Montana Moments
The Yellowstone region surrounding West Yellowstone, Montana offers endless adventure, exhilarating excitement, and age-old landscapes with a storied past.
From National Forests and scenic vistas to pontoon rentals and horseback riding - adventure awaits in every direction.
Take a day to explore some of our favorite places and experience a true West Yellowstone welcome. Let us help you explore better and plan your perfect Montana moment. We promise it will be unforgettable.
Peak Adventure Mode
Hit the ATV trails with side by side rentals from Yellowstone ATV in West Yellowstone or with High Mountain Adventures in Island Park, Idaho
Off-road to some of Montana's and Idaho's most beautiful lakes and mountains on a Polaris side-by-side. This is high-energy fun that takes you to spots that most people never get to see on a trip to the Yellowstone area.
Yellowstone ATV prides themselves on discovering and sharing the best ATV trails in the area so guests can get the experience of a lifetime. Summertime in Island Park is gorgeous with hundreds of miles of trails with a variety of terrain. This is one of our favorite ways to explore the backcountry.
Rent an eBike and explore the area from a completely different vantage point.
Our eBike rentals make biking long distances and climbing elevations a breeze. Explore surrounding National Forests or discover parts of West Yellowstone you didn't know existed, traveling on two wheels with a little power is an easy and exhilarating way to get around. Rentals are available seven days a week from the Camp Host at the Explorer Cabins.
Explore the Gallatin National Forest by horseback
We're not sure about you, but we'd rather ride on a mustang than in one, and The Diamond P Ranch is our go-to ranch in West Yellowstone for exploring the region on horseback. The only ranch with permission to ride into the Gallatin National Forest, and just a 12-minute drive from West Yellowstone, Diamond P Ranch offers three-hour morning, afternoon and evening rides through pristine forests and up into the mountains to look down on Yellowstone National Park, the Continental Divide, and the many ranches that dot the landscape in this part of the world.
Looking to ride out to hidden lakes through towering pines and wildflower-filled mountain meadows? Parade Rest Guest Ranch is a quick 14 minute drive from West Yellowstone and offers one to four-hour rides guided by experienced wranglers. Experience the west authentically and saddle up. This is a core memory in the making.
Float the Day Away on the River
Float trips are one of our favorite pastimes, and Mack's Inn Resort is one of our top picks. Pack a cooler (with a box lunch from the hotel) and take the beautiful 28-minute drive to Island Park. Mack's Inn runs 3-hour float trips down the North Fork of the Snake River on your choice of 8-man rafts, tandem kayaks, canoes, single kayaks, SUP boards or a river tube. This 5-mile float offers views of the mountains and crystal clear waters and often wildlife sightings. Relaxing and refreshing... a little float down the river might be exactly what you've been missing.
Whitewater Rafting - Montana Style
Head up to Big Sky (an hour and ten minutes away) and you'll land in one of the premier river rafting destinations in the west. With trips for multiple levels of rafting experience, Montana Whitewater Rafting and Zipline Tours offers everything from technical class IV rapids, to splashy class II and III rapids, to scenic and relaxing class I rapids. This is a full day of fun for the entire family.
Local Gems
Quake Lake Tranquility
32 minutes away from West Yellowstone sits one of the most peaceful spots around, Earthquake Lake. The irony in that statement is that this lake was born of the strongest earthquakes ever to hit the Rocky Mountains. On August 17, 1959, an earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale triggered a gigantic landslide that caused more than 80 million tons of rock to crash into a narrow canyon, blocking the Madison River and creating Earthquake Lake. Today, the visitor center has lots of interesting and educational exhibits including a working seismograph.
*Local Tip - This drive is well known for bighorn sheep sightings! Keep your eyes peeled for beautiful animals on your way up.*
Kirkwood Marina on Hebgen Lake
Montana takes summer lake life seriously and Kirkwood Marina on Hebgen Lake delivers every time. Pack a box lunch (available for order through the hotel) and head to the lake for a water-packed day of fun and adventure. A 30-minute drive lands you in one of Montana's top fishing spots with rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout averaging 15 to 20" regularly being caught. Want to get out on the water instead of the water's edge? The marina offers rentals of everything from standup paddleboards to pontoon boats, so slap on the sunscreen and head out for a day on lake. Reservations can be made online at the link above.
*Local Tip - We love stopping at The Happy Hour Bar right on the lake!*
Rodeo Time!
Saddle up, we're heading to the rodeo! The Wild West Yellowstone Rodeo features all your favorite rodeo events including Bareback Bronc Riding, Barrel Racing, Team Roping and even The Calf Scramble where kids get to compete. It's old west fun and happens 5 nights a week through the summer!
Magnificent Mesa Falls
Deep in the Grand Targhee Forest lives the Lower Mesa Falls and Upper Mesa Falls. These two breathtaking waterfalls are easily accessible via scenic byways and viewing platforms, but this forest is one that begs to be explored. Pack a box lunch (available for purchase through the hotel) and spend a morning exploring this spectacular forest. These two waterfalls are the last prominent waterfalls on the Snake River unaffected by manmade influences and really showcase nature as it was meant to be.
Big Moments in Big Sky
It's common knowledge that Big Sky is ski-country, but summer is when Big Sky really shines. Take a day trip to Big Sky for local breweries, sophisticated shopping, picturesque hiking, spa treatments, white water rafting and the ever popular downhill mountain biking.
Family Fun, Montana Style
Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center
The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center is a not-for-profit wildlife park and educational facility is top notch and one of our favorite recommendations for wildlife lovers. This is your opportunity to observe, understand and appreciate grizzly bears and gray wolves. These are animals that were unable to survive in the wild but have been given the chance to live out their days in this incredible facility. If you listen around dusk at the Gray Wolf and Explorer Cabins you can almost always hear the wolves howling as a pack, a sound guaranteed to give you goosebumps.
Zip Around West Yellowstone
Soar through the air and zip through an aerial course at The Zipline Adventure Park in West Yellowstone. This exciting challenge offers courses for everyone from little kids to adventurous adults, with high flying thrills and over 1,000 feet of ziplining fun on four different, family-oriented ziplines. Located just minutes from our West Yellowstone Hotels, this is a Yellowstone adventure you weren't expecting!
Hike the Local's Favorite Trails
Lava Lake
This 6-mile out-and-back hike is known for a steep climb and gratifying end: Lava Lake, a stunning alpine lake in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness. The elevation increase is substantial, but due to a gradual climb, this trail has earned a difficulty rating of moderate.
Cinnamon Creek
Hike your way through wildflower meadows and pine forests south of Big Sky to Cinnamon Creek and be rewarded with spectacular views and a trail you'll often have all to yourself.
Coffin Lakes Trail
The 11.3 mile out and back Coffin Lakes Trail near West Yellowstone rewards hikers with gorgeous lake views at the end and remarkable scenery the entire way.