FALLING INTO YELLOWSTONE COUNTRY
Why Autumn is the Best Time to Discover Montana’s Big Sky

By Pamela Dittmer McKuen. Pamela is a highly successful writer, author, journalist, columnist, editor, photographer, speaker and teacher. She writes for both newspapers and magazines on a range of topics including travel. Residing in Chicago and long-time contributor to the Chicago Tribune, she has won numerous state and national accolades for her work. Her book “Expressionista: How to Find Your True Self Through (and Despite) Fashion,” is published by Simon & Schuster. More at www.AllTheWritePlaces.com

The draws of Montana’s Yellowstone Country for international tourists and adventurers are legion: It’s a stunningly beautiful land where snow-capped mountains jut into an expansive azure sky. Where rare geologic wonders mingle with abundant wildlife and rushing waterways. Where the spirit of America’s Old West is alive today.
Yellowstone Country, the part of Montana that wraps and includes the northwestern part of Yellowstone National Park, welcomes visitors year-round. But traffic often is infuriatingly knotted in summer, and access is sketchy in winter. Insiders say autumn is the best time to come.
“The crowds are thinner, the animals are active, the colors are magnificent, and the temperatures are comfortable,” said Robin Hoover, executive director at Yellowstone Country Montana. And winter’s anticipated 400 snow inches have yet to arrive.
Of summer’s shoulder seasons, fall is the better choice, said Wendy Swenson, marketing director at West Yellowstone Convention and Visitors Bureau. “You can do everything you want to do in the fall. In the spring, you can’t go fishing until Memorial Day because some of the lakes are still frozen.”
Yellowstone Country Montana invited three travel writers to see for ourselves. The trip began and ended in Bozeman, home to the main campus of Montana State University. In between, we explored the charming towns of Gardiner and West Yellowstone on the edges of Yellowstone National Park, and we toured the park with a private guide. We also devoured sweet mountain-grown huckleberries--a delicacy--and locally distilled spirits.
Yellowstone Country, the part of Montana that wraps and includes the northwestern part of Yellowstone National Park, welcomes visitors year-round. But traffic often is infuriatingly knotted in summer, and access is sketchy in winter. Insiders say autumn is the best time to come.
“The crowds are thinner, the animals are active, the colors are magnificent, and the temperatures are comfortable,” said Robin Hoover, executive director at Yellowstone Country Montana. And winter’s anticipated 400 snow inches have yet to arrive.
Of summer’s shoulder seasons, fall is the better choice, said Wendy Swenson, marketing director at West Yellowstone Convention and Visitors Bureau. “You can do everything you want to do in the fall. In the spring, you can’t go fishing until Memorial Day because some of the lakes are still frozen.”
Yellowstone Country Montana invited three travel writers to see for ourselves. The trip began and ended in Bozeman, home to the main campus of Montana State University. In between, we explored the charming towns of Gardiner and West Yellowstone on the edges of Yellowstone National Park, and we toured the park with a private guide. We also devoured sweet mountain-grown huckleberries--a delicacy--and locally distilled spirits.
Bozeman’s vibe is a mash-up of college cool and rugged adventure. Downtown Main Street boasts cowboy bars, upscale eateries, smart fashion boutiques and gift shops, recreational outfitters, and loads of public art. Sidewalk signs read, “A brunch without mimosas is just a sad, late breakfast” and “Sometimes I wonder if my bike is thinking about me.”
During our visit, Robin led us on two hikes in the Bozeman area. One was the Palisade Falls Trail in Custer Gallatin National Forest, an easy 1.1-mile trek leading to an impressive 80-foot waterfall. Nearby is the Hyalite Canyon Recreation Area, where a picturesque reservoir is a popular spot for fishing, paddleboarding, no-wake boating and camping.
“This time of year we still have relatively long days for hiking,” she said. “It’s daylight until around 7 p.m.”
