Northeast Entrance Station

The Northeast Entrance Station is the log gatehouse on US-212 where the road from Cooke City and Silver Gate enters Yellowstone National Park. It stands in Montana, about a mile west of Silver Gate and about 4 miles west of Cooke City. The station and the ranger residence beside it were built in 1935, designed by the National Park Service's Branch of Plans and Design under Thomas Chalmers Vint and built by George Larkin of Gardiner. They are in the rustic style of heavy logs and stone that the Park Service was then making its trademark. The station became a National Historic Landmark on 28 May 1987, and the Park Service calls it the best of its type remaining in the National Park System.

The building was made with two lanes running through it. Rather than alter it for larger vehicles, the park added a lane on each side, so drivers of tall RVs walk to the office to pay. A rehabilitation in 1984 repaired the log ends with epoxy and replaced the log rafters and roof. An oil stove replaced the original wood stove, in the same spot. You can look at the building from the pull-off outside the gate without paying.

Entry fees in 2026 are $35 per private vehicle for seven days, $30 per motorcycle and $20 per person on foot, by bike or on skis. A Yellowstone annual pass costs $70. Since 2026, visitors who are not US residents and are 16 or older also pay a $100 nonresident fee each, unless they hold an annual or America the Beautiful pass.

Most people come through here for the Lamar Valley. The Northeast Entrance Road runs west past Pebble Creek Campground, about 9 miles inside the park, and reaches the eastern end of the Lamar Valley at roughly 13 to 15 miles. Tower Junction is just under 30 miles from the gate. The Lamar Valley itself is in Wyoming. It is the park's best-known place to look for bison, elk and wolves, ideally at dawn or dusk. A round trip from Cooke City takes half a day at least.

This is also the entrance that stays open in winter. The road from the North Entrance at Gardiner through Mammoth and Tower Junction to the Northeast Entrance and Cooke City is the only road in Yellowstone open to cars all year. East of Cooke City, the 9 miles of US-212 to Pilot Creek, over Colter Pass, are closed to wheeled vehicles in winter and used by snowmobiles. In winter Cooke City can only be reached by car through the park from Gardiner. Our 2 days in Yellowstone from Gardiner itinerary drives this road in both directions.

Inside the park, stay at least 100 yards from bears, wolves and cougars and 25 yards from bison, elk and other animals. Carry bear spray where you can reach it, but don't leave it in a hot car: a can can burst at 120°F.