West Yellowstone Tourist Attractions and Sightseeing

(West Yellowstone, Montana - MT, USA)



Picture of the park and its resident bisonWhilst the endless tourist attractions within the Yellowstone National Park do rather dominate the tourism scene throughout Montana, the town of West Yellowstone does contain its very own sights. Attractions in the town include the IMAX Theater on South Canyon Street, the Bear's Den Cinema on Electric Street, and the historic Playmill Theater on Madison Avenue, where regular musical productions are staged.

Very near to the town is Hebgen Lake, which is located on the northern side of Yellowstone Airport and affords some truly spectacular natural scenery. Tourists will find even more attractions within Henry's Lake State Park, which is on the westerly outskirts of town and just a matter of minutes away.


Hebgen Lake photograph

Hebgen Lake

Address: West Yellowstone, Montana (MT), USA
The summer months tend to be the busiest, with visitors from West Yellowstone coming to Hebgen Lake to boat, sail, fish, hike and camp, while in the snowy winter months, the area become a hotspot for snowmobiling. In the summer of 1959, a major earthquake (7.3 on the Richter scale) took place here, causing a landslide to dam the Madison River. This seismic activity subsequently created the adjacent 'Quake Lake', which is equally appealing and lies within the Gallatin National Forest.
Open hours: daily - 24 hours
Admission: free

Buffalo Bus Tours of Yellowstone National Park

Address: West Yellowstone, Montana (MT), USA
Tel: +1 800 426 7669
Those staying in town and without a car will find that the Buffalo Bus Tours are the very best way to explore the Yellowstone National Park, as well as the nearby Grand Teton National Park. Buffalo Bus Tours start each day at 08:15, with an early start ensuring a plenty of time for a full day's sightseeing. Expect to see world-class attractions such as Old Faithful and other active geysers, along with the Dunraven Pass, the Grand Canyon, the Obsidian Cliff and the Virginia Cascade, whilst learning more about the park's geothermal and volcanic history from the knowledgeable tour guides.
Open hours: daily - seasonal variations apply
Admission: charge, concessions

Henry's Lake State Park view

Henry's Lake State Park

Address: 3489 Green Canyon Road, Island Park, Idaho (ID), USA
Tel: +1 208 558 7532
The Henry's Lake State Park is especially close to the town, lying around 14 miles / 23 km to the west. Many breathtaking mountain peaks surround the lake itself, which offers superb fishing, with plenty of cutthroat-rainbow trout awaiting. Other attractions within the Henry's Lake State Park include boating, picnicking and self-guided hiking trails around the wilderness, which lead towards the Targhee Creek Basin. Within the park are no less than 45 different camping sites, many of which come with very comprehensive facilities.
Open hours: daily - 24 hours
Admission: free

IMAX Theater

Address: 101 South Canyon Street, West Yellowstone, US-59758, Montana (MT), USA
Tel: +1 406 646 4100
The town's extremely popular IMAX Theater is much more than simply a state-of-the-art cinema, since it contains a series of different tourist attractions. The lobby itself is home to various historical displays, while the gift shop is amongst the very best that the town has to offer, selling everything from movie-related T-shirts to local arts and crafts. However, most come to the IMAX Theater to enjoy spectacular movies shown on an enormous screen, with the film concentrating on the history of Yellowstone National Park always proving a firm favorite.
Open hours: daily - hours vary
Admission: charge, concessions available

West Yellowstone Visitors Center

Address: Chamber of Commerce, 30 Yellowstone Avenue / Canyon Street, West Yellowstone, US-59758, Montana (MT), USA
Tel: +1 406 646 7701
The town's very own Visitors Center offers the lasting information regarding local events and attractions, along with assistance in finding available accommodation. If you are planning a trip to the National Park, then it is worth coming here first, for maps of hiking trails and landmarks, back country use permits (required for overnight trips) and details of local recreational attractions, such as both hiking and mountain biking.
Open hours: daily, April to October - 08:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

The Bear's Den Cinema

Address: 15 Electric Street, West Yellowstone, US-59758, Montana (MT), USA
Tel: +1 406 646 7777
The Bear's Den Cinema is especially popular with locals and tourists during spells of inclement weather, and is in fact the only movie theater to be found in almost 100 miles / 160 km. Current films are regularly screened here, being accompanied by state-of-the-art surround sound. The Bear's Den Cinema can accommodate audiences of 125 people and during the biggest blockbuster films, can quickly become packed.
Open hours: daily - hours vary
Admission: charge, concessions available

Playmill Theater

Address: 29 Madison Avenue, West Yellowstone, US-59758, Montana (MT), USA
Tel: +1 406 646 7757
The Playmill Theater was founded almost 50 years ago and each seasons sees the arrival of at least three different musicals, along with a number of other theatrical events, which are usually staged during the evening. Past musicals has included favorites such as Annie Get your Gun, Fiddler on the Roof, Guys and Dolls, Hello Dolly, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Oklahoma and also the much-loved The Sound of Music. If you are lucky enough to catch a show here, do treat yourself to a box of the world-famous 'Heidi's Fudge', which is sold exclusively at the Playmill Theater.
Open hours: May to September, daily - 08:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge, concessions available