This tiny Montana town holds the record for the coldest temperature in the contiguous US.

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Perched just five miles from Yellowstone National Park, West Yellowstone is a subalpine gateway that endures bitter winters and brief, warm summers. While it serves as a bustling hub for millions of annual visitors, it also claims the title for the lowest temperature ever recorded in a residential community nationwide.

Located in Gallatin County, Montana, at an elevation of 6,660 feet, West Yellowstone experiences a distinct subalpine climate. The town is typically blanketed in snow from early November through early May, with peak snowpack reaching up to four feet by March. Its extreme weather is highlighted by a record low temperature of -66 °F, the coldest ever documented for a residential community in the contiguous United States. Despite these harsh conditions, the town maintains a vibrant, albeit small, year-round population of 1,272 residents as of the 2020 census.

The town's history is deeply tied to the expansion of the American West. It was founded in June 1908 following the completion of the Oregon Short Line Railroad, which facilitated tourism to the nearby national park. Although train service eventually ceased in 1971, the town continued to evolve, officially incorporating in 1966. Today, the community is divided by D Parkway, with commercial services concentrated to the south and residential areas, known locally as the Madison Addition, situated to the north.

Modern West Yellowstone functions as a primary gateway for travelers, with annual visitation exceeding 4 million people. A significant portion of this tourism is driven by international visitors, particularly from China, leading the town to provide commercial signage in Mandarin and host several Chinese restaurants. The local economy and infrastructure, including the Yellowstone Airport, are heavily oriented toward supporting this massive influx of seasonal guests, despite the town's compact footprint of less than one square mile.

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