Our second hike, the 2.4-mile, twisty Drinking Horse Mountain Trail, was more arduous. Robin promised when we got to the top, we could see Bridger Bowl, one of the area’s two primary ski areas. (The other is Big Sky, about 50 miles south.) We didn’t get that far, so she drove us to the Bowl instead.
During our visit, Robin led us on two hikes in the Bozeman area. One was the Palisade Falls Trail in Custer Gallatin National Forest, an easy 1.1-mile trek leading to an impressive 80-foot waterfall. Nearby is the Hyalite Canyon Recreation Area, where a picturesque reservoir is a popular spot for fishing, paddleboarding, no-wake boating and camping.
“This time of year we still have relatively long days for hiking,” she said. “It’s daylight until around 7 p.m.”
Our second hike, the 2.4-mile, twisty Drinking Horse Mountain Trail, was more arduous. Robin promised when we got to the top, we could see Bridger Bowl, one of the area’s two primary ski areas. (The other is Big Sky, about 50 miles south.) We didn’t get that far, so she drove us to the Bowl instead.
Along Bridger Canyon Road, I made note of the striated fall color palette: Flat pastures of golden grasses, occasionally dotted with dusty sagebrush. Hedgerows of russet-colored cotoneaster and barberry stood against a backdrop of birch, aspen, ash and cottonwood trees in shades of peridot and citrine. Scaling the mountains were turquois spruces and deep-green ponderosa and lodgepole pines. Above the treeline, the steel gray of the andesite mountains was streaked with snow.

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK: Our next stop was Yellowstone National Park, established in 1872 by then-President Ulysses S. Grant. The vast majority is in Wyoming, but the northwestern corner and three of the park’s five entrances are in Montana. Most visitors enter via the western entrance in West Yellowstone because it’s closest to the world-famous Old Faithful geyser, which somewhat predictably erupts to a height of 100 feet or more about every 90 minutes.
We entered at Gardiner, a quirky little town with a mix of nature-lovers, seasonal workers, scientists, business owners, cowboys and artists. The Gardiner entrance is also the only one open to motor vehicles year-round. Actually, the Cooke City entrance also is open, but getting to and from Cooke City is problematic.
We entered at Gardiner, a quirky little town with a mix of nature-lovers, seasonal workers, scientists, business owners, cowboys and artists. The Gardiner entrance is also the only one open to motor vehicles year-round. Actually, the Cooke City entrance also is open, but getting to and from Cooke City is problematic.
Our guide, MacNeil Lyons of Yellowstone Insight, picked us up before dawn for a day-long tour of the park. Having an escort surely maximized our limited time. MacNeil has been working in and around the park for 20 years, and he knows the less-traveled backroads, prime lookout points and wildlife habits. He also lays out a restaurant-quality picnic brunch.
“Fall is an amazing time of year,” he said. “There are fewer visitors and more opportunities to observe wildlife. All the access is here.”
September and October are are the premier months for fly fishing because river temperatures are cooler, he told us. It’s also the time when bears fatten up for the winter, and male elk bugle to impress prospective mates.
Yellowstone is a diverse environment with mountains, lakes, plains and forests. Elevations range more than a mile from the desert plains of Gardiner at 5,200 feet to Eagle Peak at 11,300 feet. The park sits atop the continent’s largest super-volcano and has over 10,000 geothermal features.
MacNeil gave us a sampling of everything. We watched herds of bison, elk and a sweet-faced mule deer. We saw vestiges of the devastating 1988 wildfire but no bears or wolves. We photographed Lake Yellowstone and the 132-foot Tower Fall waterfall. We strolled the Mud Volcano Area, where the sloshing Dragon’s Mouth Spring belches pungent hydrogen sulfide gas. And we found the best bathrooms were at the Visitor Education Center at Canyon Village.
“Fall is an amazing time of year,” he said. “There are fewer visitors and more opportunities to observe wildlife. All the access is here.”
September and October are are the premier months for fly fishing because river temperatures are cooler, he told us. It’s also the time when bears fatten up for the winter, and male elk bugle to impress prospective mates.
