Know Before You Go

Driving to and from Cooke City

Cooke City is located 64 miles from Red Lodge, MT via the renowned Beartooth Highway and the Chief Josef Highway 296 North of Cody WY. Cooke City is five miles from the north east entrance to the Yellowstone National Park. Both Red Lodge and Cody are accessible via automobile in the summer months.

Cooke City can be accessed in the winter months via Chief Joseph (296 just north of Cody, WY) as far as the Pilot Creek Parking area. From the parking area you can unload your snowmobile and ride the 9 miles into Cooke City. These 9 miles of Hwy 212 is used as a snowmobile trail system from November 5^st thru April 15 of each winter. The Highway is plowed for vehicle use in mid-May of each year.

If you would like to drive into Cooke City between the dates of November first and the 15^th of May you need to drive through Yellowstone National Park via interstate 94 to Livingston, MT and South to Gardiner, MT. From there you need to go through Mammoth Hot Springs taking a left to Tower Junction. From Tower you need to take the only option which is to the left into Cooke City via the animal habitat of the Lamar Valley.

Snowmobiling

Cooke City is a ride out destination from any business to the riding area via several access points. No need to load and unload each day.

Cooke has its share of avalanche terrain. Avalanche transmitters, shovels and probes are a must-have while riding the Cooke City area. Avalanche training and discussions are available to riders on Friday nights and Saturdays in the field. Friday night discussions move from business to business each month. For more info on training you can call the store (406)838-2231 or visit www.mtavalanche.com.

Beartooth riding area in Wyoming can be accessed via the trail system on Hwy 212. The Beartooth is located 26 miles east of Cooke City. It is an awesome riding area, and a good day trip. Packing extra fuel is recommended. For more info http://wyoparks.state.wy.us/index.php/snowmobile/snowmobile-maps-trails or find the app on the app store RideOn WYO Snowmobile Trails 2019.

Flying In

We recommend flying into Bozeman MT in the winter months. It is the closest to Cooke city while the roads are closed for the winter. If you are renting a car to get to Cooke be sure you rent an all-wheel drive. In the summer Billings MT is the nearest airport. After mid-May you can drive to Cooke via 212 (the Beartooth Hwy) or WY 296. For the snowmobilers that are bringing avy packs, we have rental cylinders for your bags. Please call ahead and reserve one.

Groceries and Drinks

In the winter Cooke City only has one convenience store that is open. Food is limited in this store.

In the summer months there are two convenience stores and the Cooke City store. There are much better options for food and drinks in the summer but still limited. If you plan to cook or pack lunches while staying in or around the Cooke City area we recommend you do your shopping at one of the gate way communities. Billings MT, Cody WY, Livingston MT, Gardiner MT, Jackson Hole WY and Bozeman MT all have full service stores. (WY has tax on groceries) Buy your food and drinks at one of these locations.

Cell Phone Service-Internet

There is no cell service in Cooke City. Sixty miles east or west to get good cell service. The internet is not much better. Most of the time VOP calling on a cell phone will not work. There is no fiber optics in Cooke just DSL, so simply put the internet is slow at best.