Yellowstone National Park is situated northwest of the state of Wyoming. The Western United States is home to this splendid park that spans as far as the state of Idaho and Montana.
The Yellowstone National Park is scattered across three states. Wyoming takes the lion’s share of Yellowstone as more than 95% of the park is situated there. A fraction of the park is situated in Idaho, and about 3% is located in Montana.
Local Cities and Activities in Yellowstone
Once you venture into the vast Yellowstone National Park, you will come across several places to choose from for your stay. You can encounter Old West Towns that carry the spirit of rich Californian culture. Skiing is also a promising activity offered in Yellowstone. After devouring the spirituality of Yellowstone and trekking this natural wonder, you can enjoy nightlife sports or go shopping. Upscale dining is also possible in these local cities. We will now discuss the local cities within the Yellowstone park that offer recreational activities that make your trip colourful.
Livingston
Livingston is a beautiful town located in the mountains. This mountain city is located amidst the Absaroka and Crazy mountain ranges. The Yellowstone River also passes through these marvellous mountain ranges. Regardless of the small landmass in which Livingston is located, it has a lot to offer for historical geeks. Fly Fishers International Museum is located on the premises of this town. An old railway station called Livingston Depot Center was restored into a museum and is also open to the public.
Seventeen sites of historical significance, along with the famous Yellowstone Gateway Museum, are present in the small town of Livingston.
Livingston is situated north of Yellowstone, about 90 kilometres from Yellowstone.
Gardiner
The quaint town of Gardiner touches the boundary of Yellowstone National Park in the north. This town offers a traditional Old West environment coupled with great scenery and the beauty of nature.
You are recommended to visit the Old school bars and pubs that reflect a traditional western layout with the traditional jukeboxes, refreshing music, and a salon environment.
Yellowstone has many tourist attractions, and you can come across most of them as soon as you enter the town. Monuments and tourist locations like Mammoth Hot springs and Roosevelt Arch are major attractions in Gardiner. Water bodies like the Yellowstone and the famous Boiling River are also must-visit sites in the town.
Red Lodge
Red Lodge is a mountain town that houses traditional Western values and breathtaking scenes. It is situated close to Beartooth Highway. It is located in the immediate neighbourhood of Yellowstone Park and the Absaroka-Beartooth wilderness. Located between two important tourist attractions makes this town important and the main reason for its popularity. This beautiful mountain town is filled with traditional bars and restaurants that offer western tastes, music events, and museums. You are recommended to visit the Carbon County Museum and explore the history of Red Lodge and the past events that gave it today’s shape.
Cooke City
Cooke City provides an entrance into Yellowstone National Park. It is a well-known Basecamp with a stunning location and geography. The special thing about Cooke City is the road between the City and Red lodge. Often called the most scenic drive in America, this road takes you through the beautiful and thrilling scenery of the Beartooth Range through the Beartooth Pass. Cooke City is surrounded by eye-catching terrain. On one side is Yellowstone, whereas mountains and woods surround the other side. Your stay in Cooke City would give you the golden opportunity to go for a hike, bike ride, or traverse high mountains.
Jackson
A heartwarming scenery of mountains and a river awaits you in Jackson. Jackson is a busy town known for its winter sports, such as skiing and snowboarding. The adventure is limitless, and some of the best sites for fun include Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Grand Targhee Resort, and King Mountain Resort. Jackson is sandwiched between the Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Teton National park, enabling easy access to both parks in a single visit. For wildlife enthusiasts, Jackson is a dream destination as it has The National Elk Refuge at its center.
Bozeman
Bozeman is located in the south of Montana and is home to the Montana State University Museum of the Rockies. Situated in the giant rocky mountains, this Museum is home to some of the most iconic native artefacts shining a light on the area’s glorious past. The most distinguished attraction of the Museum is the Siebel Dinosaur Complex which has on display a planetarium and several other precious dinosaur remains.
East Yellowstone
If you plan to be close to the Yellowstone National Park, then East Yellowstone is your obvious choice. You can have a stay at the rustic lodges of East Yellowstone. It offers you a hike in the mountains that can take you through the charming mountain and frontier wildlife that tells a story spanning years before you were born. Many western historical figures trekked the beautiful and thrilling tracks of East Yellowstone like Buffalo Bill Cody, John Colter, and Jim Bridger.
Island Park
Island Park offers you a drive through the famous 33-mile long street, also called the Main 1sland Park. It is one of the longest streets in the United States. Island Park is situated near the western boundary of Yellowstone National Park.
Island Park has a crater named Island Park Caldera, the remains of a volcanic eruption about a couple of million years ago.
Cody
Situated in the northwest of Wyoming state, Cody is one of the most beautiful and bustling towns near Yellowstone Park. In honour of the national hero Buffalo Bill, this town houses a museum that reflects on the life events and belongings of the brave man. Another major attraction in the town is the Old Trail Town which has historic buildings that give a spiritual experience.
Entrances of the Yellowstone Park
What your adventure brings for you when visiting the Yellowstone national park may depend on which of the five entrances you choose. The Entrances may be closed at different times of the year. The roads in the park are closed to wheeled vehicles on the first Monday of November. The roads only open to over-the-snow vehicles from mid-December to mid-March, depending on the weather.
North Entrance
The people who journey from the Pacific Northwest are advised to use the North Entrance. This Entrance will allow you to explore Mammoth Hot Springs, which has one of the two sanctioned swimming areas of Yellowstone Park. This swimming area is popularly known as the Boiling River.
North Entrance is the only park gate that is open throughout the year. If you come in winter, North Entrance will only allow you to explore Cooke City. Due to snowfall, other areas in the north are closed.
West Entrance
Yellowstone West Entrance is the preferable option for adventurers travelling from the West of the US. This Entrance is the most used. Madison, a jumping-off spot for Yellowstone geyser basins, is a 14-mile drive from the West Entrance. This Entrance has an IMAX theatre, some restaurants, and RV parks, making it attractive for many tourists. There are hundreds of geysers that you can explore if you make your way in through the West Entrance. This Entrance allows wheeled vehicles from April to the first Sunday of November and tracked vehicles from the start of December to mid-March.
South Entrance
South Entrance is the most convenient entrance to the park. Some of the most exotic geysers in the park can be accessed if you enter through the south entrance. West Thumb Geyser Basin is about 20 miles from the South Entrance. Old Faithful and Yellowstone Lake are other attractions near the South Entrance. This Entrance is closed to wheeled vehicles from November to December.
Northeast Entrance
The northeast entrance is situated close to the Silver gate in the state of Montana. This Entrance leads to Cooke city and wildlife-rich Lamar Valley. Due to snow, wheeled vehicles can only visit Cook city from October to May.
East Entrance
The East Entrance of the Yellowstone National Park would allow you to glimpse Yellowstone Lake. Once you reach Yellowstone lake, you can move north to view the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and to the southeast to encounter the Old Faithful.
This Entrance is open to wheeled vehicles from mid-May to early November. Tracked vehicles are allowed from December to March.
Conclusion
Yellowstone National Park is the crown jewel of the Wyoming state that has attractions of historical significance and natural beauty.
Many local towns in and around the Yellowstone park offer a great variety of wildlife, hunting and fishing, museums, and monuments.
Using one of The five entrances of Yellowstone park is a matter of choice as different entrances lead to their distinct attractions and towns.
North and Northeast entrances are open throughout the year, and others are closed in winters due to heavy snowfall. When the winter is at its peak, even the Northern entrances allow access to limited sites in the park.