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West Yellowstone, Montana, features high elevations, stunning vistas and tons of places for visitors to hole up when they’re visiting the wilds of Yellowstone National Park. But West Yellowstone itself is far from just a lay-over town as this booming area lays claim to numerous spectacular places that are way too good to miss.

Encompassing more than 3 million acres, the Custer Gallatin National Forest serves as a Gateway into Yellowstone National Park. It boasts some the most scenic areas in West Yellowstone, including the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness that’s home to Granite Peak. At 12,799 feet, it’s the highest peak in Montana. This national forest also harbors 950 high-elevation lakes and 180 miles of well-maintained trails for hiking, backpacking, and horseback riding.

Yellowstone River

The mighty Yellowstone River of West Yellowstone is a perfect destination for a number of watersports, including some of the best fly fishing in the area. Kayakers, canoers, and sightseers can also enjoy the majestic grandeur of this river. As a major tributary of the Missouri, it winds for an impressive 692 miles through the Rocky Mountains. Can’t you just hear the water rushing by right now?

The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center

If you’re into the local animal life, the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center located at 201 S. Canyon Street in West Yellowstone Montana is a conservationist’s dream. All the animals that live here do so in the interests of survival.

For various reasons, these animals would be unable to thrive in the wild. Some of the grizzlies here were designated nuisance bears because they became too tame when approaching humans while others became orphaned when their mothers were removed as nuisance bears.

The wolves of the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center were unplanned litters born to wolves in captivity and would never make it on their own in the wild. Instead of putting these animals down, the GWDC takes them in, builds them comfortable habitats and uses them to educate humans on the uniqueness of the species.

The GWDC is a nonprofit organization, accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and is open 365 days of the year.

West Yellowstone, Montana, sounds like a great place to visit, doesn’t it? We can surely attest to that! At Scenic Safaris, we relish in the beauty of this beautiful region with each passing season. Want to join us? Your Scenic Safaris adventure is ready and waiting for you! Contact us here for more information.