Beartooth Highway
HIT THE ROAD
Red Lodge, Montana
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estled in southern Montana against the Beartooth Mountains (the state’s highest mountain peaks), 60-miles from either Billings, MT or Cody, WY, you will find Red Lodge, a quaint town that offers the perfect mix of being on vacation and feeling at home. With opportunities to explore the state’s nature and outdoor beauty, as well as to appreciate the town’s art and culture, Red Lodge visitors will find warmth and western hospitality wherever they go. The town borders the Custer Gallatin National Forest; and by way of the Beartooth Highway, day trips to Yellowstone National Park are made possible in the warmer months. Summers in Red Lodge are short but offer cool and pleasant days. Snow typically covers the ground by mid-December and can last into May, which ensures the Red Lodge Mountain Resort can provide exceptional ski conditions. The valley that is home to Red Lodge served the Crow Tribe long before the arrival of permanent settlers who came to pursue mining. The town was officially established in 1884 when a post office was built; and with the opening of the Rocky Fork Coal Company’s first mine in the area, Red Lodge became home to hundreds of immigrants who moved out west. When the coal mining industry around the town was killed in the early 1900s following the Great Depression, Red Lodge became known for producing bootleg liquor. However, by the mid-20th century, tourism, recreation and ranching took over the town’s economy. With great effort to preserve the town and its history, visitors will experience much of the town’s past in addition to its vibrant, functional present. BY HANNAH CRANDALL
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