Visit Cooke City / Silver Gate Montana

The Last Outposts

Just a few short miles from the northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park lies the tiny border towns of Cooke City and Silvergate, Montana.

Cooke City

Established in 1870 as the result of a gold strike, Cooke City got is name as an attempt to persuade the president of the Northern Pacific Railroad, Jay Cooke, to build a rail line to this hard to reach area. The plan failed and ended the mining days of Cooke City because the cost of transporting ore became too costly. Today Cooke City is still rich with untapped resources of gold and other valued minerals. Mining companies desire the wealth hidden in these mountains, but environmentalists fear that the effects of mining will contaminate the lush rivers and ecosystems of nearby Yellowstone.

Nestled in the heart of the Beartooth Mountains, Cooke City sits at an elevation of 7,651 feet. Tourists sustain this quaint town in the winters and summers. Snowmobilers are attracted to the area with its 200,000 acres of playland and over 100 miles of groomed trails. The winter season lasts from Thanksgiving to mid-April. In the summers tourists are attracted to the many dude ranches, and participate in horseback riding and pack trips.

Silvergate

Slivergate lies 4 miles west of Cooke City. Like its neighboring town, Silvergate offers a taste of the Old West with ranches, cabins, and horseback riding. It is a smaller town than Cooke City and is considered the last outpost before entering the park. The northeast entrance to Yellowstone is two miles away.