Montana or Wyoming? added pics

[RIHMFIRE]

Recently spent the week in Montana and Wyoming. Did the Yellowstone and Grand Teton thing.
But we are thinking about moving up there for the summers when we retire.
Where do you think is the best place to live.
We stayed in Big Sky ski town. Very expensive.
50+/- miles South of Bozeman
our log cabin we rented

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view from porch

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We also went through Idaho on our way to Jackson Hole Pass.

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So where do you think i should get a cabin.

[ywaltzucanrknrl]

Great places in both states and I'd be happy to have you as a neighbor because obviously you understand the Second Amendment. We have a serious influx of people moving in---I hope they are like you, but doubt it. You will have to hurry, the towns around NW Wyoming have very little housing inventory remaining and land sales are eating up a lot of the build-able spots. The number of people moving in since this COVID thing started has been incredible----it is a sellers market. The town closest to where I live that you might recognize is Cody. Yes, Big Sky is expensive and would not be on the top of my list, Bozeman used to be, but I would pass now. The Hamilton area is nice. Funny deal and a lot of people would laugh at me, but if I moved to Montana, it would be Butte or possibly eastern Montana---great rifle ranges in Butte and Anaconda, plus good outdoor activities. I've lived and worked in nearly every corner and town in Wyoming. I like the west half, except Jackson.....My favorite towns that I worked or lived in are the Afton area, Cokeville, Lander, Dubois, Cody, Powell, Big Piney, L.A.Barge....HA! and Thermopolis.

[TraderVic]

Don't know personally but I've read Montana residents on other forums talk about the high number of deep pocket liberal nutjobs settling in Montana and changing the "landscape".
I've hunted turkeys in Wyoming and I liked what I saw there.

[marlinman93]

Kalispell, Mt. Beautiful area, and not totally nuts on prices yet.

[Marvin S]

I’ve only visited MT and WY a few times but if I won the lottery I would do the same.
Butte MT for a larger town that’s pretty close to Wisdom MT and the Big Hole River also Mussingbroad lake.
LaBarge / Daniel / Pinedale WY area for western WY and Encampment/ Saratoga / Centennial in SE WY.

Hope to load the truck camper up next year and at least make Wyoming. My American legion post is 028 Green River WY.

[Grizz]

I don't know of a specific place. I love visiting the entire area, regardless of boundry lines. Dad taught me something about what to look for. He thought something around 5500' elevation was a pretty good split between too much heat at night, and too much snow, but that was Dewey AZ. Living upslope can set up breezes, and a southern exposure moves the snow fast. Something I would include as even more value is a sure water supply. An onsite well or spring house would be optimum. Another thing I would like is enough ground in constant sunlight for some raised bed food supplies. The three sisters plus spuds and rhubarb and whatever else you don't want to be without. These are my filters, I don't know, is this too much to ask?

[ywaltzucanrknrl]

Grizz, you are right on the money. Always build your garage around here so the doors face south. Whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting. 5,500 is about perfect---you can still grow a garden at that elevation here. The town I grew up in, in Wyoming was 7,000' + and gardens there are tough---it often times froze every month of the year, this is a down side to the Afton Valley, Pinedale and Big Piney areas.
Clark Wyoming is a study in wind---beautiful place, but the wind comes off the mountains at incredibly high speed---everything has to be built to stand hurricane force winds. The are other places in Wyoming that are similar. If wind is a factor in your decision, better look at historical weather info---we have a lot of wind out here. You certainly can learn how to shoot in the wind.

[fordwannabe]

I grew up in the Deer Lodge valley in MT so I would pick that area. Close enough to Butte, Helena, and Missoula. Yet far enough away from Butte, Helena, and Missoula.
Haven’t been back in years so can’t really give a current assessment. I do remember a few libs coming into our area buuut about December of their first winter they were looking for a way out of dodge.

[marlinman93]

I spent some summers in Deer Lodge, Mt. doing work, and found it pretty decent. It takes a bit of a drive to get to some woods and mountains as the area right around Deer Lodge is pretty open, and flat. Fantastic fishing as you go West towards Missoula, and Idaho boarder too!

[RIHMFIRE]

Anybody know anything about Laramie and Cheyenne WY

[Sixgun]

I don't know what your used to seeing in your area but for me, lots of Wyoming and Montana both have wide open flat plains with only spotted trees here and there. When I was cruising through there I said, "I'd go nuts looking at nothing". Windy all the time. The other parts of these states are, as we all know, beautiful.

