Bozeman has been named one of the best in the nation to raise an outdoor kid.

The article in Backpacker Magazine lists Bozeman number 18 of its top 25.

Why did Bozeman make the list? The answer is the community's proximity to park and forest land, its biking population and opportunities provided through the Montana Outdoor Science School.

The magazine also cites the presence of Montana State University, homes within a 15-minute walk to mountain trailheads, the one-hour drive to Yellowstone National Park and the nearby "stunning" national forests.

The recognition has drawn a lot of attention to MOSS in recent days.

"Oh, it was totally awesome and totally surprising. They just put us in and our phone's been ringing off the hook all week with people saying, ‘Hey, you're in backpacker magazine," MOSS Executive Director Liz Harrison said.

Harrison said it's an honor to be singled out as a reason to raise an outdoor kid in Bozeman.

A group of children about to embark on a three-day backpacking trip agreed that Bozeman is a great place.

"I really like that it's as close as you can get to a town in the wilderness,, and I really like being in the mountains and stuff," 10-year-old Olivia Langan said.

10-year-old Christopher Diamond-Hattinger was looking forward to the upcoming trip.

"We're going to be learning about environmental stuff, how to keep the place safe and secure, and also we're going to be going up Ram's Horn Peak at the end," Diamond-Hattinger said.

At the top of the list was Boulder, Colorado.

Click here to see the entire list of cities in Backpacker Magazine.