Distinctly Montana Magazine

12 D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G 2 0 2 6 M o n t a n a H o s p i t a l i t y T HERE'S CAMPING, AND THEN THERE'S CAMPING, and a stay at Yellowstone Tipis in Gardiner, Montana, is firmly the latter. Naturally we love camping at Distinctly Montana, every uncom- fortable moment of it: the looming threat of incursion by wild- life springs to mind, as does the way that the hard ground really flattens out your spine. It's fun, yes, but it can also be good for you—the way that a big spoonful of castor oil is good for you. Yellowstone Tipis is the work of Sarah and Patrik Ondrus, long- time Gardiner residents who broke ground on the property in 2019. COVID delayed their opening until 2021, and the following summer brought the devastating Yellowstone floods that closed the park's northern entrances and upended the region's tourism economy. But the Ondrus family persevered, and in 2023 Yel- lowstone Tipis won both Best Glamping and Best Rustic Hotel at Distinctly Montana's Best of Montana awards. The operation has been recognized as either a winner or Elite Top Three finalist in the Best Glamping category for three consecutive years. And no wonder; Yellowstone Tipis excises the pain and suffering from camping. Every family or guest stays in their own beauti- fully crafted tipi with a western animal painted on it—we had the moose—containing a sumptuously comfortable bed in a pleasantly and tastefully decorated space. Each tipi comes with its own assigned private bathroom in the on-site bathhouse, so you're not sharing facilities with other guests. The tipis them- selves are made from organic cotton and hand-painted by No- madics Tipi Makers, the same company that created the highly authentic tipis featured in Dances With Wolves and The Last Sa- murai. Spacious and pleasantly appointed with rugs, chests, and homey pillows, the tipis are perfect for returning to after a long day of adventuring. by SHERMAN CAHILL Yeowstone Tipis

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