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Yellowstone Club’s only road access is through the small ski community of Big Sky, Montana. The Gallatin River runs through Big Sky’s Gallatin Canyon just minutes from Yellowstone Club, and the fly fishing and whitewater rafting here is world-class. For rock climbers, the spires and walls that tower over the Gallatin afford routes for every skill level. Horseback riding up into the Gallatin Range, from day trips to extended pack trips, are always a popular choice. Even though Big Sky is a small, classic ski town, there is a broad range of restaurant options, art galleries, and shops for those that like to blend a little ‘city’ with their outdoor fun.
The largest population center nearest to Yellowstone Club is Bozeman, and some say it’s the best small city in the Rockies. About 30,000 call Bozeman home, although that number changes during the year because the town is home to an excellent state university (Montana State). It has the feel of a college town, along with all the culture that you’d expect—concerts, plays, community-wide festivals, and terrific services. Bozeman also offers remarkable restaurants, numerous art galleries, excellent western furniture and antiques stores, and one of the premier museums of the west, the Museum of The Rockies (with a world-renown dinosaur exhibit).
Yellowstone Park is, of course, a place that’s simply not to be missed. Where else can you see elk, deer, moose, bison, wolves, grizzly bears, coyotes, eagles, and thousands of other creatures roaming the countryside just as they did hundreds of years ago? Where else can you watch those creatures living among some of the most active and inspiring natural geysers in the world? Guided interpretive trips are a good choice, or one can hike, fish, or canoe one of the Park’s many waterways. Yellowstone Club is incredibly lucky to have a destination like Yellowstone Park as its neighbor.
West Yellowstone, the gateway community to Yellowstone Park, has a few attractions of its own—most notably the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center and an IMAX Theater. Both of these destinations offer a terrific insight on the Park and its wild inhabitants, and both are very popular with both kids and adults. The GWDC has lots of information about these magnificent carnivores, as well as zoo-style enclosures for those that want a ‘guaranteed’ opportunity to see bears and wolves up close. The IMAX Theater typically runs region-specific films such as features on Lewis & Clark or Yellowstone Park itself—all with steep seating and a special screen designed to “take movie watching to the max.” “West,” as the locals call it, also has dozens of souvenir shops and some restaurants, and although it’s a bit touristy, it can be fun for a quick visit.
Virginia City and Nevada City are two classic western towns dating back 100-some-odd years, and they make for a great day trip for the entire family. Both towns have been preserved in their historic states—Virginia City is the much larger (relatively) of the two—and many of its original buildings are quaint shops that have been reopened for tourists, selling everything from candy to souvenirs. Other buildings too delicate for daily foot traffic house interesting displays and historical information in their front windows. There are one or two restaurants, and an amusing Vaudeville style show (the Follies) that plays periodically throughout the summer. The best part of these two little towns is that it becomes easy to imagine what life was like back in turn-of-the-century Montana—which is very early history for this part of the country!
Probably the most popular getaway destination for locals is Chico Hot Springs Lodge. It’s located in the Paradise Valley, which is the name of the valley that runs from the north entrance to Yellowstone Park to the small town of Livingston. Chico is a rambling old lodge set beneath towering Emigrant Peak, and it has a hot springs pool built in the middle of it. Guests can stay in a variety of rooms, or can just come in for the day. Kids enjoy splashing in this 100% natural pool, and adults can relax in the warmer hot-tub-style area at one end. Chico is also known for its wonderful meals and extensive wine list, as well as a small day spa for massages and facials.
At the top of the Paradise Valley, Livingston is another great stopover, with some superb restaurants, great shops and galleries, and the world-famous Dan Bailey’s Fly Shop.
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