Accommodations

The Murray Hotel (201 W. Park St., 406/222-1350, www.murrayhotel.com [1], $89–220), across the street from the Depot Center [2], has enough character to hold its own in a lively, quirky town like Livingston [3]. Like much of the rest of downtown, the Murray is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and its interior architecture recalls the grander side of the Old West. The Murray has been restored with panache, retaining the eccentricities that have traditionally made it a haven for “writers, artists, and film people.” (Film director Sam Peckinpah lived in a Murray Hotel suite in the 1970s and reputedly shot up the ceiling.) The hotel is very dog-friendly. Be sure to visit the rooftop hot tub.

On the east end of town, the Rainbow Motel (5574 Hwy. 89 S., 406/222-3780 or 800/788-2301, $45–80) is an older motel that allows most pets. There’s a nice grassy area with some picnic tables outside this friendly motel, which is a block from the Yellowstone River [4]. An adjacent campground and RV park is run by the same folks.

Most of Livingston’s motels are west of downtown, near the intersection of I-90 and Highway 89, the road to Yellowstone National Park.

The Livingston Inn Motel (5 Rogers Ln., 406/222-3600, $90 and up) is a well-run place that’s been recently renovated.

Budget Host Parkway Motel (1124 W. Park St., 406/222-3840 or 800/727-7217, $56–85) has a heated outdoor pool and much lower winter rates (kitchenettes are available for an extra charge, and an outdoor barbecue area is open to all guests). Pets are permitted for an extra $5.

Facilities at the Best Western Yellowstone Inn (1515 W. Park St., 406/222-6110 or 800/826-1214, www.theyellowstoneinn.com [5], $110 and up) include a restaurant, lounge, heated indoor pool, and convention meeting rooms.

Near the I-90 exit on the west end of town, the Quality Inn (111 Rogers Ln., 406/222-0555 or 800/424-6423, $130) has an indoor pool and is one of the nicer places in this area.

South of town right on the river, the River Inn Yellowstone Cabins (4950 Hwy. 89 S., 406/222-2429 or 888/669-6993, www.yellowstoneriverinn.com [6], $125–145) has a couple of cabins and a tiny sheepherder’s wagon ($40) that can serve as an extra bedroom.

Three miles south of town, the Blue-Winged Olive (5157 Hwy. 89, 406/222-8646 or 800/995-1366, www.bluewingedolive.net [7], $100 s, $150 d) is a B&B catering mostly to anglers, who appreciate its proximity to the Yellowstone and to several spring creeks. (The big early-morning breakfasts are also a plus.)