Yellowstone Full Interactive

A wild adventure awaits

Montana offers a unique proposition this summer if you've been longing for a sunny, spectacular, nature-based playground but without the typical crowds that come with those destinations. Call it a silver lining, of sorts. While the North and Northeast entrances to Yellowstone National Park remain temporarily closed to vehicles after historic flooding hit the area in June, 93% of the park’s roadways have reopened to visitors.

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And with impacted communities near the park already welcoming visitors back, you can still access amazing opportunities in Montana. In fact, it's a great time to explore Montana's wild beauty — and even Yellowstone National Park itself (shh — don't tell everyone) right here in Montana’s Yellowstone Country region! Here's how.

Fly in: Bozeman, MT

Get a two-for-one deal by pairing Livingston's refined cultural experience with the stunning landscapes of Paradise Valley. In Livingston, enjoy museums, shopping galleries, live theater and music, and refined stays in handsome 19th-century brick buildings.

Explore your wilder side in nearby Paradise Valley, which partially inspired the hit TV show “Yellowstone.” Resting between the monumental Absaroka Range and the rugged Gallatin Range, the valley abounds with endless outdoor recreation opportunities.

Find meadow-, waterfall- and lake-filled hikes that range from easy to heart-pounding in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness and the Shoshone and Custer Gallatin national forests. Catch trout in local waters, enjoying blue-ribbon fly-fishing during prime season. Zoom along a zip line. Or don your best wide-brimmed cowboy hat and giddy up for a week at one of the region's ranches.

Soak your bones in mineral-rich hot springs at Yellowstone Hot Springs and Chico Hot Springs in Paradise Valley. The best news: whether you prefer a rustic or resplendent getaway, you can still find rooms at the valley's best lodges, resorts and ranches. Rest under big, big skies offering endless, starry nights.

Gardiner, MT

Photo Credit: Keelia Isaly

Like a gem within a ring, Gardiner sits at the south end of the stunning Paradise Valley. Gardiner hides outsize opportunities behind Western-style, false-front wooden buildings and plenty of small-town charm.

As the gateway to Yellowstone's North Entrance to Yellowstone National Park, Gardiner makes a fine home base for fishing and whitewater rafting in the Yellowstone River, which runs right through town.

Hike the pine- and fir-scented Northern Range by day, looking for wildflower meadows, old wagon trails and even a preserved, petrified forest. Or take your pick of cottages, B&Bs, vacation homes and more.

Wherever you are, watch for elk and the occasional bison moseying through the town's streets and outskirts — and be sure to keep your distance if you see one! Or sign up for a custom wildlife- and nature-viewing tour with a local outfitter or guide.

Photo Credit: Andy Austin

Surrounded by the grand Beartooth Mountains' 12,000-foot peaks, Red Lodge started as a bawdy Wild West mining town with 20 saloons. The Sundance Kid once robbed a bank here, and Buffalo Bill and Calamity Jane stayed overnight. That was before the town's bootlegging heyday, of course.

Today, the town still entertains — although in a more low-key manner. Find plentiful breweries, restaurants and art galleries in Red Lodge, along with a dizzying array of family-friendly recreational opportunities.

Meet mountain lions, lynx, black bears, bison and other residents at the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary near Red Lodge.

Hike the area's well-maintained trails or try rock climbing with a guide service. Be sure to check local conditions before heading out. Catch tonight's dinner with a fly-fishing outfitter, or head out on the dusty trail with a half-day, full-day or pack trip on horseback.

Red Lodge

Photo Credit: Andy Austin

If you're looking to escape the hustle of city life, you'll find it here. Silver Gate and Cooke City offer travelers laid-back alpine village getaways in Montana's two smallest towns. Cooke City is Montana's highest city, at 7,532 feet, and started as a mining destination.

Nearby Silver Gate (7,388 feet) was built in the 1930s to serve Yellowstone-bound tourists, and this summer offers plenty of era-appropriate log cabin stays (thanks to those historic construction requirements).

Get back to the pristine land with horseback riding, fly-fishing, and waterfall hikes in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. Daytime temps are usually in the very pleasant 70-degree range.

At night, the lack of light pollution means Cooke City/Silver Gate offers a stargazer's paradise, with millions of twinkling lights overhead.

Cooke City/Silver Gate

Montana’s Yellowstone Country region is made up of five south-central Montana counties (Gallatin, Park, Sweet Grass, Stillwater and Carbon), as well as Yellowstone National Park. We help you plan your visit by offering travel information and resources.

Photo Credit: Andy Austin

Livingston, MT

Fly in: Bozeman, MT

Fly in: Bozeman or Billings, MT

Gardiner, MT

Cooke City/Silver Gate

Red Lodge

Livington, MT

While roads are temporarily closed to the nearby Yellowstone National Park's Northeast Entrance, visitors can work with local commercial guides and outfitters to access Yellowstone National Park or travel by foot or bicycle into approved opened areas.

Insider's Tips

Road trip along the spectacular, 68-mile Beartooth Highway connecting Red Lodge and Cooke City. Often called one of the most beautiful drives in the U.S., Beartooth Highway only stays open until October 15. Keep an eye out for the plentiful, lumbering bears even as you take in vistas of peaks, lakes and valleys, and enjoy a peak driving experience at 10,947-foot Beartooth Pass. Be sure to check road conditions before heading out, as a portion of the highway was closed due to flooding but is expected to open soon.

Insider's Tips

You can still reach limited areas of Yellowstone National Park on foot and by bike to fish and hike. Visitors can also work with approved commercial guides and outfitters, who hold backstage passes to hidden gems in Yellowstone. Just be sure to check the park’s website and local U.S. Forest Service districts to ensure the area you want to visit is open and accessible. • Gardiner Ranger District: 406-848-7375 • Hebgen Lake Ranger District: 406-823-6961 • Beartooth Ranger District: 406-446-2103 • Custer Gallatin National Forest

Insider's Tips

The 54-mile valley route between Livingston and Gardiner was the original path into Yellowstone at the park's creation in 1872.

Insider's Tips