirmed. No details on amenities like large/small dog areas or water stations have been released yet.

How did Southwood Park in Bozeman get built, and who paid for it?

The park was funded through Montana's Park Dedication System, Montana Code 76-3-621, which is part of the Montana Subdivision and Platting Act. The rule is straightforward: any time a developer builds new residential units in Bozeman, they owe the city a portion of parkland or an equivalent cash payment. If the development doesn't have a logical place for on-site green space, that money goes into a dedicated fund, which the city then uses to acquire, develop, or maintain parks near the contributing subdivision.

Dedication for this specific park space started in 2018 with the development of the Arrow Apartments and Stadium View student housing complex on the east edge of what is now the park. Since then, bigger projects, including Highmark and 19th & Graf Apartment Homes, have each contributed land or funds, and the city pooled those contributions until there was enough to build the full 27-acre site. Total project cost: approximately $964,000, per the City of Bozeman. None of it came from a general tax levy.

Why did this part of Bozeman need a park so badly?

Bozeman's South University District is one of the densest corridors in town. There are large apartment complexes, student housing buildings, and newer developments all stacked into a relatively small footprint, and until last week, there was almost no local green space to speak of. The Stadium View and Arrow complexes alone bring over 400 units and 1,000 beds. Add in Nexus Point, 19th & Graf Apartment Homes, and Highmark, and you have over 730 units within half a mile of the park, all without any meaningful access to outdoor recreation.

Mitch Overton, the director of the Bozeman Parks and Recreation Department, put it plainly at the opening: these residents are in dense development, and they needed a place to get outside, get close to nature, and breathe. The closest alternatives, Lindley Park and Dinosaur Park, are situated miles away and have never been a realistic option for someone without a car.

Pro tip: The two subdivisions closest to Southwood Park on the south side, Gran Cielo and Blackwood Groves, can now add walkable park access to their amenity list.

What does Southwood Park mean for South Bozeman real estate?

For renters in the dense apartment and student housing corridor, this is a real lifestyle upgrade with no change in rent. For owners and buyers in nearby subdivisions like Gran Cielo and Blackwood Groves, it's one more reason the south side is becoming more competitive with parts of Bozeman that have had this kind of amenity access for much longer.

If you're curious what's happening with values in specific south Bozeman neighborhoods right now, we can pull the sold data and show you exactly where things stand.

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