Bring the family fishing!

Fishing on the Yellowstone!

The Yellowstone Lookout Montana Vacation Rental Homes are located just North of Yellowstone National Park on the Yellowstone River in Montana's gorgeous Paradise Valley. This location offers guests easy access to a wide variety of fun activities.

Fishing: Your own private fishing on the Yellowstone River is right out the back door. The world renowned Yellowstone River offers some of the best wild trout fishing you'll find anywhere. In addition, just down the road are the world-famous spring creeks (DePuy's, Armstrong's, and Nelson's) and the streams in Yellowstone Park. Within easy driving distance are the Gallatin and Madison rivers, as well as the Boulder and lower Yellowstone all of which are also great trout fisheries. If you're an avid fly fisher, the Yellowstone Lookout Homes are hard to beat. Professional guide service and fishing information is available by checking out the links on this site.

Need the latest fishing report?

A gorgeous Paradise Valley view.

Looking off the deck.

Hanging out on the Yellowstone Lookout River deck: One of the favorite guest activities is to just hang out on the River deck. You'll almost feel like you are right on top of the River! Fire up the barbeque grill, read a book or just sit and watch the mighty Yellowstone River drift by. Bring your binoculars and camera as you never know what you might see. Depending on the season, you'll have the opportunity to see many mule deer, white tail deer and possibly other wildlife. In addition, there are numerous bird species in Paradise Valley and the Yellowstone River ecosystem including bald and American eagles, owls, hawks, falcons, wading birds, hummingbirds, and many songbirds, including the melodious western meadowlark.

On the River: Plan your own adventures on the Yellowstone River by renting a raft, canoe kayak or drift boat and launching it right from the house. Or, take in the thrill of whitewater rafting through the Yankee Jim Canyon of the Yellowstone, just minutes down the road. If you don't want to partake in the action yourself, you'll enjoy sitting on the deck to watch others float and raft by while taking in the terrific scenery of the river itself.

Yellowstone National Park: Yellowstone is the nation's oldest national park, and arguably the premier wildlife viewing destination in the country. Elk wander its lush meadows, bison roam the vast hillsides, and the opportunity to view grizzly bears, wolves and other wildlife in their native habitat is truly one-of-a-kind. Everyone needs to see Yellowstone Park at least once in their lives, and every season has its own appeal.

Swim at Chico Hot Springs within minutes!

Raft right to the house.

Hiking: Outstanding hiking trails are located in the Absaroka mountains/wilderness area just minutes from the Yellowstone Lookout Homes. You might even want to stop by at the US Forest Service Office (just South of Livingston on Highway 89) to get a map which will outline the hundreds of miles of wilderness trails available to you. In addition to the nearby mountainous wilderness trails, you'll want to explore the hundreds of miles of trails available to you within Yellowstone National Park. There are more trails right outside your door than you could possibly have time to hike. You'll find the scenery is breathtaking, and the wildlife watching and photography opportunities are remarkable.

Hot Springs: After a long day out hiking, fishing or sight seeing, check out Chico Hot Springs (about 8 miles from the homes). At Chico, you can enjoy a first-class meal and then a soak in its world-renown hot springs pool. If you have kids, you're going to have a hard time keeping them out of this pool. It's large enough to play in, but has a semi-separated warmer part more popular with relaxing adults. The Chico bar hosts good local live music for some fun night life, and the bar has a window out to the pool, if you'd rather relax with a drink out in the hot pool, and gaze up at the stars. It's a "must-do experience" place for the whole family.

HOT TUB: Enjoy the new 5 person HOT TUB on the lower river deck of Yellowstone Lookout South or on the deck at Yellowstone Lookout North. Soak in your own private HOT TUB while you watch the river flow by.

Another favorite activity is to experience the outdoor natural hot spring pools at Boiling River. You'll find the Boiling River parking area about 3 miles inside Yellowstone Park from Gardiner. After parking, you'll walk about a half mile along a path bordering the Gardiner River. Eventually, you'll see a place where a creek of hot geothermal water flows into the river (you'll see lots of steam). Here you'll see rocks piled up in the river to create natural pools where the hot water mingles with the cold river water to create comfortable places to soak and relax.

Go fishing right from your back door!

Looking up at the home from the Yellowstone River.

Horseback Riding: Several outfitters in the immediate area can take you on horseback up into the surrounding mountains or you might want to go on a guided ride into Yellowstone Park. It's a great way to see the wilderness and wildlife if hiking is not your thing. You'll also find many local rodeos to watch in the summertime.

Mountain Biking: There are many trails and country roads in the area that are wonderful for mountain biking. Bring you own bikes or rent them from a local rental service and you'll be set for a lot of fun.

Hunting: This region of Montana has excellent populations of elk, mule deer, whitetail, moose, black bear, bighorn sheep, mountain goat and mountain lion. For further information regarding hunting, licensing and regulations log onto www.fwp.state.mt.us.

Towns to Explore: The tiny town of Emigrant is nearby and offers a small general store as well as a few good places to eat. The town of Livingston is 20 minutes away with a great selection of restaurants, galleries and shopping. Just over the hill, you'll find Bozeman. Located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, Bozeman is truly a remarkable community. While retaining a small town feel, Bozeman prides itself on offering community activities and programs typically available only in larger, metropolitan areas. Combine the wide array of resources with an abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities and it's easy to understand why Bozeman ranks as one of the nation's most livable cities. There is so much to do!

While in the area: Many guests use Yellowstone Lookout Homes as a 'base' from which to explore all of Yellowstone and Grand Teton Park and the incredible Beartooth Highway.

Winter: When winter sets in and snow falls on the nearby mountains, the Yellowstone River is fabulous to watch as ice chunks float by. Downhill skiers can head for the slopes at Bridger Bowl or Big Sky, while cross country skiers and snowmobilers can find fabulous trails in the mountains nearby or in Yellowstone Park. After a long day of winter play, the cozy gas fired woodstoves and HOT TUBS at Yellowstone Lookout will be a welcome sight. The magnificent North entrance to Yellowstone Park is a short drive to the South through Montana's fabulous Paradise Valley. You'll find that most of the Yellowstone Park roads are closed to normal vehicle traffic during the winter, from mid-December through mid-March. As such, it makes a winter visit an outstanding time to take a snow coach ride, cross country ski or snowmobile through the Park.

The only car-accessible Yellowstone Park entrance that remains open year-round is located at Mammoth (the North Entrance). That plowed road makes for a fun drive in the winter-you can explore the Tower Falls area, the Lamar Valley and Cooke City. You may even want to stop and ski on some of the many groomed cross-country ski trails which are located along this road. If you want to view wolves, check out the Lamar Valley in the winter. It is fairly common to view wolf packs from road turnouts using scopes or binoculars. In Mammoth you can rent snowmobiles, cross-country skis and snowshoes and take snow coaches that transport you to Old Faithful or take you on tours to other destinations.