Gardiner
With a strong nod to the Old West (and not just because it's named after an outlaw fur trapper), Gardiner excels at being quaint but happens to be a full-service town specializing in wilderness, wildlife, whitewater, and western welcomes. The Yellowstone River runs right through this no-fuss community of just under 900 residents who are greatly outnumbered by antelope, bison, deer and elk.
Gardiner has survived the boom and bust of the gold rush, devastating fires, and the coming and going of the railroad. Today Gardiner serves travelers from all over the world. This basecamp community in the aptly names Paradise Valley is surrounded on all sides by 10 million acres of public lands, so you can set out in any direction and find adventure, like rafting, ziplining, horseback riding, and world-class hiking and fly-fishing.
Gardiner is “Nature’s Favorite Entrance to Yellowstone National Park” and will get you in via the iconic Roosevelt Arch in any season, offering the only wintertime personal-vehicle entrance. The winter drive from Gardiner to Tower Junction to Cooke City lets you experience the magic of the park's quiet off season, which means you can Nordic ski and sightsee and watch wildlife in the Lamar Valley—a hot spot for wolves in the winter. In the warmer months, bring your fly rod and your hiking boots.
Also, Gardiner is a mere 5 miles from the park's impressive Mammoth Hot Springs terraces. Don’t miss the Albright Visitor Center in Mammoth.
FUN FACT
Gardiner is located on the 45th parallel, the halfway point between the equator and the North Pole.
