As the hit TV show Yellowstone attracts record tourist numbers to Montana, the Treasure State grapples with balancing the growing fame with the need to protect its pristine environment.
The rugged and remote mountain landscapes of Montana have long called to me. As a passionate nature-lover and sustainability advocate, I’ve been an ardent admirer of how this US state was the first to enshrine citizens’ right to a clean and healthy environment in its constitution – for present and future generations.
Recently, however, thanks in large part to the debut of the hit TV show Yellowstone, I’ve noticed more and more people around me setting their sights on the state. Its newfound fame, coupled with a land rush among ultra-wealthy urbanites seeking their slice of paradise, is putting a strain on Montana’s pristine environment.
Wanting to find out for myself how the TV spotlight may be transforming the Treasure State, my mother and I recently ventured to the Bozeman area, a great jumping-off point for exploring North Yellowstone Park. It was both a bucket-list adventure and an eye-opening, insightful look at how this precious state is balancing the boon and bane of increased tourism.
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Like a cowboy to the herd, Yellowstone has been driving travellers to Montana since its debut. According to a study by the University of Montana, two million tourists visited the state in 2021 alone – almost double the state’s entire population. That same year, 1.2 million acres (485,622 hectares) of Montana land were sold, a 34% increase over 2020.
Visitors and buyers were no doubt inspired by the show’s breathtaking portrayal of the Big Sky Country. Others may have been restless for wide open spaces to escape to during pandemic-era quarantine restrictions. Whatever their reason, visitors injected an estimated US$730 million into the local economy, filling hotels, restaurants and shops across the state.
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Despite economic benefits, the surge in interest has elicited mixed reactions from locals, with some I spoke to commenting that these outsiders have somewhat eroded the state’s ubiquitous “small town” vibe. John Martin, the general manager at Sage Lodge (below), described his neighbourhood as a place where, if you get a flat bike tyre or end up in a ditch on the side of the road, you’ll never have to wait long before someone stops to help.
As a hospitality business, Martin works hard to ensure Sage’s presence is strengthening and not disrupting that community spirit. The resort partners with local businesses, showcasing art by Bozeman-based artists, and even hosts career days for local middle school students to introduce them to opportunities in the hospitality industry.
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There are also concerns about misconceptions the show perpetuates about ranching and life in Montana. The series often glamorises a romanticised, rugged lifestyle that is far from the reality of day-to-day life for most residents. For example, the show’s depiction of endless summer days can leave visitors unprepared for Montana’s harsh winters, leading to a skewed perception of the state’s true climate and culture.
I may have fallen for that misconception myself. My mom and I planned our trip for May, a time I thought for sure would escape the winter chill. Not so. We arrived in Bozeman late one frosty May afternoon and checked into our luxe tent at Under Canvas North Yellowstone (below), only to realise our suite provided little respite from the 30-degree wind chill.
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That said, the setting was jaw-dropping. The camp is nestled alongside the Yellowstone River with 360 degrees of snow-capped mountain peaks surrounding it. After managing to warm our tent a bit with the wood-burning stove, we headed to the main lodge for a warm and delicious dinner of bison chilli.
The next morning I was grateful for planning an eight-hour private tour of North Yellowstone in a temperature-controlled car. Despite the cold, visiting in May had plenty of perks; the park was quieter than usual, and the landscape was dotted with newborn wildlife. We were lucky to come across baby bison, deer and even bear cubs.
Even still, at one point we rounded a bend and saw a line of 50 or more cars parked along the road, with dozens of tourists trekking toward the woods, jostling for the perfect photo of a mama grizzly and her cubs ambling through the valley nearby – some getting dangerously close. The hubbub was a shocking departure after so much vast emptiness and underscored the dangers of over-tourism to both wildlife and the tourists themselves. We found a similar fracas where others had spotted wolves in the mountains. Shaking his head in disapproval, our guide, Jesse, noted that these were small crowds compared to peak tourist times.
To avoid further crowds, we decided to skip the famous Old Faithful geyser for “the upper loop,” where we saw plenty of wildlife along the Lamar Valley – known as the Serengeti of North America – some incredible thermal features like Mammoth Geyser Basin, and the historic Fort Yellowstone. We loved getting to experience so many of the park’s natural wonders in a much less congested setting.
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Our off-season trip found us in a Montana that felt in balance. It’s the best time to explore this amazing state without adding to the strain of peak tourist season (June-August). For anyone else enchanted by the state’s and Yellowstone Park’s environmental allure, it is definitely worth seeing. Just be mindful of how your visit might follow that old, outdoor-adventurer’s adage to “leave it better than you found it.”
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