For the second year in a row, and for the third time in the last four years, Yellowstone National Park has set a new annual visitation record. During the calendar year, 3,640,184 people visited the world’s first national park. Recreation visits in 2010 were 10.5 percent higher than recorded in 2009, which itself was a record year. This past year the park set monthly visitation records in June, July, August, September, and October. All park entrances recorded annual visitation increases compared to 2009 levels. Double-digit percentage increases were recorded through the North and West entrances. The West Entrance continues to be the park’s busiest, which hosted nearly 1.5 million recreational visitors in 2010. Park managers believe the record visitation was due in part to the public’s recognition that visits to national parks represent a good value for their travel dollar. By: Livingston Enterprise Staff Writer

Old Yellowstone Trail Ranch - Livingston, Montana The most recent issue of "The Week" magazine (November 19, 2010) has named Old Yellowstone Trail Ranch one the of "The Best Properties on the Market on 100 acres or More". Homes from across the United States were selected in this snapshot of fine properties on large tracts of land and included, in addition to the Livingston, MT home, properties from Maine, North Carolina, Rhode Island, California and New Mexico. Old Yellowstone Trail Ranch is 186 acres with dramatic views of the Absaroka Mountain range and the Yellowstone River valley.  The home at the ranch is a 9,000 square foot structure made from Engleman Spruce that was remodeled in 2007 to include appliances by Wolfe, SubZero and Meile.  In addition, custom mill work by Plato, granite counter tops and custom tile accents were also added to accentuate the spectacular natural setting of the home.  To further complement the interior finishes, a custom furniture package designed by Slifer ...

 Ranch for Sale is a Montana Real Estate Gem in the Heart of Paradise Valley The Montana real estate market now boasts a highly coveted ranch for sale. The majestic Bullis Creek Ranch, a property of unmatched beauty and wildlife in Paradise Valley, overlooks the Yellowstone River and the Absaroka Mountain Range. The property has wolves, elk, moose, bear, golden eagles, and both mule and whitetail deer. This is a fly fisherman's paradise and a nature enthusiast’s dream home. View across Bullis Creek Ranch to Wineglass Mountain   Bozeman, MT (PRWEB) October 28, 2010 An iconic ranch for sale is a Montana real estate gem. Bullis Creek Ranch, located within the spectacular Paradise Valley, is listed for sale for $29 million by Jason Frey of PureWest Properties of Bozeman, Montana. Forty-eight miles from Yellowstone National Park, Bullis Creek Ranch is a private landscape in majestic Paradise Valley. The 6,765+/- acre ranch remains essentially the same as when Lewis and Clark p ...

Reposted from: www.chronicleoutdoors.com   The general big game hunting season opened last Saturday with hunters across the state scouring the hills for trophy bull elk and white-tailed deer. But just as hunters are gearing up for the season, grizzly bears are preparing for winter hibernation. It’s an unfortunate reality that occasionally hunters and grizzlies cross paths. “Hunting season is a dynamic time of year when grizzly bears are putting on weight and hunters are in the field producing a food source with carcasses and gut piles,” said Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks bear management specialist Kevin Frey. “The bears want that food source.” Frey said every year there are encounters between grizzlies and hunters that lead to potential human injury and bear mortality. FWP is encouraging hunters to be bear aware this hunting season by taking simple steps to minimize the chance of a grizzly bear encounter. One of the most basic steps hunters can take to reduce the chance of an encounter i ...

The Montana Landscape - Open Meadow with Mountain Backdrops Hand in hand with the desire to own a piece of Montana with one of its fabled rivers flowing past your open front door, is the romantic vision of exploring the landscape in much the same way as it was done 150 years ago, on horseback with the sun on your shoulders and miles of prairie unfolding like a sea around you.  Montana has always been synonymous with America’s western frontier and horses were an integral part of that historical period.  They remain so today, being irreplaceable on many of our working cattle ranches, helping explore portions of back-country wilderness not accessible by all-terrain vehicles, pulling sleighs full of new found friends through snowy winter evenings, or simply allowing those of us fortunate enough to call Montana home yet another form of recreation that makes our friends from farther away envious of our lifestyle. PureWest represents a series of properties where horses are not only welcomed, they are e ...

