Overview
Red Lodge is a town in south central Montana. About 2,200 people live there. It is located in the shadow of no less than 28 different 12,000-foot peaks. This charming town is nestled in the foothills of the Beartooth Mountains and is surrounded by Custer National Forest. The 69-mile Beartooth Scenic Drive has dramatic switchbacks overlooking snow-capped peaks, glaciers, alpine lakes and plateaus and is considered by many to be one of the most scenic roads in the country.
It is conveniently located between the major airport in Billings and the northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park at Cooke City.
2 sights · 4 things to do · 4 places to eat · 3 bars & cafés · 3 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Red Lodge
Red Lodge Mountain
Skiing and snowboarding on 71 runs across 2 mountains. Variety of terrains. Lodge, lessons, and rentals.
Cooney State Park
Popular 309 acre park with a large reservoir for watersports and fishing and five campgrounds with 72 campsites available daily around the lake.
Carbon County Historical Society Museum
Focused on area history. Great exhibit on coal mining. Rodeo and gun collections.
Smith Mine Disaster Site
Site of one of the worst mining disasters in United States history, where 74 miners died in a powerful explosion in 1943. The site itself is not open to visitors, but there is a historical marker near the area that provi…
Disc Golf
12 holes of disc golf. First part of course is on right side of entry road, 2nd part is near baseball fields.
Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary
Animal sanctuary with large variety of area animals. Expect to see bears, raptors, mountain lions, wolves, and more. Educational information. Animals are most active in the morning.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Jun–Sep. Summer highs reach about 81°F; winter lows dip to about 12°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Jun and May. (climate data from nearby Yellowstone National Park)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- COD Yellowstone Regional Airport, Cody — 47 mi away. Directions
- BIL Billings Logan International Airport, Billings — 55 mi away. Directions
Highway 212 leads from Cooke City and Yellowstone National Park and connects to I-90 and Billings Montana via 310 at Laurel (Montana).
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $210–$210 a night (typical $248), from 2 listed prices.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$250, mid-range ~$320, comfortable ~$380.
See the Sleep guide ↓ for places to stay.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Carbon County Historical Society Museum, Disc Golf
- Lunch Red Lodge Cafe
- Afternoon Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary, Smith Mine Disaster Site
- Dinner Foster and Logans Pub and Grill
- Evening Snow Creek Saloon
Day 2
- Morning Red Lodge Mountain
- Lunch Beartooth Market
- Afternoon Cooney State Park
- Dinner La Palmita
- Evening Red Lodge Ales Brewing Company
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Historic Red Lodge is a resort and ranching community with a colorful coal mining past and surrounded by natural beauty.
The tourist town is busiest during the summer, with a small resurgence in winter for snow sports.
If you decide to go up the Beartooth, which you definitely should, be aware it is a slow drive along steep switchbacks. There is a great lookout area partway up which is the normal turnaround point. Get out and enjoy the trail and the view from up high.
Get in
By car
Highway 212 leads from Cooke City and Yellowstone National Park and connects to I-90 and Billings Montana via 310 at Laurel (Montana).
Portions of Highway 212 only have one lane in each direction, and farmers living in the area may drive on the roadway with their heavy machinery. When that happens, cars will often proceed at a slow speed, resulting in congestion.
By plane
- Billings Logan International Airport (BIL), is the closest airport located 1901 Terminal Cir, +1 406 247-8609, e-mail: [mailto:airport@ci.billings.mt.us airport@ci.billings.mt.us], . Billings Logan International is the major airport for Eastern Montana, and the busiest airport in the state. Silver Airways uses it as their hub for service within the state, and it is additionally served by Allegiant, Alaska/Horizon, Delta, Frontier, Skywest and United. Denver, Salt Lake City, and Minneapolis are the biggest hubs serving Billings.
Get around
There is no public transportation in Red Lodge. The business area is very walkable, biking is an option in good weather. Those who are very fit enjoy biking the mountain area. Otherwise all travel needs to be by car.
Beartooth Highway is only open from about May to mid-October, depending on snow. It is always best to check before going, either online or by asking at a shop.
See
See Smith Mine Disaster Site
Site of one of the worst mining disasters in United States history, where 74 miners died in a powerful explosion in 1943. The site itself is not open to visitors, but there is a historical marker near the area that provides an account on what happened. You can see the mining site from where the historical marker stands.
Do
Do Disc Golf
12 holes of disc golf. First part of course is on right side of entry road, 2nd part is near baseball fields.
Buy
As a tourist town, Red Lodge has an eclectic choice of shops. Enjoy taking a walk downtown to see what is available.
Shop Montana C.C. Legends
Trinkets and treasures of all kinds. If you want a memento of any kind, they probably have it and at a decent price.
Eat
Eat Foster and Logans Pub and Grill
Pub food plus a few specialty items. Variety of craft beers.
Eat La Palmita
Traditional Mexican restaurant. Outdoor seating available.
Eat Red Lodge Cafe
Excellent traditional diner fare.
Drink
Drink Red Lodge Ales Brewing Company
Serving beers brewed on-premise. Also serves hard ciders and has a full food menu. Free wi-fi.
Drink The Snag Bar
Great historic bar. Has food and outdoor seating.
Drink Snow Creek Saloon
Small town bar. Occasional live music.
Sleep
Multiple bed and breakfasts are located in and around town. Several camping locations are also available for both RV and tent. There are KOA, government run campsites at recreation.gov, and private campgrounds.
Stay safe
Bear country. Be bear aware before you start exploring the wilderness. Plenty of other wildlife may come close. Remember they are wild and can react badly to people. Keep your distance and enjoy watching.
Dehydration can be an issue even if you don't notice you are thirsty. Be sure you pack water on a hike and stop to drink along the way. Even though the streams look crystal clear, giardia parasites can be present. Do not drink from the stream (unless you boil the water) or you could be very sick.
Go next
Do Cooney State Park (Cooney Reservoir)
Popular 309 acre park with a large reservoir for watersports and fishing and five campgrounds with 72 campsites available daily around the lake.
Nearby
Stillwater County
Rural area · 13 listings · 31 mi away
Cooke City
City / town · 9 listings · 35 mi away
Powell
City / town · 8 listings · 38 mi away
Laurel
City / town · 20 listings · 41 mi away
Cody
City / town · 21 listings · 47 mi away
Lovell
City / town · 15 listings · 48 mi away
Billings
City / town · 50 listings · 55 mi away
Big Timber
City / town · 10 listings · 56 mi away
My experience
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