COOKE CITY & SILVER GATE
About Cooke City & Silver Gate
Lying just northeast of Yellowstone National Park, the communities of Cooke City and Silver Gate serve as a gateway to Yellowstone National Park and are breathtaking and adventurous places to live. These two communities bustle in the summer and winter seasons when visitation to the Park and surrounding public lands peaks. Summer brings hikers, motorcyclists, fly fishers, and wildlife watchers. Ample snow and long winters draw snowmobilers plus backcountry and cross-country skiers.
The off seasons offer an entirely different pace when things ease into a true sense of quiet and solitude balanced by an active community of year-round locals.
Key Industry / Major Employer
Recreation and tourism are the primary economic drivers of Cooke City & Silver Gate.
In recent years, the economic impact of the summer season, which is still a critical season for business, has been surpassed by that of winter. World-class snow and easy access to the backcountry lures snowmobilers from across the U.S. and beyond. In recent years, backcountry skiing has emerged as growing industry.
At A Glance Profile
- Year-round population is estimated at 90 residents
- The population increases to 300 in the summer
- In 2023, 270,991 visitors traveled through the Park’s Northeast entrance