Cooke City - Silver Gate Travel Guide

The tiny communities of Cooke City and Silver Gate are found between the northeast end of Yellowstone and the Beartooth Mountains. With inspiring landscapes, outdoor activities, and wild nature right on their doorstep, these two small towns are full of unique charm that welcomes locals.

Things to Do in Cooke City - Silver Gate

Both picture-perfect towns are surrounded by wild nature, with the Gallatin National Forest and Yellowstone offering trails, activities and tons of wildlife. Even arriving at these towns is an attraction in itself, for the Beartooth Highway is a stunning drive in summer. In winter you have to approach from Yellowstone, with stop offs providing incredible views of the Lamar Valley and its populations of grizzly bears, black bears, bison, and wolves.

Outdoor activities change with the season here. Summertime means fly-fishing, horseback riding, and hiking trails, which you can do alone or join tours with local guides. Winter brings magical powdery snow and groomed trails for miles, making snowmobiling very popular as well as snowshoeing and skiing. Stop into the Cooke City Store, built in 1886 and the Miners Saloon for some historic small town vibes. Everything about these two tiny communities is rural, rustic and totally charming.

Best Time to Visit Cooke City - Silver Gate

Spring in this part of the world is stunning, with nature doing its best thing and the flowers all in bloom. Winter is another fun time filled with snowy activities and getting warm by the fire.