Yellowstone Region Montana

Travel South-Central and Southeast Montana

Livingston – Billings – Glendive
Red Lodge – Big Timber

Southeast and South-central Montana is Yellowstone. Most of this region is vast, mostly treeless, plains, extending west from the North Dakota border to the city of Billings. The history of the region centers around the Yellowstone River. The Yellowstone River begins in Yellowstone National Park. The river meanders northeast across the plains of southeastern Montana, until it joins with the Missouri River in North Dakota. The Yellowstone is one of America’s last free-flowing rivers. It is clearly a national treasure.

Buffalo and other wildlife flourished along the Yellowstone River’s broad valley and the adjacent plains, during the early 19th century. The river served as a lifeline for the Native Americans.

Today, the Yellowstone River Valley is a highly productive agricultural region, producing crops as diverse as alfalfa, sugar beets, and corn. Large numbers of Hereford and other cattle are raised on ranches in the Yellowstone region. Cities, such as Glendive, Miles City, and Billings, have prospered because of the presence of the river.

The Beartooth-Absaroka Wilderness is a prominent part of the landscape southwest of Billings. The Beartooth has 12 mountain peaks towering over 12,000 feet. At high elevations, 950 alpine lakes add to the beauty of the mountains. High plateaus, deep canyons, and sparkling streams are common. The mountains border Yellowstone National Park on the north.