Silver Gate

Cooke City’s sister community Silver Gate, is just 3 miles east — perched at the Montana/Wyoming border and one mile from the northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park and the famous Lamar Valley. This is the edge of civilization, the gateway to the park, and a quiet alpine escape from the noise of modern life.

Surrounded by the Custer Gallatin National Forest and flanked by the Beartooth Highway, Silver Gate is a favorite basecamp for hiking, horseback riding and fly-fishing in blue-ribbon streams. In winter, the area transforms into a serene wilderness perfect for snowmobiling, snowshoeing and backcountry skiing. Highway 212 ends just beyond Silver Gate — literally — making this a place to unplug, unwind and step away from service (yes, cell service included). Before you head into the park, swing by Stop the Car Trading Post — a cozy local spot for coffee, snacks, maps and locally made goods.

Built with all log architecture, Silver Gate was named for the silver haze that often arcs over the peaks at sunrise and sunset. Fewer than 100 people live here year-round, though the population swells in summer to a few hundred park travelers and wildlife watchers. Bighorn sheep, moose, mountain goats and even bears are common visitors — sometimes just outside your cabin door.