Great Views and Sunsets Overlooking Yellowstone River–11 mi. to Yellowstone!

Yellowstone Vacation Home is uniquely located on a hillside ringed by towering mountains, and is surrounded by quiet US Forest Service public lands that you can hike in and usually have all to yourself. It has gorgeous views of Paradise Valley and the Yellowstone River. This home is only 11 miles (a 15 minute drive) from the town of Gardiner, the north entrance of Yellowstone Park.

Standing on the deck of this home, you’ll enjoy gorgeous views in every direction. If you like fishing, you’ll have easy access to Yellowstone River and to all the fishing areas in Yellowstone Park. There is even a small lake located only a half mile from the house. Wildlife photographers, this place is for you! Close to the cabin you are likely to see mule deer, elk, antelope, bald eagles, big horn sheep and many bunnies! We have an outdoor fire pit with a view where you can make s’mores!

We recommend that you bring a 4WD or AWD vehicle, which can be necessary on the gravel/dirt road to the house if there has been a big downpour or an extended period of rain or snow. Most of the time, and especially in June, July and August, 2WD is sufficient.

There are many fun things to do in the area year round. Fishing, hiking, horseback riding and river rafting trips are available nearby and, of course, all the wonders of Yellowstone Park.

This 2-story, 1200 square foot, 3 BR, 1 BA, cedar home sits on a one acre property that is fully fenced, and has a nicely maintained lawn. Pets are rarely allowed but we do make some exceptions. The three bedrooms sleep 6 to 8 people, with one queen-size bed, a pair of twin beds, a bunk bed, and two fold-up foam pads. Features include WiFi, forced air heating and air conditioning, a wood burning fireplace, washer/dryer, satellite TV, DVD player, and a CD player. There are a variety of games, DVDs, and CDs for the use of our guests. No smoking please.

A cozy cabin feeling is engendered by the fir woodwork on most walls and ceilings. The spacious downstairs bathroom features two sinks and a shower-tub. The cabin has an extra large 75 gallon hot water heater. The kitchen is fully equipped, including a glass top electric range, dish washer, microwave, large refrigerator and a gas grill provided on the deck. This home is well supplied – we provide linens, towels, a hair dryer, all paper goods, hand soaps, dish washing soaps, laundry soaps, trash can liners, etc. The comfort of our guests is important to us!

You’ll love the peace and quiet as you gaze at the mountains and the Yellowstone River while enjoying a meal on the wrap-around deck. You’ll see the sun set over Paradise Valley in the crux of the canyon, often with spectacular colors.

Please note: Vacations in May, September and October can be a good option, because the weather is not as hot as mid-summer, and Yellowstone Park has fewer visitors. In May there are many sweet newborns to observe among the wildlife. In late Sept./early Oct. the autumn colors are at their peak.

Winter in Yellowstone Park:

During the winter, there can be up to 6 inches of snow on the roads to our vacation rental home, so a 4-wheel drive vehicle is required. The area around the cabin doesn’t generally get heavy snowfalls, but Yellowstone Park is at a higher elevation and gets lots of snow.

The only car-accessible park entrance that remains open year-round is the north entrance in Gardiner. Mammoth Hot Springs, the park headquarters, is only a 5 mile drive from Gardiner. The road leading to Mammoth also remains open all winter all the way through to Tower Falls, the Lamar Valley and Cooke City. The Lamar Valley is a great place for wildlife viewing during this time of the year. Many trail heads for groomed cross-country ski trails are located along this road. The other park roads are closed to cars during the winter, from early November through mid-March. During that period those roads are only open to winter transport including snow coaches, snowmobiles, and cross-country skiers.

Yellowstone Year Round Safaris offers guided snowmobile tours and snow coach tours into Yellowstone leaving from Best Western at Mammoth Hot Spring. In Mammoth there is an ice skating rink open to the public at the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and the restaurant remains open there as well as at the Old Faithful Lodge.

Our favorite activity summer through winter is to soak in the outdoor hot spring pools at Boiling River. Its parking area is only 3 miles inside the park from Gardiner. You walk a half mile along a path bordering the Gardiner River, until you get to a place where a creek of hot geothermal water flows into the river. Rocks are piled up to create natural pools where the hot water mingles with the cold river water to create comfortable places to soak and relax. When you get out, even though the air is cold, you still feel warm as you get dressed.

Hunters are also welcome at Yellowstone Vacation Home. This area of Montana, just north of Yellowstone Park, receives hundreds of elk migrating out of Yellowstone Park each winter. There is also a year-round resident herd of elk in the mountains just above the cabin, and mule deer are abundant in the area. Hunting, in-season, is open to the public on all of the vast U.S. Forest Service lands that surround the cabin for miles. You can literally just walk out the gate and hunt in the surrounding Forest Service lands. (License required.)

If you’re looking for wildlife sightings close to the cabin and beautiful views in the quiet seclusion of pristine Montana surroundings, with easy access to the attractions of Yellowstone Park, and the fishing and white water rafting opportunities of Yellowstone River, you will be delighted with your stay at our Yellowstone Vacation Home!

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