There may not be a ton to do in the very small area of Cooke City and Silver Gate, but that's part of its appeal. This quaint area near Yellowstone National Park has some good restaurant and lodging options to be right near the park's entrance.
1. It's a seasonal town that tourists visit during spring, summer, and early fall. It has an annual resident population of fewer than 100 people. 2. Everything we recommend is on their Main Street, with the exception of a few Air BnBs.
There are only a few options for where to stay in the area. Be sure to book your Silver Gate and Cooke City, Montana lodging in advance, however, because with limited options things book up quite fast during peak season.
There are more restaurants than we visited or list, but we are mentioning a few standouts for your consideration. There is no fast food here, which we were happy to see.
We ate breakfast at the Log Cabin Cafe. They serve lunch and dinner as well. It was so warm and welcoming inside and the service was awesome!
Log Cabin Cafe was built and founded by a single woman during the Great Depression in 1937, which is when Beartooth Highway was built.
This bar and restaurant combo serves the simple, pleasurable foods in life we all crave periodically, like cold beer, good pizza, burgers, and fries.
There are two gas stations directly across from each other in the area: Exxon and Sinclair.
There are a couple of general stores and souvenir shops in these sister cities in addition to Silver Gate and Cooke City, Montana lodging and restaurants.
Not only does Silver Gate Lodging General Store carry Yellowstone National Park maps, but they have scopes to rent! We learned about this amazing first-timer Yellowstone National Park tip while we were wolf-spotting inside the park after sunrise one day.
This shop carries a little of everything, from t-shirts to patches, to stickers, jewelry, and even shoes. It's worth looking around – you may find something to commemorate your time in Yellowstone National Park or to remember your drive on Beartooth Highway here.