
By the way, West is fun year round. Check out our video to see why.
Hike Through Autumn Colors

Ghost Village
This is a short walk along the Madison River where the colors are out of this world. On the uphill slope, aspens flutter in the breeze (until their leaves drop) and the riparian zone is covered in gold and red willows and other shrubs. The trail leaves from the east end of the small parking area, next to the vault toilet. You’ll have to really look for the Ghost Village, most of the buildings destroyed in the 1959 Hebgen Lake Earthquake are now underwater or broken down. Across the river, a few cabins poke through the brush, and about 0.5 miles down the trail there is another cabin uphill. (See the Scenic Drive section for more on the earthquake.) This is a very popular place for fishing since the “Big Browns” spawn from Quake Lake to the gravel beds just below the Hebgen Lake dam. (See the Fish Big Brown Trout section below.) Getting There: Drive north on US 191 for 8.2 miles. Turn left on US 287 and continue for 13.9 miles to Ghost Village Road. Turn left and drive on the gravel, pothole-filled road until the end, about 1.3 miles.Riverside Trails
From the trailhead walk east along the power line on the very flat and very straight Access Trail. The trail is even wider now since fire fighting equipment came through in the summer of 2016. At 0.25 miles you’ll pass a trail register and at 1.0 mile you’ll reach the junction with the Downriver and Upriver Loops. This is a great place to cross-country ski in winter. Downriver Loop: Veer left at the junction and head down the hill towards the Madison River. You’ll cross an open meadow and then wind along the Madison River for 1.3 miles until the trail loops back to the top of the hill. Watch for the orange markers on the trees. It is another 1.0 mile to the Access Trail. Upriver Loop: Head to the right on the road briefly, looking for the trail through the trees on the left. The trails winds through lodgepoles on a bench above the river. At about 0.5 miles drop down a steep 60 yards. In another 0.3 miles you’ll reach the Madison River. The trail follows the river downstream to the end of the loop and a mellow climb back to the bench where you’ll meet the Access Trail. Getting There: The trails start on the east side of Boundary Street between Yellowstone and Madison Avenues. Look for the trail sign.Fish Big Brown Trout

Walk Through History

Scenic Drive to Quake Lake

Eat at Year Round Restaurants

Bonus: Tour Yellowstone National Park

Are you convinced to enjoy fall in West Yellowstone?
More Fun in West Yellowstone
- Visiting West Yellowstone in Autumn
- Cross-Country Skiing in West Yellowstone
- Best Places to Stay Near Yellowstone National Park
- Things to Do Beyond Yellowstone’s Borders


Thanks for showing us a different side of yellowstone!
My pleasure!
great tips on west yellowstone! I’d like to take part in the historic walking tour! How long does self-guided tour usually take?
You could do it in as little as 20 minutes or take an hour or more. It just depends how much you want to stop and read. Add extra time for the museum!