The town of West Yellowstone is located just outside the West Entrance to Yellowstone National Park. A mere 15 minutes from Yellowstone Holiday, a West Yellowstone RV park and Hebgen Lake lodging resort, this area is surrounded by beautiful Montana.
West Yellowstone hails as an outdoor paradise, which is why anglers flock to the area to test their fly-fishing skills in both Hebgen Lake and Quake Lake. Hebgen Lake is nearly 15 miles long and four miles wide. It is a manmade lake retained by an earth-fill dam. The 1959 earthquake damaged the dam and the landslide created a barrier, which ultimately formed Quake Lake. Quake Lake measures 53 meters deep and the Madison Canyon Earthquake Area and Visitors Center features interpretive programs that explain the events surrounding the earthquake. Hebgen Lake is only 20 minutes west of West Yellowstone. This area has a healthy fish population, including rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout.
West Yellowstone also attracts bicyclists. They hold annual events, such as the West to Old Faithful Cycle Tour, which draws participants nationwide. West Yellowstone and Yellowstone National Park also offer access to hundreds of miles of trails, hiking, running and mountain biking. Tourists that are opposed to biking or hiking often take advantage of the areas many nearby byways and scenic driving tours, including the Madison Earthquake Area, Gallatin River, the Centennial Valley and north along Highway 191. During the late spring and early summer, bird watching is a popular activity. These routes are also great for viewing deer, moose, elk and big horn sheep.
West Yellowstone also boasts entertaining family activities. These include the IMAX Theater, which shows the fascinating video of Yellowstone and Native American life. The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center features superb educational experiences for visitors and tourists that want to learn more about raptors, grizzly bears and wolves in their natural habitats. During the summer, the Discovery Center hosts concerts in the park, live theater and rodeos.
The Yellowstone Historic Center is located at the Union Pacific Depot. This highlights the history of early transportation and visitation through Yellowstone National Park. West Yellowstone also offers a self-guided historic walking tour. Green bear paws are printed on the sidewalks to mark the tour. The local Chamber of Commerce has a map that marks all 21 sites.
The town is also perfect for an evening of walking the streets, browsing the local shops and purchasing outdoors gear. The area also features several different restaurants that have local fare on the menu, including bison, elk and trout.
References:
http://www.visitmt.com/listings/general/lake/hebgen-lake.html
http://www.visitmt.com/places-to-go/cities-and-towns/west-yellowstone.html