Yellowstone Holiday is located in rural West Yellowstone. Many people often confuse West Yellowstone with the location of Yellowstone National Park, but this city is indeed named after the west entrance to the famed national park. Located in Gallatin County, Montana, the city of West Yellowstone is adjacent to Yellowstone National Park. Served by Yellowstone Airport, the permanent population of this town is approximately 1,769. However, this city entertains visitors from around the world during the summer months. In fact, Yellowstone National Park saw a record breaking 2.3 million visitors in 2009 alone.
West Yellowstone is a convenient location for overnight park visitors, as Yellowstone National Park can hardly be explored in a day, much less a week. The vast park encompasses 2,221,766 acres, meaning that most visitors see less than two-percent of the park. (For those of you that can barely fathom the size of Yellowstone, an acre is equivalent to 43,560 square feet.)
Staying in West Yellowstone offers convenient daily access to Yellowstone National Park and Big Sky Resort, two leading premiere must-see destinations. Teaming with wildlife, West Yellowstone is located 7,000 feet above sea level and is almost halfway between the North Pole and Equator. West Yellowstone offers warm summers, but with a subarctic climate the winters are often extremely cold, with temperatures averaging 1 to 24 degrees Fahrenheit. An interesting fact is that West Yellowstone holds the nationwide record for coldest community temperatures in the lower 48 continuous states, with a reported low of -66 degrees Fahrenheit.
Some interesting facts about West Yellowstone include:
- The population of the city has increased 5.49-percent over the last 12 years.
- West Yellowstone’s cost of living index is 26.30-percent, which is higher than the U.S. average.
- The median home in the area costs $290,200, with recent appreciation reports showing an increase of 2.38-percent.
- The public schools in West Yellowstone spend approximately $5,800 per student, higher than the U.S. average. Classroom sizes average 11.8 students per teacher, meaning that students receive more one-on-one time with teachers.
- The unemployment rate in the area is 6.7-percent, lower than the national average that is hovering around 8.6-percent.
- The average West Yellowstone commute time is a mere 12 minutes, a substantially lower figure than the national average at 28 minutes.
Yellowstone Holiday is located 15 minutes from the heart of West Yellowstone. Offering cabins in West Yellowstone and Yellowstone RV parks, this premiere destination is a perfect area for base exploration and activities, including fishing at Hebgen Lake.