Yellowstone maybe? (Bozeman, Miles City, Livingston: crime, home, school)

[calicocutie]

I posted this thread in "General U.S". and got no reply so I'll try here and also Wyoming and Idaho. We are considering a move to one of the three states mentioned(MT, WY, ID)near to Yellowstone Nat'l Park. We are looking for a small(2500 or so)town that's friendly and safe. One with a quaint Main St. and either a good bookstore or a library or both. We aren't bothered by the cold and snow. In fact we love it!! It would be nice to be about an hour away from a VA hospital for my husband. We also like to do community volunteer work. Right now we do a lot at our local hospital. Any suggestions as to a town that meets that criteria would be appreciated. Thanks

[calicocutie]

Let's say 5000 people--we really don't want a higher population if we can help it. Too many people and you get lost in the crowd.

[emmank]

First I'll address Idaho.... there's really not much that's very close to Yellowstone (unless you consider Island Park, and I find this the least attractive community surrounding yellowstone because of it's noisy plethora of ATVs and snowmobiles.) Driggs and Victor are quaint little towns but I think they are smaller than 2500 (be sure to check out Pierre's Playhouse if you're ever in Victor) and I'm not sure about their literary resources; def. hospitals in Idaho Falls, though. Driggs and Victor are very close to Grand Targhee ski area, which has no crowds and some of the best skiing scenery I've seen. The Cody, WY side is relatively far from any major town or hospital; The Wind River Range south of Yellowstone is lovely and remote, but again, pretty far from a hospital. Jackson is a fun place to visit, great skiing, art, etc. (I know I've seen more than a few bookstores there), but it is also a highly expensive place to live and very tourism-oriented. Livingston, MT sounds like what you may be looking for. My sister had all 4 of her babies in the hospital there and has nothing but good things to say about the healthcare. There are a few small bookstores, and Bozeman is 25 minutes away, (not 15, despite what some people may tell you that drive 100 mph) and has a beautiful new library, several large chain bookstores, and some even better local bookstores -- check out Vargo's -- Bozeman also has a large hospital, MSU's library, and tons of variety when it comes to donating your time. But Bozeman is growing in leaps and bounds and some find it less hospitable than it once was. Definitely far more than 2500 people. Livingston is much cheaper than Bozeman (you can still find a nice home in the 100k - 200k price range, impossible in Bozeman). A lot of wind, though! Gardiner is another possibility, although much smaller than livingston. Out of all the border communities near YNP, this one to me seems like a town, not just a tourist trap. YNP archives building is here, which is a great place to volunteer and learn more about Ystone), you are 2 min. to Yellowstone, and despite the small size, there is a VERY good (but small) bookstore in town to whom I have given a lot of business over the years. There is a real sense of community there, no matter what side of the fence you are on regarding politics, religion, etc. Gardiner is also right on the Yellowstone River, as is Livingston. West Yellowstone is another option, but one I wonder if I should even detail because of it's distance (at least an hour and a half in good weather) from a hospital. Anyway, good luck to you, I hope this was helpful!

[calicocutie]

Thanks for your reply,emmank. What you had to say is really helpful. This will give us a good start to our search. I'm curious about your comment in regard to Livingston--"a lot of wind". What exactly do you mean? Is there wind constantly or just with snow storms or what? Thanks, again.

[GEORGIAINMT]

I've never been in or through Livingston when it wasn't VERY windy. The area between Livingston & Big Timber just seems to have the right conditions (valley?) to be conducive to lots of wind! Personally, I would never move there because of it, no matter how nice the town is. If you like wind, then I think Livingston sounds like a good choice for you! Cody is a nice town close to Yellowstone and it has a very good hospital. It is quite the little "tourist town" during the summer, so it has some cute shops, etc. Powell is 15 minutes from Cody and is off the beaten path. My daughter had her baby there & was very pleased with the medical community. Cody also tends to be windy, but Powell isn't. As for a V.A. hospital....the closest in this area are Sheridan, Wyoming or Miles City, Montana. As I've proclaimed in several other posts my preference is our wonderful little town of Laurel. It's a couple of hours from Yellowstone, but is a great little community. V.A. hospitals would be about 2 hours away. I hope you find what you're looking for!

[montanahogrider]

Yes I agree that Gardiner fits everything you want. We also have a library although it is only open a couple of days a week with limited hours. We are probably the most protected town in Montana with 3 sheriffs and about the same number of Rangers living here! Crime is almost nonexistent. We had a window broken in town and a few DWI's and thats about it. Gardiner sits just south of the coveted Paradise valley, and has 2 year around hot springs to enjoy. Boiling river by Mammoth and Chico hot springs by Emigrant. We are a small community where most of the year rounders know each other. And there are a couple of places in town that are going for about 150000 to 175000.

[montanahogrider]

Also we have a great VFW here, and quite a few go to the VA hospitals for medical.

[emmank]

I actually live in Livingston now, but have also lived for 2 summers in Gardiner, worked in Yellowstone, used to have family in Driggs, and went to school in Bozeman.... so that's why I jumped at the chance to respond to your post. The wind does get bad, we had a storm blow through here 3 nights ago with winds that gusted at one point to 81 mph and toppled several trees. BUT... it really isn't windy constantly like I was warned before I moved here. It does get worse in the winter. So far I have liked Livingston, like I said it's very close to practically anything you need in Bozeman and it's a diverse town with a beautiful, large park on the edge of the river. But if i had the financial means and/or a career that allowed me to live in Gardiner, I think that's where I'd like to make my home and raise my daughter.

[normsw]

I recently checked out the Rexburg-St. Anthony area east of Idaho Falls and found nothing but favorable news about the area. And less c-c-c-cold in winter than further east in Mont. or Wyo. Check it out on their websites! People love living there.
I lived in the Idaho Panhandle for 3 yrs; it's the last great state in my opinion.
Stay west of the continental divide for (relatively) warmer winters.

[Troyv1]

Sounds like every town in Wyoming; Jackson, Cody, Thermopolis. Stop in Shoshoni for a milkshake, 'World's Best'. Dick Cheney's hometown is pretty far from Yellowstone but is a nice town on the North Platte and the 'trails' including the Oregon and California. I would live in Casper but it is way to cold. Cody has some nice restaurants (as does Casper) that don't seem to belong there including one great Italian place on Sheridan. Any of these towns would be a fine place for a cold weather person. The people are great!