      I had the opportunity this past weekend to take a morning and enjoy it with my family, which is something we do not get to do as often as I would like.  My wife and I currently have two children, our son is almost 4, our daughter is 18 months, and we are expecting #3 in December.  We are not crazy but, if the family continues to expand at this rate we may be soon.  Spare time is at a premium and enjoying it all together is rarer still. So when the opportunity arose for a family hike we were all excited.  As I have said previously, the most difficult part of recreating in the Bozeman area is choosing what to do and where to do it.  The possibilities are as near endless as it gets.  My wife and I are stealing an idea from my cousin Seth and his wife Brooke, we are taking 52 hikes in the Bozeman area and writing each of them on a playing card.  When it comes time to choose a path, we simply choose a card and head out, it makes the selection p ...

Madison River near Cameron, MT A common thread among my friends who are looking for property in this area of Montana revolves around the dream of having a property where they can walk out their back door and hear the calming rush of water. From small, private creeks to the power and recreational opportunities of rivers like the Madison and Yellowstone, the presence of water has always been a large driving factor in the decision to purchase investment or recreational properties. In our little corner of the globe, we have been overwhelmingly endowed with access to phenomenal water courses. The fishing on the Madison, Gallatin, Yellowstone and Missouri are famed for a reason and smaller stretches of live water such the spring creeks in Paradise Valley, the East Gallatin, Smith, and Stillwater Rivers are as good or better in terms of fisheries with limited access making them highly sought after destinations. If you are looking for property that has direct river frontage on these or other fabled Mon ...

  9 Mill Creek Road, Paradise Valley, Montana There are few places in this world as aptly named as Paradise Valley, Montana. The dramatic peaks of the Absaroka Mountain range frame the backdrop of the famed Yellowstone River valley as it meanders its way out of our nation’s first national park. The surrounding land has been contoured by millennia of nature’s influence and it not only is home to dramatic peaks and lush valleys, but to open grasslands, high alpine forests and life abundant spring creeks. Located in the heart of this valley is the property at 9 Mill Creek Road, encompassing 20 acres of prime Yellowstone river frontage with staggering views of the mountains.  The home comprises over 3,900 square feet of which over 3,100 are finished living space. As you enter into the home you are greeted by a quaint kitchen with windows that drink in mountain landscape and river views. Entering the northerly wing of the home reveals two bedrooms and two bathrooms that are si ...

  Centre Sky Architecture, Ltd. is a professional design firm with a wide range of experience in all types of architecture. The firm believes in a commitment to the highest quality solution for their clients, unique tailored design, and a heavy emphasis on ecological integration. Centre Sky has clients throughout the US and internationally. Their work sweeps from the mesas of Southwestern Colorado to the peaks and valleys of the Northern Rocky Mountains. They hold licenses in Montana, Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah and specialize in custom residential, vacation homes, resort architecture, master planning, commercial buildings, and historic restoration. Quality work is their first priority. When selecting materials, they plan for the future, researching new materials and techniques, while also respecting age-old building practices. Quality materials and quality construction result in a building that stands this test of time.   Sustainable Design Philosophy Centre Sky Architecture approaches ...

  VIew of Absaroka Mountains from Bullis Creek Ranch The Property It is a rare property that encompasses an unobstructed panoramic view of an incredible alpine wilderness that also offers unparalleled privacy within walking distance of a highly desirable mountain community. The 6,765± acre (5,485 deeded) Bullis Creek Ranch utilizes its natural topography and large private neighboring holdings to create an ultra-private setting only six miles from Livingston. Located in the sought-after Paradise Valley, which offers the only year-round entrance to Yellowstone National Park, Bullis Creek Ranch consists of productive irrigated lands on the Yellowstone River Valley floor and transitions through a range of microclimates before reaching the high alpine forested areas of Wineglass Mountain. The valley climbs gently up through lightly treed mountain rangeland to inviting stands of aspen tucked under a dramatic rock face. Home sites from virtually any spot in the valley command truly dramatic views of the t ...