Fall Activities for the Whole Family

The colors are popping here in Montana’s Yellowstone Country, and the scenery is stunning. There’s still time to get out and enjoy fall activities before the snow flies, and YC is full of things the whole family will enjoy.

 

Watch Wildlife in Yellowstone

Of course, this is a great time to watch wildlife in Yellowstone National Park. All entrances are open to vehicular traffic until 8 a.m., Oct. 31, and the animals are active this time of year! (Please note, while all but the North Entrance closes to vehicles throughout the winter, Yellowstone itself is open year-round, 24/7 In the winter, you can explore the Park from the West Entrance via guided snowmobile and snowcoach tours.

 

Get Lost in a Maze

In Manhattan, the Montana Corn Maze draws hundreds of families to explore the 6-acre maze, which has three different levels of maze challenges. The Bozeman Maze, made from haybales, is another favorite — notably the Flashlight Nights, when guests quite literally get lost in the dark.

Explore our State Parks

On October 26, Missouri Headwaters State Park is hosting a Halloween celebration. Festivities include a Broomstick Race, bat book readings and talks 🦇, a presentation on arachnids 🕷️, a costume contest, and s’mores, cider and cocoa ☕. Speaking of state parks, YC is also home to Madison Buffalo Jump and Greycliff Prairie Dog Town. Both are great places for kids to learn more about history and our natural environment.

 

Educational Fun

Another great educational and fun event for kids is “Meet Me at the Arch,” a series of family events hosted by Museum of the Rockies (MOR). This new program explores Montana’s nature, history, culture and economy, from Yellowstone’s exciting flora, fauna and geothermals to the ranches, mines and rodeos of the west to the impressive array of dinosaur fossils found in our home state. The next pop-up event is on Oct. 20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at MOR.

 

Attend a Festival in Big Sky

In Big Sky, the annual Haunted Peaks Halloween Festival is a three-day celebration with a plethora of spooky holiday activities, including a week-long horror film fest, a Skull and Roses Ball with a costume contest, a Mini Monster Mash Kid’s Party, a Haunted Run and a Concert Pub Crawl.

If not this year, we hope you’ll entertain the idea of a fall vacation or getaway to our neck of the woods, it truly is a fantastic time to visit.

Explore West Yellowstone

Before the snow flies, you may want to take the family biking in Yellowstone. Free Heel and Wheel in West Yellowstone rents bikes, and it’s a lovely way to see the area up close and personal. While there, don’t miss the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, where you can learn about grizzly bears, wolves, otters, birds of prey and ground squirrels.