Yellowstone is a diverse environment with mountains, lakes, plains and forests. Elevations range more than a mile from the desert plains of Gardiner at 5,200 feet to Eagle Peak at 11,300 feet. The park sits atop the continent’s largest super-volcano and has over 10,000 geothermal features.
MacNeil gave us a sampling of everything. We watched herds of bison, elk and a sweet-faced mule deer. We saw vestiges of the devastating 1988 wildfire but no bears or wolves. We photographed Lake Yellowstone and the 132-foot Tower Fall waterfall. We strolled the Mud Volcano Area, where the sloshing Dragon’s Mouth Spring belches pungent hydrogen sulfide gas. And we found the best bathrooms were at the Visitor Education Center at Canyon Village.

BEYOND THE PARK: Artisans of every ilk find inspiration in the beauty and peace of the mountains. The towns and cities of Yellowstone Country teem with art galleries, music venues, historic mansions and museums. Many bars and restaurants present live entertainment. At the Yellowstone Grill in Gardiner, a couple of guitar pickers accompanied our outsized breakfast.
In Bozeman, the Museum of the Rockies boasts the largest North American collection of dinosaur fossils. Consisting of discoveries made in and around Montana, the museum houses the most Tyrannosaurus rex specimens in the world--currently at 13.
West Yellowstone’s Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center is a wildlife park and educational center that homes wildlife unable to survive on its own. Residents include nuisance bears who would be killed, orphans of nuisance bears that were killed, captivity-born wolves, and injured or impaired birds of prey.
In Bozeman, the Museum of the Rockies boasts the largest North American collection of dinosaur fossils. Consisting of discoveries made in and around Montana, the museum houses the most Tyrannosaurus rex specimens in the world--currently at 13.
West Yellowstone’s Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center is a wildlife park and educational center that homes wildlife unable to survive on its own. Residents include nuisance bears who would be killed, orphans of nuisance bears that were killed, captivity-born wolves, and injured or impaired birds of prey.
WHAT TO EAT AND DRINK: Montana eateries believe in hearty meals, but they also offer upscale dining, casual fare and vegetarian options. Locally raised meat and produce plus bison and elk appear on many menus. Grab huckleberries when you can. Bears love them. We recommend huckleberry ice cream at Madison Crossing Lounge in West Yellowstone and huckleberry vodka at Bozeman Spirits Distillery. Craft brews abound, including the classic lagers and hoppy IPAs at Mountains Walking Brewery and Pub in Bozeman. La Petite Chatelaine Chocolat Co. will satisfy your sweet cravings.
WHERE TO STAY: You’ll find an array of hotels and motels offering varying degrees of luxury, bed-and breakfasts, ranches, |
resorts and campgrounds. Be sure to call ahead. Some shut down for the winter.
Two newcomers in downtown Bozeman are The Lark, a boutique motel with a retro vibe, and Element Bozeman, a trendy contemporary hotel under the SPG brand. In West Yellowstone, the 1872 Inn is an upscale boutique lodge designed exclusively for adults. The Elk River Gallery and Lodge in Gardiner is a uniquely furnished home created by artists Shirl Ireland and John Stacy.
GETTING THERE: Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport and Billings Logan International Airport have year-round and seasonal direct flights from many U.S. cities.
For more information: www.VisitYellowstoneCountry.com
Two newcomers in downtown Bozeman are The Lark, a boutique motel with a retro vibe, and Element Bozeman, a trendy contemporary hotel under the SPG brand. In West Yellowstone, the 1872 Inn is an upscale boutique lodge designed exclusively for adults. The Elk River Gallery and Lodge in Gardiner is a uniquely furnished home created by artists Shirl Ireland and John Stacy.
GETTING THERE: Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport and Billings Logan International Airport have year-round and seasonal direct flights from many U.S. cities.
For more information: www.VisitYellowstoneCountry.com
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