Gardiner, MT

Gardiner is a Park County CDP of 833 residents in the 2020 census at the confluence of the Gardiner and Yellowstone Rivers. The community was founded in 1880 and has served as Yellowstone National Park's north entrance since the park was created in 1872. The North Entrance is still the only Yellowstone entrance open to regular vehicles year-round, so Gardiner's roads carry a practical role for park staff, residents, and visitors. The Roosevelt Arch and park entrance keep the boundary between town and Yellowstone visible, and seasonal traffic runs through the same streets that serve year-round residents.

The Yellowstone heritage collections center sits near the entrance and houses the park's museum collections, library, archives, and archaeology lab. Gardiner Public Schools serves the community, while the town's shops, restaurants, lodging, and park-related services fill in the commercial side. The school and park work continue through winter. Gardiner is a small Montana community where school, river junction, business streets, and park access share the same few blocks.