Gardiner, MT: The Original Gateway To Yellowstone
Written by YW Lead Naturalist Matt D.
It’s well known that Yellowstone is the world’s first and arguably, greatest national park. What’s less well known is that Gardiner, Montana, is the first and arguably greatest gateway town.
Yellowstone has five entrances: North, Northeast, East, South, and West. Three of those entrances are in Montana, two are in Wyoming, and Idaho despite containing about 1% of the park has none. But my favorite entrance, and what some have referred to as wildlife’s favorite, is the North Entrance at Gardiner, Montana.
Gardiner, MT sits on a bluff above the Yellowstone River along the North Entrance of Yellowstone National Park.
Perched along the Yellowstone River at Yellowstone’s North Entrance, Gardiner proudly holds the distinction of being the park’s first gateway town and the only entrance open to vehicle traffic year round. Its story begins long before Yellowstone was established on March 1, 1872.
In the early 1800s, the area attracted fur trappers, mountain men, and the sort of rugged characters who considered bathing optional and anything dangerous a recreational activity. The town, and nearby river, were named after Johnson Gardner, a fur trapper who roamed the region in the early 1830s. Back then, career paths were a little more flexible than they are today.
When Yellowstone became the world’s first national park in 1872, entrepreneurs quickly recognized an opportunity. In 1880, Yellowstone concessionaire James McCartney officially established Gardiner, strategically positioning the town right along the park boundary. Legend has it that the southern edge of Main Street practically doubled as Yellowstone’s northern border. If you stepped a little too far while sweeping your storefront you might have found yourself performing park maintenance.
The main “drag” in Gardiner, MT sits on the boundary of Yellowstone National Park.
Gardiner really hit its stride when the Northern Pacific Railway arrived in 1902. Suddenly visitors from across the country could ride a train straight to the parks front door before boarding stagecoaches for their Yellowstone adventures. For more than 20 years, Gardiner served as Yellowstone’s primary gateway, welcoming travelers eager to experience America’s newest wonder. While additional entrances eventually opened, Gardiner remained the park’s most prominent and heavily traveled access point for decades. Regular passenger service ended in 1948, and by 1954 the depot itself was gone. But the spirit of adventure never left.
Postcard #183 – Northern Pacific depot in Gardiner, Montana. Frank J Haynes;
Of course, no discussion of Gardiner would be complete without mentioning the Roosevelt Arch. Constructed in 1903 at Yellowstone’s North Entrance, the massive stone gateway was dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt himself. Roosevelt laid the cornerstone and helped immortalize the famous inscription: “For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People.” More than a century later, it remains one of the most photographed landmarks in the region.
Roosevelt Arch in Gardiner, MT at Yellowstone’s North Entrance
Like many frontier towns, early Gardiner had its share of Wild West excitement. Saloons, gambling halls and occasional lawlessness were all part of daily life. Local newspapers frequently complained about unruly behavior. The town finally built a jail in 1903, and remarkably, the sandstone structure still stands today. A newer jail now operates inside the park for anyone still determined to pursue a truly authentic frontier experience.
Gardiner Jail. Front/side view of the building, facing southwest near the Highway 89 bridge over the Yellowstone River in Gardiner, MT. Image courtesy of Montana State Historic Preservation Office
These days, the saloons have given way to outfitters and the gambling halls to gift shops, but Gardiner hasn’t lost its edge. Step outside Main Street and you’re as likely to find yourself waiting on a bison as a stagecoach passenger once did. The wolves in Lamar Valley and the bighorn sheep on the cliffs above town carry on the tradition of showing up uninvited and doing exactly as they please, a spirit Gardiner has never quite managed to civilize out of its wildlife – or its people. More than a century after McCartney planted his storefront on the park line, Gardiner is still the door Yellowstone opens up first (and year-round!), and we’re still here excitedly showing people through it.
To learn more about Matt and the rest of the Yellowstone Wild team, visit our “About Us” page
