After the excitement in Conrad, we moved on to Bozeman for a couple of nights. On the way there, we stopped for lunch at one of the buffalo jump parks. There was an interesting visitor center detailing the extinction of the buffalo herds and the impact on the native Americans. I went fishing on the Gallatin River in the canyon section where they filmed the fishing sequences for the movie “A River Runs Through It.” It is a very beautiful area, and if you can ignore the noise of the busy highway that provides access, it is an enjoyable. I was skunked that morning. Up the river where the landscape opens up, is the tightly controlled town of Big Sky. There is a tall mountain which normally dominates the background. But due to the thick smoke from fires in Washington, the mountain was not visible. They are developing the ski area and associated tourist support services. The whole Big Sky area seemed too artificial and lacking in architectural variation for my taste. The property values are very high as they are limiting development and like other ski areas demand is increasing.
