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Voykit pocket guide · United States
West Yellowstone
West Yellowstone, Montana
Stay 2 nights here only if you want the West Entrance at dawn; otherwise sleep in the park or Gardiner and pass through.
West Yellowstone is a small Montana gateway town about 1.6 km (1 mi) from Yellowstone's West Entrance, and its airport is the closest to Old Faithful. It is a supply base, not a sight in itself: one or two nights, a walkable centre, and a car or shuttle for everything else. Prices run high and restaurants queue in July and August.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- West Yellowstone, Montana
- Best months
- Jun–Sep for park access; Dec–Mar for snowcoach and snowmobile season
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (crowds, full hotels, restaurant waits); Nov and Apr (shoulder closures)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget US$90–140 excl. bed · Mid US$140–230 excl. bed · High US$230+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · West Yellowstone Police (non-emergency) 406-646-7600 · Hebgen Lake Ranger District 406-823-6961
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | US$3–6 |
| Breakfast (pancakes and coffee) | US$12–20 |
| Burger or sandwich lunch | US$14–22 |
| Dinner main, casual restaurant | US$20–35 |
| Draught beer in a bar | US$6–9 |
| Museum of the Yellowstone entry | US$6 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | US$15–30 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- WYS · Yellowstone Airport
- About 1.6 km (1 mi) north of the town centre; Delta/SkyWest from Salt Lake City (SLC) in the June–September season — flight frequency checkAbout 1 mi (1.6 km) north of the town centre; Delta/SkyWest from Salt Lake City (SLC) in the June–September season — flight frequency check
- BZN · Bozeman Yellowstone International
- The year-round option; about 145 km (90 mi) north on US-191, roughly 2 h by carThe year-round option; about 90 mi (145 km) north on US-191, roughly 2 h by car
- SLC · Salt Lake City International
- Long-haul hub; about 500 km (310 mi) south, roughly 5–6 h by carLong-haul hub; about 310 mi (500 km) south, roughly 5–6 h by car
Typical fares
- Yellowstone Airport (WYS) → town centre
- about 1.6 km (1 mi); taxi or hotel shuttle, roughly US$10–20 (check)about 1 mi (1.6 km); taxi or hotel shuttle, roughly US$10–20 (check)
- Bozeman (BZN) → West Yellowstone
- about 145 km (90 mi), roughly 2 h by carabout 90 mi (145 km), roughly 2 h by car
- Park entry, private vehicle, 7 days
- US$35 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The centre is small enough to walk: museum, shops and restaurants sit within about 1 km (0.6 mi). Everything else needs a car, an RV or a tour shuttle. US-20, US-191 and US-287 meet in town and all lead to the West Entrance. Salt Lake Express runs intercity buses from Idaho (check current schedule).The centre is small enough to walk: museum, shops and restaurants sit within about 0.6 mi (1 km). Everything else needs a car, an RV or a tour shuttle. US-20, US-191 and US-287 meet in town and all lead to the West Entrance. Salt Lake Express runs intercity buses from Idaho (check current schedule).
See and do
Known for
- Yellowstone West Entrance
- Museum of the Yellowstone
- Snowcoach and snowmobile access in winter
- Gateway to Old Faithful and the geyser basins
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin | Drive US-191/US-20 through the West Entrance, about 48 km (30 mi)Drive US-191/US-20 through the West Entrance, about 30 mi (48 km) | 45–60 min each way in light traffic; allow 1.5 h+ in summer (check) |
| Grand Prismatic Spring and Midway Geyser Basin | Drive through the West Entrance, about 40 km (25 mi)Drive through the West Entrance, about 25 mi (40 km) | 40–50 min each way in light traffic; allow 1 h+ in summer (check) |
| Gardiner and Mammoth Hot Springs | Drive north through the park on US-89, about 90 km (56 mi)Drive north through the park on US-89, about 56 mi (90 km) | About 1.5–2 h each way |
| Big Sky | Drive US-191 north, about 75 km (47 mi)Drive US-191 north, about 47 mi (75 km) | About 1 h each way |
| Bozeman | Drive US-191 north, about 145 km (90 mi)Drive US-191 north, about 90 mi (145 km) | About 2 h each way |
| Cooke City | Drive through the park via Tower Junction and the Northeast Entrance | 3–4 h each way |
Sleep
- Town centre (Yellowstone Ave, Madison Ave, Firehole Ave)
- Motels, restaurants and the museum within a 10-minute walk; book months ahead for July–August.
- Dunraven St and Gibbon St
- Quieter side streets a few minutes from the main strip; still walkable to dinner.
- Hebgen Lake Road
- Cabins and RV resorts 10–20 minutes west of town; cheaper space, but you need a car for everything.
- Campgrounds along US-191 and US-20
- Forest Service sites from about 5 km (3 mi) to 56 km (35 mi) from the park entrance; no town services.Forest Service sites from about 3 mi (5 km) to 35 mi (56 km) from the park entrance; no town services.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the park entrance? | Where is the park entrance? |
| A table for two, please | A table for two, please |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Is there a wait? | Is there a wait? |
| Where is the nearest gas station? | Where is the nearest gas station? |
| Thank you | Thank you |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Summer hotel rates are the highest in the region and July–August sells out: book early or sleep in the park.
- Restaurant waits of 30–60 minutes are normal at dinner in peak season.
- Stock up here: this is the last full-service town for a long way in any direction, and water refills inside the park are limited.
- Winter access from the West Entrance depends on the season and on commercially guided oversnow transport — check current park rules before booking.
- Cell coverage is patchy between town and the park interior; download offline maps.
- Wildlife on the roads at dawn and dusk: bison and elk cause real collisions.
A very safe small town; the real risks are winter driving, wildlife on the roads at dawn and dusk, and altitude plus dry air if you have come from sea level.
One and two days
No timed day plan for West Yellowstone yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Yellowstone West Entrance
- Museum of the Yellowstone
- Snowcoach and snowmobile access in winter
- Gateway to Old Faithful and the geyser basins
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- West Yellowstone official visitor information: www.destinationyellowstone.com/
- Museum of the Yellowstone: museumoftheyellowstone.org/
- Salt Lake Express: saltlakeexpress.com/
- Wikivoyage: West Yellowstone, revision 5321598 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5321598
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
West YellowstoneWest Yellowstone, Montana
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- West Yellowstone Police (non-emergency)406-646-7600
- Hebgen Lake Ranger District406-823-6961
No embassies here; nearest consulates are in Denver and Salt Lake City (check).
Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, US$1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/west-yellowstone). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.