Courtesy Montana Office of Tourism
Yellowstone and More
To the east of Helena, the Rockies frame one of the country’s most beloved natural areas: Yellowstone National Park. Although only a sliver of the park is in Montana — the vast majority sits in northwest Wyoming — three of the park’s five entrances are in Montana communities: West Yellowstone, Cook City and Silver Gate.
Groups that visit this region of the state spend time in Yellowstone, which is known for its geothermal features and abundant wildlife. But they can also learn more about the area’s animals at the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone.
“There are bears and wolves there that have been orphaned or are unable to be rehabilitated into the wild,” said Robin Hoover, executive director of Yellowstone Country Montana Inc. “They have a very interactive program there. You can watch the animals being fed and interact with the people that work there to learn about their lifestyles and habits.”
The Museum of the Rockies at Montana State University in Bozeman focuses on animals of a more historical kind. This favorite group tour stop is a paleontology museum that exhibits dinosaur skeletons and other prehistoric fossils unearthed by local paleontologists who served as the inspiration for characters in the film “Jurassic Park.”
Groups shouldn’t leave Montana’s Rockies without experiencing a drive on Bear Tooth Highway.
“Charles Kuralt described it as the most beautiful highway in America,” Hoover said. “It takes you from Yellowstone to Red Lodge. It winds up over the Bear Tooth Mountains. It’s a windy road that looks over Wyoming and Montana with a lot of switchbacks and scenic overlooks along the way. It’s really a grand setting.”
Montana Office of Tourism
800-847-4868
www.visitmt.com
