Autumn Adventures in Yellowstone

If you’re ready for outdoor adventure with the best views, Montana’s fall season is an experience you won’t want to miss. By using Yellowstone National Park as your basecamp for adventure, you can fill your itinerary with epic hiking, scenic drives, biking and guided tours while enjoying the amenities and attractions of nearby towns. Yellowstone is the perfect place to enjoy the changing landscape around you and spot native wildlife in their natural surroundings.

“A trip to Yellowstone National Park in autumn can be an unforgettable experience,” said Raylee Honeycutt, Consumer Marketing Manager with the Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development. “From the scenery to the wildlife, it’s an opportunity to take in incredible sights outside of the busy summer season.”

Fall is the perfect season to watch Montana’s wildlife at national parks, state parks and other public lands. Home to many species of birds and mammals, Yellowstone National Park is a great place for wildlife viewing. Listen for the bugle of an elk, watch bison roam, and be on the lookout for black bears as this is the prime season to watch them gear up for hibernation. Many animals are more active at this time and exploring Yellowstone with a tour or hiking is a great way to take advantage of the opportunity.

“You get to see animals behaving in very natural ways without the crowds that you would expect here in the summer,” said Joshua Theurer, Citizen Science Program Manager with Yellowstone Forever.

If you’re looking for inspiration to plan your trip to stunning views and fall scenery, watch the newest Discover Your #MontanaMoment video, Uncovering Yellowstone. This episode follows five friends as they reunite for a weekend in Montana. The group enjoys charming ranch accommodations while they explore the town of Gardiner and take in the sights at Yellowstone National Park on a guided wildlife tour with Yellowstone Forever.

Gardiner is home to the original entrance to Yellowstone National Park, which is the only entrance that remains open to wheeled-vehicle use year-round. The friends revel in the unique beauty of Montana during their fall getaway and comment that it’s “hard not to be awestruck” by the surrounding landscape.