Another thing, if your new to an area out west where cowboys, rural areas and ranches are the norm, the people are very cliquish. They especially don't like any easterners and thats understandable. They will take your money but offer little in the way of information.-----006

[AJMD429]

I don't know of a specific place. I love visiting the entire area, regardless of boundry lines. Dad taught me something about what to look for. He thought something around 5500' elevation was a pretty good split between too much heat at night, and too much snow, but that was Dewey AZ. Living upslope can set up breezes, and a southern exposure moves the snow fast. Something I would include as even more value is a sure water supply. An onsite well or spring house would be optimum. Another thing I would like is enough ground in constant sunlight for some raised bed food supplies. The three sisters plus spuds and rhubarb and whatever else you don't want to be without. These are my filters, I don't know, is this too much to ask?

Those are the things to look for regardless of what state you would be in...!

[ywaltzucanrknrl]

I lived and worked in both Laramie and Cheyenne. I liked Laramie, Cheyenne, no. Laramie is not on my favorite list mainly because there is not a lot of public land close, other than that it's a good place to live----Woods Landing, Encampment and Saratoga are close and I spent most of my recreation time there when I lived in Laramie. Laramie is also high elevation and you don't get many days 80 or above and winters generally have quite a bit of snow and wind=plenty of shoveling. Cheyenne is consistently windy, and the same issue with public land, plus too close to all the stuff that is happening in the Denver Colorado area and it's the political capital of Wyoming, so you have that. If you like rodeos and playing cowboy, Cheyenne has some pluses. The Interstate also runs through both of them and the driving is treacherous, especially in winter----I've never been fond of towns with interstates running through them---I'm more of a two lane or county road person but I grew up on a ranch with no close neighbors and I like my solitude---I certainly have bias and I rarely visit the larger towns like Cheyenne as they have little to offer that I like. Laramie is kind of Wyoming's home town, as a lot of Wyoming folks attended college there, me included.
Not sure what you are looking for, but there are a lot of great places in Wyo, MT, Utah, Colorado and Idaho, but my likes certainly trend toward small town or rural areas, more isolation---so my likes may not be what you are looking for. I also like the desert as well as mountains and I avoid places like Denver, Salt Lake, Boise, Billings and any other cities close to me.
What 6 said is true, but you won't find Laramie cliquish. I've only lived in one town in Wyoming where the ranchers/farmers were cliquish and that was Buffalo---I think they still harbor feelings from the Cattle Wars, The Afton Valley used to be that way, but that was religion related. Most of the cliquish group out here are probably the same types that are cliquish in other areas---mostly the prominent folks from long time families who think they are better than the rest of us---most of them don't know one end of a horse from the other.

[Lastmohecken]

I have only been out there once. I would love to go back again, in the summer. I liked Dubois but that was a lot of years ago. The had an old cafe down town, that served really good food and you could tell it was where the locals ate, often. Not a tourist trap. I found the people to be pretty friendly, and coming from a rural farm community myself, I felt at home.

I loved the scenery around the Grand Teutons and Yellowstone. Jackson Hole was more of a tourist trap, but interesting.

My Suburban broke down in Rollston ( I probably misspelled that) I had to stop and replace an Alternator right in the parking lot of the parts house. They were very friendly and helped me out. It was small town atmosphere to me.

I love the west, but my roots are too deep to move there, and frankly I don't know if I would want to winter there. As usual though, I don't have any use for the bigger towns or cities, anywhere.

[Twodot]

Rihmfire,
Are you thinking about a 2nd home or a cabin?
I'm always amazed by what some people call a "cabin". You must have seen plenty of them when you were in Big $ky.

Lander, Wyoming and White Sulphur Springs, Montana would be on my short list.
..

[Yodar]

Wyoming. No state income tax.

[Booger Bill]

Ancient history but in 1961 I worked for the NPS in the Grand Tetons not far out of Jackson. It was bad then and has got even worse for prices and tourists the times I have went through since. To live there year round in the winters when you get old would give me pause. I am going on eighty and your body, ability to take the cold etc as you age is far different than when young. Those places look nice when your wife watch`s "Heartland" etc but shoveling snow when you are old and febel while recovering from a hip replacement will give you a fast hard dose of reality.
We retired to Cedar City Utah in 2,005. The winters usually arent too bad here as we are about 5,500 feet. The west is ALL about elevation as far as weather go`s. We are 45 miles north of St. George. We are always about 12 degrees cooler than St George all year. Lots of BLM land out of town, Zion, Cedar Breaks, Bryce Canyon National Parks are all within a hour. When able, my thing is trail riding and we are close to the heart of it. Not far is Brian Head ski resort at 10,000 feet so that`s cool in summer. Mesquite Nev. is 90 miles for Casino`s and good cheap eats. Vegas about another 90 miles.
This area has been exploding population wise in the 15 years we have been here. Especially St. George more so. We are about 250 miles to Salt Lake to the north and there isn't much in between.

