Those who head to West Yellowstone in Montana usually do so for one reason: to visit the amazing Yellowstone Park. What if I told you that in addition to the famous park, there are many other interesting things to see near the city? Of course, nothing compares to Yellowstone in terms of beauty and majesty, however, those who love to go in search of destinations less traveled by mass tourism (the so-called hidden gems) will be enthusiastic about Mesa Falls, for example, the imposing Idaho Falls, just an hour or so away, or the charming ghost towns of Virginia City and Nevada City, authentic western towns where time seems to stand still.
Today I would like to talk about the itinerary that allows us to visit these 2 charming, incredibly well-preserved villages of the old west, a beautiful route that unfolds amidst typical Montana landscapes, with pastures, mountain ranges in the background, the inevitable ranches, crystal clear mountain lakes and of course, the legend of the old west. This route is known as the Vigilante Trail, a route that is partly of interest to those who intend to go from Yellowstone to Glacier National Park. It takes its name from the gold rush era, when outlaws wandered these lands, and a group of cowboys, “the vigilantes”, decided to put an end to the raids by the many bandits who stole the gold found by the miners.
PS: Do you want to know what are the best places to visit in Big Sky Country? Read our article about the things to do in Montana.
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Preliminary information and what to expect
Driving time is about 1 hour 30 minutes one way (to Nevada City) and by taking your time to enjoy the stops you make, you can easily spend a full day on this Montana road trip, taking the same amount of time to return to West Yellowstone. If you intend to continue on to Glacier National Park, consider making an overnight stop, for example in Butte, a town 4 hours away from the park with a fair number of accommodations and, as we will see, with a number of interesting attractions. As for accommodations in West Yellowstone, you can check out our dedicated tips.
The typical landscape that you will see on this trip is mainly immense prairies and pastures; you will see an incredible amount of ranches, cows, and horses, and in the background, framing everything, the beautiful mountain ranges of Montana, the perfect defining element of a clear sky that seems truly immense, it is no coincidence that this State is known as Big Sky Country.
Below are all the stop-off points you will come across along the way:
Hebgen Lake
Distance from West Yellowstone: 15 minutes (view from the road) 26 minutes (arrival at the lake)
The first of the lakes you’ll pass along the way is Hebgen Lake, which you’ll see better on the return leg, since it will be to your left on the way out. If you want, you can decide not to settle for a view from the road and visit the lake (turning off 191 at Rainbow Point Road), but aside from the nice view, it’s not a particularly memorable lake, and it’s mostly loved by those who enjoy fishing and canoe rides.
Earthquake Lake
Distance from West Yellowstone: 26 minutes
This lake, characterized by numerous bare trees that emerge from the waters, certainly deserves more attention than the previous one. Its name comes from the dramatic process of its formation: in August 1959, in fact, an impressive earthquake of 7.3 on the Richter scale shook 80 million tons of earth, producing a radical change of landscape that led to the emergence of the new lake. The event killed 28 people who were camping on nearby Hebgen Lake. You can drive along the lake and appreciate the beautiful views it offers from the road, or stop at the Visitor Center and the nearby Boulder Memorial, a massive piece of mountain, where there is a memorial plaque dedicated to those who lost their lives during the seismic event and which gives a good idea of the power that Mother Nature unleashed that day.
Ennis
Distance from West Yellowstone: 1 hour 10 min
After so much nature, it’s time to stop in the first small town with a western flavor that you will meet on this route. This is Ennis, a nice taste of the final destinations on this route.
Take a leisurely stroll down the village’s picturesque main street, strolling through its wooden arcades and roadside stores. It may be too early for such a stop, but if you’d like to sample some good local whiskey, you can stop by the village distillery (Willies Distillery).
Madison Valley History Museum
Distance from West Yellowstone: 1 hour 15 min
After passing Ennis, just before you reach Virginia City, the road will start to climb and you will notice a building on the left that says History Museum. What’s a museum doing out here in the open country? This is an institution created for the purpose of preserving the history and culture of Madison Valley, a veritable repository of artifacts, objects, and materials that tell the story of this small region’s western past.
Among the “prized pieces” of this collection is the Madison Monster, an animal (probably a wolf) that terrorized the region many years ago, and whose raids were interrupted by shots from the daredevil I. A. Hutchins’ rifle (fans of stories of this type will find all the documentation on the story in the museum, as well as the mysterious stuffed animal).
Admission is free, and the museum is open from late May through September (check the official website for hours).
Scenic turnout: view of Madison Valley
Distance from West Yellowstone: 1 hour 20 min
Just before reaching the western town of Virginia City you will find a very impressive viewpoint, an elevated overlook that gives you a great view of Madison Valley and the mountains above it. To indicate this point, there is a sign that says “Scenic Turnout”. When I drove by it, I was literally blown away.
Virginia City and Nevada City
Distance from West Yellowstone: 1 hour 30 min
Here we are at the 2 most interesting destinations of this trip, the heart of the so-called Vigilante Trail: the western towns of Virginia City and Nevada City, 2 villages so close that they are less than 5 minutes from each other by car (there is also a special train that connects them, operational until mid-afternoon during the summer). The first is a town that is still alive and healthy, with a visitors’ center, stores, and various activities. Along the main street, there are stores that are still in business and historical buildings with information panels where you can learn about the history of the town. There are saloons, a blacksmith store, a barbershop, the cemetery, and everything you can expect from a town from the Gold Rush era (for lovers of the genre, I also recommend reading our itinerary on the Gold Rush in California). There are more than 70 historic buildings and attractions, most of which are located on Wallace Street (the town’s Main Street), so if you want to go on an exhaustive tour of the entire site, it might well take you a full 2 hours.
The smaller Nevada City is no less interesting, in fact, in some ways it can be considered even more authentic: I don’t think anyone lives there and the only businesses I noticed were a hotel, a saloon/museum, and a restaurant. It is a real ghost town, occasionally revived by the tourists who visit it and by the actors in costume who bring it to life during summer weekends. The Visitor Center, set up inside the old train station, is very nice. This is the point where you should start your visit and learn about the town’s past.
Our guide to Virginia and Nevada City
Continuing along the Vigilante Trail
At this point, you can reverse the route and go back to West Yellowstone, but if your itinerary plans to continue north in the direction of Glacier National Park, the Vigilante Trail does not stop here, but continues through other border villages, although not as interesting as the 2 we have just seen, until the town of Butte. The most interesting attractions are in and around this town, for example:
- World Museum of Mining: a very well-kept museum that includes a full-scale reconstruction of an old mining town, an “underground recreation” of what life was like for miners in the past, and various exhibits dedicated to the theme with original items and tools.
- Copper King Mansion: This mansion built between 1884 and 1888 belonged to one of the great magnates of the time and you can visit it on guided tours, or even sleep there. The interiors are all to be admired, with its frescoed ceilings, hand-decorated fireplaces, stained glass windows, and fine materials.
- The Berkeley Pit: Lovers of unusual attractions might find this former open-pit copper mine interesting. It is actually nothing more than a large pool of toxic waste. The reddish color of the water, produced by bacterial activity, makes the site quite interesting to look at. If you want to see it, you’ll have to pay an entrance fee of $ 2.
- Our Lady of the Rockies: the third highest statue of the Virgin Mary in the United States, 88 feet high, is at the top of the Continental Divide, ideally embracing the whole of Montana. To get to the top, you’ll have to go on an organized tour lasting about 2 and a half hours, but you can just see it from the road, perhaps with the help of binoculars.
About halfway between Nevada City and Butte is one of the region’s most popular destinations, the Lewis & Clark Caverns, an underground geological wonder that can be explored on a guided tour.
