Cooke City: Hotels, Yellowstone Access, and the Beartooth Highway

Cooke City is one of the entrances to Yellowstone National Park. The Beartooth Highway connects Red Lodge, Montana, with Cooke City/Silver Gate, Montana, at the park’s Northeast Entrance. It crosses Beartooth Pass on U.S. Highway 212, with dramatic switchbacks winding through the Beartooth Range. The seasonal opening dates vary.

Yellowstone Access and Road Conditions

The Northeast Entrance Road is open to visitor vehicle traffic year-round. In winter, it provides access to the communities of Cooke City and Silver Gate, Montana, as well as Lamar Valley, one of the park’s main attractions. Weather, construction, and park conditions can affect road access.

Regular traffic on the road between Mammoth Hot Springs and the Northeast Entrance of Yellowstone National Park is typically possible year-round, weather permitting. East of Cooke City, Montana, it closes in winter. Check the current road status before driving. This helps you plan your route according to the season without conflating access to the park with the route farther east.

Seasonal Activities

Backcountry skiing and snowmobiling are possible in the Cooke City area during winter; availability depends on conditions and operators. The Cooke City Travel Area includes groomed snowmobile trails with loops over Daisy Pass, Fisher Creek, and the highway. Grooming and conditions vary seasonally. The named loops give snowmobilers specific landmarks to use when planning, while changing conditions should be taken into account when deciding when to travel.

Guided fishing trips are offered in the Cooke City area in summer and fall. Availability may also vary by season and operator. The Trout Rider Fly Shop in the historic Cooke City General Store offers current fishing reports, flies, bait, licenses, and other fishing gear. As operational details may change, check them before visiting. This lets you distinguish between guided trips and the fishing information and gear listed at the shop when planning your trip.

Trail and Local History

The Barronette Trail is an easy, 3.5-mile (5.6 km) one-way section of the Old Cooke City Road that runs through coniferous forest. Check seasonal conditions and avalanche risks before setting out.

Founded in 2014, the Cooke City Montana Museum features permanent exhibits on the history of the three communities of Colter Pass, Cook City, and Silver Gate. The museum’s outdoor area displays mining equipment, an authentic miner’s cabin, and an outhouse.

The Cooke City General Store also preserves many original late-19th-century fixtures, including an original hand-crank cash register.

Discover more destinations: Pray, Gardiner, Livingston

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