4 Best Sights in Helena, Bozeman, and Southwest Montana, Montana

The 1902 Livingston Depot Center is situated in the former Northern Pacific depot, which served as the gateway to Yellowstone for the park's first 25 years. In the summer months it's now a museum with displays centered on Western and railroad history.

A drive on this loop takes you along the spectacular Yellowstone River for a short way and then past historic churches, schoolhouses, hot springs, and expansive ranches, all below the peaks of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness.

The Yellowstone Gateway Museum, on the north side of town in a turn-of-the-20th-century schoolhouse, holds an eclectic collection, including finds from a 10,000-year-old Native American dig site, a flag fragment associated with the Battle of the Little Bighorn, and a Native cultures interpretive exhibit. Outdoor displays include an old caboose, a sheep wagon, a stagecoach, and other pioneer memorabilia.

Just south of Livingston and north of Yellowstone National Park, the Yellowstone River comes roaring down the Yellowstone Plateau and flows through Paradise Valley. A dozen fishing access sites are found in this area, some with primitive public campsites (available on a first-come, first-served basis). In addition to trout fishing, rafting and canoeing are popular here. With snowcapped peaks, soaring eagles, and an abundance of wildlife, a float on this section of the Yellowstone is a lifetime experience. U.S. 89 follows the west bank of the river, and East River Road runs along the east side.