[Twodot]

Wyoming. No state income tax.

Montana, no sales tax
except for a few "local option sales tax" tourist town areas

[RIHMFIRE]

Rihmfire,
Are you thinking about a 2nd home or a cabin?
I'm always amazed by what some people call a "cabin". You must have seen plenty of them when you were in Big $ky.

Lander, Wyoming and White Sulphur Springs, Montana would be on my short list.
..

Cabin like the first pic I posted....

[jnyork]

Rihmfire,

I'm always amazed by what some people call a "cabin". You must have seen plenty of them when you were in Big $ky.

Lander, Wyoming and White Sulphur Springs, Montana would be on my short list.
..

I live in Lander WY, we have just plenty of well-heeled folks moving in here from both coasts, running the real estate prices sky high along with taking up most of the available rural land for "ranches" of 2-5 acres. Then they build horrendously expensive huge log homes which they then ostentatiously refer to as their "cabin". Political situation is starting to turn a little purple also. Place sure as hell isn't what it used to be.

[RIHMFIRE]

Well, I probably will need to be close to a decent size town.....for the wife...
and also close to public land for hunting...and fishing....fly fishing...
Gallatin River was loaded with fisherman. Every pull-out had a vehicle parked.
sounds like I am going to have to plan another trip....maybe with a camper next time.
heres some more pics
6x6 at 10 yards

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15 yards...he was a bit irritated

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Yellowstone Lake

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Gallatin Range

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Ennis MT. nice town! and gun shop!

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Lamar Valley, Yellowstone 300 to 400 tatonka
the black dots are buffalo....

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[DocRock]

Will you need easy access to an airport? A reasonably large town?

That puts you, in my opinion, from a value for money perspective, in the Billings / Sheridan area. Very nice, with an airport, healthcare etc. all within easy reach.

If an airport is not critical, look at Hulett, WY. Picturesque area, near Devil's Tower, great hunting and fishing. Amusing when Sturgis is on watching the bikes roll through. Some proximity to Gilette for healthcare etc. Great golf course.

[DennisB]

I would take a look at the Buffalo, Big Horn, Sheridan area. At the base of the Big Horn mountains.

[RIHMFIRE]

I would take a look at the Buffalo, Big Horn, Sheridan area. At the base of the Big Horn mountains.

I had planned to visit there, but just not enough time.

[Rockrat]

My Sister lives in Ftl Collins, CO, about 50 miles South of Cheyenne. Seems like the wind is always blowing harder in Cheyenne and it 10 degrees colder too in the winter. NOt many trees around.
How about Rapid City or Spearfish, S.D.?

[RIHMFIRE]

Will you need easy access to an airport? A reasonably large town?

That puts you, in my opinion, from a value for money perspective, in the Billings / Sheridan area. Very nice, with an airport, healthcare etc. all within easy reach.

If an airport is not critical, look at Hulett, WY. Picturesque area, near Devil's Tower, great hunting and fishing. Amusing when Sturgis is on watching the bikes roll through. Some proximity to Gilette for healthcare etc. Great golf course.

it would be nice to be close to an airport...but not really needed....an hour or so would be good enough.
Hulett sound good....on the list now...I experience bike week twice every year! since 83

[Twodot]

jnyork
sorry to hear about Lander.
not too surprising though, happens to the best of places.
..

[DocRock]

Will you need easy access to an airport? A reasonably large town?

That puts you, in my opinion, from a value for money perspective, in the Billings / Sheridan area. Very nice, with an airport, healthcare etc. all within easy reach.

If an airport is not critical, look at Hulett, WY. Picturesque area, near Devil's Tower, great hunting and fishing. Amusing when Sturgis is on watching the bikes roll through. Some proximity to Gilette for healthcare etc. Great golf course.

it would be nice to be close to an airport...but not really needed....an hour or so would be good enough.
Hulett sound good....on the list now...I experience bike week twice every year! since 83

Hulett is pretty great. Definitely worth a look!