Why It's Not Easy Finding Hotels In West Yellowstone Montana

By Author: Peter Campbell
Total Articles: 1
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The National Park Service is reporting record visitor traffic to Yellowstone National Park in 2010 with an estimated 3.3 Million Visitors! Nothing, not even an economic downturn, is preventing Americans from taking advantage of the scenic beauty of our National Parks. But where are all these people staying? Hotels, Motels, and campgrounds are at capacity and private vacation home rentals are sparse. In particular, during the prime summer season West Yellowstone Hotels are nearly always at capacity. July is the busiest month followed by August then tapering off some after September.

While most people would think that summer is the best time to visit; West Yellowstone is a year round recreation area with cross country skiers, snowmobilers, even Olympic athletes enjoying the many recreational opportunities afforded to the hardy few who can withstand the freezing cold winter months. And the same issue arises - where do I stay? Not all motels and hotels choose to stay open during the winter due to the harsh climate. Many family-owned properties will board up and head to warmer climates instead of endure what can be some very ...
... harsh winters.

Because the Federal Government owns and controls most of the land in and around West Yellowstone development is not an easy task. If it were you would expect many large corporate Chains to stake a claim and put up newer properties to take advantage of the massive amount of visitors through the parks west entrance. It just has not happened and with a renewed focus on the environment and preserving our national treasures you can expect it will not happen in the foreseeable future. For this reason the properties that are already in place enjoy a windfall of repeated visitors and prices will stay up. Many small West Yellowstone Hotels and Motels have been handed down from family to family since the early to middle 1900's. This is prime real estate and it doesn't change hands often.

The most typical property type is the standard Motor Lodge with approximately 25-75 rooms available. Don't expect resort style amenities either! Yes it's true you'll find high speed Wi-Fi internet access, cable/satellite television, coffee makers, and usually some kind of basic breakfast service, but that's about it. Some properties advertise spas and pools but they are very small and not exactly "Resort Quality". And room rates are pretty much locked in the $100-$200 per night range. The reality is there is little competition so there is little incentive to lower prices or do much more than maintain existing properties.

Now we are not trying to paint an entirely negative picture here, we just want people to understand that West Yellowstone is not a place you hop in the car on a whim and expect to find suitable lodging at the last moment. We can not emphasize enough how important it is that you make Hotel Reservations weeks if not months in advance. And make sure to confirm you reservations before traveling. The last thing you want is to show up and be forced to find a room. You could easily end up sleeping in your car!

West Yellowstone is beautiful, scenic, and an experience that most people will cherish for their entire lives. However the quality and availability of accommodations leaves much to be desired. Fortunately www.WestYellowstoneHotels.ORG offers you a real solution to this dilemma of supply/demand economics. Visit before your trip to compare properties and prices of all available properties so your Yellowstone Vacation will be a happy and rewarding experience.

Mary Kay is a writer and long time Yellowstone Park visitor having spent many summers growing up in the West Yellowstone area at a family vacation cabin. Her experience and insights into the West Yellowstone lodging market have lead her to develop a website where visitors can compare Hotels, Cabin Rentals, Motels, and Private Properties to find properties that suit their own vacation needs. Visit us: http://www.westyellowstonehotels.org .