Pretty, tree-lined BOZEMAN lies at the north end of the lush Gallatin valley, 142 miles west of Billings and a mere ninety miles north of Yellowstone. Founded by farmers in 1863, it's the only sizeable town in Montana not to owe its roots to mining, railroading or lumbering. The smart-looking storefronts along the busy Main Street just beg to be window-shopped, and you may just bump into one of the Hollywood celebrities who have set up home or business in this increasingly trendy town.

South of downtown, as Montana State University peters out into a beautiful wilderness in the shadow of the mountains, the huge, impressive Museum of the Rockies at S Seventh Avenue and Kagy Boulevard (summer daily 8am-8pm; rest of year Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 12.30-5pm; $7) holds impressive dinosaur finds, Native American weapons and a fine selection of Western landscape paintings; there's also a planetarium . Though far smaller in scale, the Pioneer Museum , 317 W Main St (June-Sept Mon-Fri 10am-4.30pm, Sat 1-4pm; Oct-May Mon-Fri 11am-4pm, Sat 1-4pm; free) is also very good, with an intriguing, well-presented selection of locally gathered historic objects, including cartoons drawn by local boy Gary Cooper in his pre-movie star days. The excellent photo selection features some great old images of early tourism at Yellowstone; many of the prints are for sale. Striking a modern note, the Compuseum , 234 E Babcock St (June-Aug Mon-Sun 10am-4pm; Sept-May Tues, Wed, Fri & Sat noon-4pm; $3), follows the evolution of computers, from their bulky, awkward beginnings to the modern compact incarnations of today; also on display are some well-intentioned inventions that never quite hit mainstream America.

Bozeman is well placed for those in search of outdoor activities , particularly in rugged Hyalite Canyon just south of town, which has top-notch hiking and mountain biking in summer and excellent ice climbing in winter, or at the challenging ski spot, Bridger Bowl (lift tickets $31; tel 406/587-2111). An hour's drive south down the beautiful Gallatin Valley is Big Sky Resort (lift tickets $56; tel 1-800/548-4486, ), with plenty of top-quality powder and steep slopes on 11,166ft Lone Mountain to challenge skiers at all levels.

For more details on outdoor activities, the ranger office, 3710 Fallon St (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm; tel 406/587-6920; 24hr recreation recording tel 406/587-9784), provides information on local walking trails, and Chalet Sports at 108 W Main (tel 406/587-4595) rents out mountain bikes and ski equipment