Park County, Montana, Livingston, Paradise Valley, Yellowstone National Park
Park County, MT is Montana’s 12th most populous county with ~16,084 residents. Because of its proximity to Yellowstone National Park and the abundance of outdoor recreation, Park County continues to grow steadily. Park County’s diverse economy includes services, agriculture, recreation, logging, mining, and technology businesses. Park County, Montana has a rich ranching and railroad heritage, and is a hot spot for anglers and floaters of the Yellowstone River, which flows through Park County, Montana.
According to the Montana Almanac, Park County, MT was established in February of 1887 and was named after Yellowstone National Park because of its proximity to the Park. The County was formed off the eastern side of Gallatin County and included large sections of present day Stillwater, Sweet Grass, and Carbon counties. With nearly all of Yellowstone Park residing in Wyoming, and more job opportunities in Bozeman, Montana about one-fifth of Park County’s residents commute out of the county for work.
Park County, MT is named for the “Park” in “Yellowstone National Park,” the United States’ oldest national park. The southern boundary of Park County Montana forms the northern edge of Yellowstone Park.
The town of Gardiner is home to the original (and only year-round) entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
Yellowstone Park is a major tourist attraction and, consequently, today tourism, recreation, and healthcare are intrinsic to Park County’s economy.
Other important industries in the County’s history include logging, agriculture, and coal and precious metal mining. Park County, MT has one hospital, two health clinics, and four airports.
Park County, Montana is the state’s twelfth most populous county, with an estimated 17,000 residents. Livingston, Montana, the county seat, is the state’s thirteenth largest city, with a population estimated at 7,400. Other Park County, Montana cities and towns include Clyde Park, Cooke City, Corwin Springs, Emigrant, Gardiner, Jardine, Pine Creek, Pray, Silver Gate, Springdale, and Wilsall.
Just to the east of Gallatin County, Montana and on the northern border of Yellowstone National Park, Park County, Montana includes the beautiful Paradise Valley, MT and Shields Valley, MT.
According to the Atlas of Park County Montana, “A hallmark of Park County is its internationally known rivers and blue-ribbon trout fishery.
“The Yellowstone River flowing out of Yellowstone National Park is a critically important water resource for communities, agriculture, recreation, and fish and wildlife.
“The Shields River is also heavily used for irrigation and well-known for its excellent trout fishing.
These rivers and watersheds are monitored and carefully managed by local watershed groups working in collaboration with landowners and local, state and federal agencies.”