5BR/4BA Log Lodge in Gardiner: Family Friendly, Sleeps 16, Near Yellowstone Park

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Entire home

lodge front with deck, yard, fire pit area

lodge, rear area carport and parking area, rock steps, griz bear entry door

The girls riding their rodeo horses bareback in front yard of lodge

Lodge kitchen area, double refrig, double oven and sinks, sitting areas, pantry

kitchen area, 2 refrig, 2 ovens, 2 sinks, lots of granite counter tops/seating

Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

5 bedrooms4 bathroomsSleeps 16604 sq m

Popular amenities

Pet-friendly

Hot tub

Fireplace

Kitchen

Barbecue grill

Washer

Explore the area

Gardiner, MT

Yellowstone Hot Springs20 min drive
Roosevelt Arch30 min drive
Yellowstone National Park North Entrance31 min drive
Bozeman, MT (BZN-Bozeman Yellowstone Intl.)97 min drive

Rooms & beds

5 bedrooms (sleeps 16)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 4

1 Single Bed and 1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 5

1 Double Bed

Bedroom 6

1 Single Bed

Bedroom 7

1 Queen Bed

4 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only · Jetted bathtub

Bathroom 2

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 3

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 4

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio

Kitchen

Balcony

Outdoor play area

Garden

Dining Area

About this property

Log Lodge, Family friendly, near Yellowstone Park on our private ranch

This property is the original 'McDonald family homestead', 20 minutes from Yellowstone Park line, 25-30 minutes to pay shack in Gardiner. 6 miles of dirt road and 8 miles of interstate highway.
* It consists of a log lodge on the hill, 3 log cabins down by the creek
* private from each other
* the lodge-- 6 Bedroom / 4 Bathroom home that sleeps 12, more if needed at extra cost; 6500 square feet.

King Master suite with walk in rock shower, big jacuzzi tub with beautiful mountain/meadow views, double sink, walk in closet, and upper balcony deck. 2nd floor.

3 Queen bedrooms with a bath/shower tp share, double sinks,
* twin bed in 1 of the queen bedrooms with 16' climbing wall and rope.
2nd floor

*Antique queen bedroom with bath attached, very comfy/cozy. 2nd floor.

*Twin bed in loft Workout area. 2nd floor. Close to Antique queen room.

*Downstairs main ground floor is 1 queen bed in rec room area. 1 bathroom downstairs.
*Downstairs is main floor area with kitchen, great room, walk out to decks, yard, parking, etc.

*Large kitchen with multiple stations, all equipped with everything, 2 sinks, 2 refrigerators, double oven, lots of sitting in area. Opens to dining room with 6 chairs at table.

*Open great room with large couches, leather recliner chair and big rock fireplace. There are 72 windows in lodge, the views are beautiful and plentiful.

Laundry room with LG front load washer/dryer.
Lodge made with logs up to 40 inches in diameter.

Big deck out front opens to nice green yard with automatic sprinklers, a fire pit, more land to stretch out on, & a very large quality trampoline with safety net.

Views of Yellowstone Park mountains, meadows, wildlife, forests, and the company of our ranch's friendly horses, cats, dogs, cows.

We like to think you are coming to get away from it all & hoping you don't get too tempted with the cable and wifi. Let us know if you need it disconnected. Families claim to bond more when not so tempted. Cell service is not the best in Montana or Wyoming area of the park, & Verizon is the best coverage. NO cell service in the mountains at ranch.

We do have a log barn and attached indoor arena above the lodge higher on the hill for private use only. Many guests come watch the ranch girls ride and rope in the arena when they happen to be between rodeos, visit the cats in the hay, and the miniature cows in the pens. The smaller animals are penned by the barn and arena for their protection from the wildlife.

We have a resident elk herd of a few hundred. They have their babies throughout the basin, as well as in and around the cabins, lodge, & along the road. Howl for the wolves at night, enjoy no city lights up here and many a bright stars and beautiful big sky!

We are open year around. The beauty never stops!

Property manager

Shai McDonald

Premier Host

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Amenities

Hot tub

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Pet-friendly

Air conditioning

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Outdoor space

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 18

Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Very family orientated

Events

No events allowed

Pets

Pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Outdoor space for smoking, no cigs on ground plz

* Cushions are not to be removed from any furniture inside or outside. * Please do not move any furniture inside or outside or from original rooms.

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited

Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip

Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Gardiner

Located in Gardiner, this holiday home is in a rural area and in the mountains. Roosevelt Arch and Fort Yellowstone Historic District are local landmarks, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Yellowstone Hot Springs and Osprey Falls Trail. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.

View more Holiday homes in Gardiner

Gardiner, MT

What's nearby

Yellowstone Hot Springs - 20 min drive
Roosevelt Arch - 30 min drive
Yellowstone National Park North Entrance - 31 min drive
Boiling River - 39 min drive
Mammoth Hot Springs - 43 min drive

Getting around

West Yellowstone, MT (WYS-Yellowstone) - 126 min drive

Restaurants

Lighthouse Restaurant - 21 min drive
Paradise Perk Espresso - 24 min drive
Grizzly Grille - 24 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Log Lodge, Family friendly, near Yellowstone Park on our private ranch pet-friendly?

Yes, pets are allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Log Lodge, Family friendly, near Yellowstone Park on our private ranch?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Log Lodge, Family friendly, near Yellowstone Park on our private ranch?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Log Lodge, Family friendly, near Yellowstone Park on our private ranch located?

