Yellowstone National Park was the world’s first national park. It was established by the U.S. Congress on March 1, 1872.
In the beginning, though, visiting Yellowstone wasn’t as easy as it is today. The Museum of the Yellowstone, in West Yellowstone, Montana, shows you just how tough it really was!
Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits
My favorite era of travel into Yellowstone was the railroad era. Indeed, train is one of my favorite ways to see the world.
The first trains into Yellowstone National Park arrived in 1883. That entrance (North of Gardiner) eventually became the North Entrance. West Yellowstone’s trains (the West Entrance) began in 1908 and ran until 1960.
Arriving in West Yellowstone must have been amazing! Once the whistle blew to announce the train’s arrival, the Beanery Queens rushed to the platform.
Their voices lifted in song, like Yellowstone’s mountains, to greet guests.
Who were the Beanery Queens? The lucky young women who had inside connections that got them hired to work the summer in Yellowstone.
The job? Waitresses.
Waitresses had free board and room in a dormitory next to the Lodge. However, they had to purchase the dress uniforms, collars, and aprons. They also bought their own black oxford shoes, preferably with military style heels.
Fast Fact: Today, the buildings in West Yellowstone's Historic District make up the largest collection of railroad service buildings at a railroad terminus in the U.S.
What’s in The Museum of the Yellowstone
The Museum of the Yellowstone curates the history of travel into Yellowstone National Park. You’ll find lots of historic photos, videos, information panels, and artifacts to tell the story.
The Stagecoach Era
In the beginning, visitors simply rode horses into the park.
It wasn’t until 1886 that guests could tour Yellowstone by stagecoach. While several different companies popped up to offer rides, the Yellowstone Park Transportation Company led the way with their bright yellow, Yellowstone Coaches.
But it wasn’t just the color that set Yellowstone Coaches apart from the competition. Inside the stagecoach, instead of facing each other, guests faced forward and had open sides so guests could look out at the scenery.
The Monida & Yellowstone Stage Company purchased three Mt. Washburn Special stagecoaches. These mountain spring wagons started carrying passengers from Canyon to the top of Mt. Washburn as a special tour in 1908.
Mt. Washburn’s peak elevation is 10,219 feet (3,115 m). Visitors had panoramic views for about 20 to 50 miles (32 to 80 km).
Of course, the six-horse Tally-Ho stagecoachs also made a mark. They carried up to 36 people on four interior seats, an exterior seat, and even some seats on the roof!
Car and Bus Era
Park authorities resisted allowing motor vehicles into Yellowstone for many reasons. However, eventually, in 1915, automobiles were officially allowed in the park. A Ford Model T became the first to legally enter the park on July 31.
The Yellowstone Park Transportation Company was designated as the sole park transportation provider. They purchased 116 touring crs and motor buses for use in the 1917 summer season.
Fast Fact: Yellowstone Park Transportation drivers were known as "gearjammers." They were some of the best paid and most envied of park workers.
Modern Ways to See Yellowstone
It was a given that once airplanes became popular, they’d be used in Yellowstone. The United Forest Service (USFS) contributed 130 acres for an airport runway in West Yellowstone in 1933. The first landing at the West Yellowstone Airport was October 21, 1934.
Yellowstone during the winter is a whole different experience. Initially, of course, people toured the snow-covered park with skis and snowshoes.
However, the invention of machines with tracks made traveling on the snow much easier. Museum displays show the evolution of winter travel from snowplanes to snowcoaches to snowmobiles.
What do you think was the first over-the-snow vehicle used in Yellowstone?
The first tracked, over-the-snow vehicle in Yellowstone was the Studebaker M29 Weasel. It used two parallel tracks similar to those of a military armored tank. It had been designed in WWII for a winter campaign in Norway.
The National Park Service acquired surplus Weasels for park rangers’ use in Yellowstone from teh 1940s into the 1980s.
Old Snaggletooth
Yellowstone Park is an important habitat for bears, as it’s home to two species: grizzly bears and black bears. Prior to the 1970s, people fed the bears. I remember the line-ups of cars as people still stopped to interact with them on my first visit to Yellowstone.
In 1970, the park initiated a bear management program. It aimed to get the grizzlies and black bears back to feeding on natural food sources. They installed bear-proof garbge cans and closed park garbage dumps.
Fast Fact: Old Snaggletooth was a 1000+ pound grizzly that roamed the park in the 1960s. He fed nightly at the local garbage dump until he was shot by poachers who were caught and fined. Snaggletooth's preserved body is in the museum.
Park regulations make it a law that people stay at least 100 yards (91 m) from bears (unless you’re in your vehicle and letting a bear move by). It’s also against the law to feed bears, or any other park animals.
The museum also has exhibits and movies on the 1959 earthquake and 1988 fires that were devastating to the local environment.
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
Yellowstone National Park is an amazing destination as it’s home to half of the world’s geysers — indeed it has over 10,000 hydrothermal sites! Many visitors to the park arrive by motorhome or with campers, and there are lots of amazing sites for them.
We’ve always stayed in West Yellowstone on our visits. Our last stay was at the Brandin’ Iron Inn, which was great. It was right across the street from an excellent barbeque restaurant, the Firehole Bar-B-Que.
When it comes to more things to do in West Yellowstone, I highly recommend the AZA accredited Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center. Watching the animals is fascinating, especially if you make it for feeding times.
Who Should Visit the Yellowstone Museum?
The museum is a great stop for everyone interested in transportation over the past 150 years. While the challenges of getting stagecoaches through the rugged Yellowstone terrain must have been massive, just think about visiting in the snow!
There’s a lot of information in the museum, so it’ll take an hour or more to go through the exhibits. The layout is spacious, so there shouldn’t be any mobility issues for visitors.
If you’re in Yellowstone National Park, a day in West Yellowstone can add more things to see and do.
How Do You Visit the Museum of the Yellowstone?
The Museum of the Yellowstone is open seasonally. Check its website for days and hours.
Get the latest news on the Museum of the Yellowstone’s Facebook page.
Take a virtual tour of the Museum of the Yellowstone on YouTube.
Plan your visit with Google Maps.
Find More Museum Attractions in Montana
If you’re looking for things to see and do in Montana, check out all the Montana museum reviews on guide2museums.com.
Read More Transportation Museum Reviews
- Museum of the Yellowstone Explores 150 Years of Travel
- Rare Cars, Motorcyles, Antiques & More at South Dakota’s Pioneer Auto Show
- Luxurious Classic Cars & Glitzy Collectibles in WY Museum
- Surprising Story of Polaris Snowmobiles: MN Museum
- Ski-Doo Snowmobiles Jaw-Dropping History: QC Museum
- Harleys to Merkels: Legends Motorcycle Museum
- Notable Snowmobile Museum in Michigan’s UP
Reference(s)
United States Department of the Interior National Park Service. (1983). National Register of Historic Places Inventory – nomination form. https://mhs.mt.gov/Shpo/docs/MPDs/West-Yellowstone-MRA.pdf
Acknowledgements
During our visit to West Yellowstone we were provided with complimentary hotel accommodations by Destination Yellowstone. This support helps us be able to create and maintain this site.
guide2museums.com 
