Historic Montana town below the Beartooth Mountains
Red LodgeMontana
Walk Broadway Avenue, drive the Beartooth Highway, ski Red Lodge Mountain, or follow US 212 toward Yellowstone's Northeast Entrance. Broadway Avenue puts hotels, coffee, galleries, and dinner close together after the mountain day.
Red Lodge travel guide
Broadway Avenue below the Beartooth Plateau
Red Lodge sits where historic brick storefronts, cottonwoods along Rock Creek, and the switchbacks of US 212 meet the Beartooth Mountains. Summer brings alpine lakes and Yellowstone's Northeast Entrance; winter shifts the view to Red Lodge Mountain.
Beartooth Highway is seasonal and weather-sensitive. Check the current road report before leaving Red Lodge, even in summer.
US 212 climbs from Red Lodge through Rock Creek Canyon to high alpine plateaus, lakes, and exposed overlooks.
The Northeast Entrance and Lamar Valley fit this approach. Old Faithful and the geyser basins require a much longer park day.
Historic storefronts, the Carbon County museum, galleries, coffee, and restaurants give the town its own full afternoon.
The ski area sits about six miles from town, with 1,635 acres, 70 marked runs, and a 2,400-foot vertical drop.
From Rock Creek Canyon to exposed alpine tundra
West of Broadway, US 212 follows rushing Rock Creek into tight canyon walls before climbing through switchbacks, lakes, and plateaus. Yellowstone lies beyond Cooke City in the other direction; plan each route for a separate clear-weather day.
Rock Creek Vista, then the high plateau
Rock Creek Vista, the switchbacks, alpine lakes, and Beartooth Pass reward frequent stops. Wind, snow, and visibility can shorten the route without warning.
Open the Beartooth Highway guide →
Follow the Northeast Entrance to Lamar Valley
Leave early for Cooke City and Yellowstone's wildlife country. Save Old Faithful and the central geyser basins for lodging closer to those park roads.
Open the Yellowstone guide →Choose downtown, Rock Creek, or the road to the ski area
Downtown puts Broadway Avenue restaurants within walking distance. Rock Creek properties trade that convenience for quieter grounds and more space, while south-of-town lodging shortens the ski-area drive.
Broadway Avenue after the drive
Park at the hotel and walk to coffee, shops, galleries, and dinner. The historic downtown is compact enough to explore between the longer mountain outings.
Lower trails when clouds cover the pass
When clouds cover the pass, choose a lower trail, the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary, the Carbon County museum, or a downtown afternoon instead of forcing a high-elevation drive.
Pack for mountain weather and long drive days
Carry layers, water, sun protection, and a paper or offline map for high-elevation drives where temperatures and mobile service change quickly.