This family-friendly Gardiner holiday home is located in the mountains, 0.1 mi (0.1 km) from Gallatin National Forest, and within 9 mi (15 km) of Yellowstone River and Yellowstone Hot Springs. Parks' Fly Shop and Yankee Jim Canyon are also within 16 miles (25 km).

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

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8.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Sarah M.

3 Jan 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

The most fabulous white Christmas

My partner and I came over from Australia with his parents to meet my sister in law and her husband (who live in America) for a white Christmas. This place blew our minds and made for literally the best Christmas we've ever had. We are wanting to come back annually and are totally obsessed with Montana in genera now. Shai is the most epic host and even put some decorations up before our arrival. A few things worth mentioning to hopefully answer any questions: - the place is WARM, central/under floor heating everywhere so even in winter it's not so bad - the place is about 15 mins off the main road and about 30 min from Gardiner where there was an big grocery store that was open even on Christmas to buy everything we needed - the kitchen is HUGE and well stocked and was easy to cook for 6 of us, we didn't end up eating out once - we got lucky with snow - a little but not a dumping. we had no issues with the road apart from some icy patches, but the road in is quite windy up a hill so definitely would be wanting snow tyres on your car at least but chains if it got heavy - the beds in the main 4 bedrooms were really comfortable . I slept SO well and even woke up to a heard of elk on Christmas morning out the window - the 5th bedroom and other sleeping areas aren't quite so comfy but for kids/less fussy adults it would be fine - the hot springs at the end of the road are great, would totally recommend

Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Vardhana G.

26 Aug 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Out of this world

We are so happy our family of 12 chose this place to stay for our trip to yellow stone. This log cabin by itself was amazing and the location and views in the backyard was a piece of heaven. I had family from new zealand, singapore and India and all of us were blown away by the beauty. The only issue was, the road leading up was a dirt road which we already knew and was ok with it once we got used to it. The directions were confusing. We passed grandpa's cabin on the right and right in front of us was a barn. It was dark and we did not see the road on the left that goes up even more to 2 more houses. Of the two cabins ours was the one on the right. We were very lucky that Nick in Grandpa's cabin drove in his car and led us up there at 10 o clock at night. It would be a good idea for the lights to be left on so that guests know there is a house there. There is no cell reception to call anyone from the road there. Shai was very responsive whenever I needed her and was able to contact her. The lodge had starlink cell reception. I would definitely come back and stay there if I need to in the future. Vardhana.

Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

John F.

25 Aug 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Spacious and Amazing Lodge Close to Yellowstone

This lodge was a big highlight of our Yellowstone trip. We travelled with another family (4 adults 7 kids). The layout of the lodge is great with bedrooms upstairs and a large open great room down below. Views up the 6 mile dirt road are beautiful as are the views from the lodge. There is an entire kids area with toys, indoor trampoline, basketball shooting game, etc. Tip: check out the hot springs at the base of the mountain road. We soaked there our last night. This + the lodge was an incredible way to end our trip. Thank you for the stay and for the memories this provided our families!

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth W.

15 Aug 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family vacation!

A bit out of the way, but a beautiful property. Able to see stars without tons of ambient light, and watched elk and deer from the living room!

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Catherine W.

8 Jul 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Phenomenal Vacation

Nine adults/two families = great vacation to Yellowstone. The house had everything we needed and more. Hosts were attentive and quick to respond to any questions we had and the scenery couldn’t be beat.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

About the host

Hosted by Shai McDonald

McDonald family homesteaded this basin in the 1800's on their way to visit Yellowstone Park. They bought the other homesteaders out, living in seclusion working hard, cutting lumber from the forests, clearing fields for hay, working cattle, filling their bellies with local elk, deer, moose, wild strawberries, and even kept ice in a little mini log ice house on the side of the mountain.
They had a keen eye to keep safe from the numerous grizzly bears and many a story to tell of that. Great Grandma McDonald still holds the record for harvest of Montana's largest grizzly when this griz decided to see what was in the storeroom while Great Grpa was in town getting supplies.

Our kid's grpa, Jack McDonald worked for the national park service for 43 years, while enjoying raising his family on the ranch, along with many pet moose.

Riding horses and hunting indian arrowheads and special rocks was a favorite hobby of the family.

We are now the 5th generation McDonald family preserving the original homestead cabins, sharing the beauty. We spend the summers competing in rodeos with our 3 kids all over Montana and checking in on our guests and ranch animals. Winters are spent sledding, snowmobiling, skiing, roping inside the indoor arena, basketball, football parties & keeping warm by the fireplace.

Why they chose this property

We are content settling on our family ranch raising kids, cows, horses, logging & fencing.
We just recently built the lodge with massive logs and over 72 windows to help accommodate multi-family gatherings.

We enjoy sharing the beauty with others and our animals sure love the extra attention.

Depending on season, the wildlife of mountain sheep, mountain goats, antelope, elk, deer, bear, buffalo/bison, coyote, fox, wolves, badgers, gophers, eagles, hawks, other birds are the most prevalent animals seen on the ranch and driving to/from.

What makes this property unique

Getting away from it all, yet still close enough to all the activities. Animals all about in a private, quiet and very beautiful setting while enjoying the comfortable log lodgings.

20 minutes from Yellowstone Park line
25-30 minutes from Yellowstone Park Entrance Station other side of Gardiner.
1-1.5 hours from Old Faithful
4 hours one way to Jackson Hole, WY

Gardiner entrance is the original entrance to Yellowstone Park, and the only one open year around.