Paddling near Cooke City, MT

Cooke City sits at the base of the Beartooth Mountains near the northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park, in a rugged, high-elevation corner of Montana. Paddling here skews toward mountain lakes and river runs rather than flatwater cruising. The Stillwater River has road access near Cooke City and draws kayakers curious about running it downstream. Farther out, Dailey Lake and Cooney Reservoir are the area's most accessible flatwater destinations, while the Yellowstone River corridor to the west sees tubing and SUP traffic on mellower stretches.