Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
all day. The diverse terrain is groomed regularly, and the runs' features are frequently up-
graded or even changed. Red Lodge offers a full-service lodge, with ski lessons, ski rentals,
child care, a restaurant, two bars, and two cafeterias, all on the hill. The resort also has two
cross-country trails that offer about 11 miles of skiing. On top of the outstanding terrain and
the jaw-dropping views, one of the things that makes this hill so special is the small-town
friendless of just about everyone here, from the lift ops to the people sharing a chair with
you. This feels like what skiing in Montana should be.
Probably the best-known place for cross-country skiing in Red Lodge is the
Red Lodge
Nordic Center
(406/446-1771,
www.beartoothtrails.org
,
8:30am-4:30pm daily in season,
$5/day donation requested), located three miles west of downtown off Highway 78 at the
base of the Beartooth Mountains. The center is operated by the nonprofit Beartooth Recre-
ational Association. They offer more than 15 kilometers of groomed classic and skate trails
rated from easy to most difficult. In addition, the center offers equipment rentals, lessons,
maps, a snack bar, and activities for children. Other than a porta potty, there are no services
at the Nordic Center, so plan ahead.
Hiking and Fishing
There are a number of rivers, creeks, and lakes worth fishing or just ambling along in the
vicinity of Red Lodge, and with surroundings as spectacular as these, the catching may not
be the point.
Rock Creek
flows through town and is a surprisingly good place to catch rain-
bows or browns. Public access can be found just north of town. The north-flowing
Stillwa-
ter River,
west of town toward Absarokee, is a medium-size tributary of the Yellowstone
River with relatively few people fishing it and a healthy number of rainbows and browns.
Wild Bill Lake
is stocked regularly and makes a fantastic family outing or introduction
to fly-fishing. The area is fully accessible for wheelchairs and can be found two miles south
of Red Lodge on U.S. Highway 212, then five miles west on Forest Road 2071.
While there are numerous gnarly trails on the Beartooth Plateau for hard-core hikers,
there are plenty just outside town that are a bit more mellow but equally beautiful. The
Nichols Creek Trail
(West Fork Rd. to Forest Rd. 2478), for example, is a four-mile round-
trip out-and-back hike that follows Nichols Creek through aspen and pine forests with mod-
erate elevation gain (1,100 feet) and a marvelous view of the West Fork Canyon.
For a professional fishing guide—or just the right gear and good advice—contact
Rocky Fork Outfitters & Guide Service
(108 Obert Rd., 406/445-2598,
www.rockyforkoutfittersguide.com
,
full-day float or wade for 1-2 anglers from $375, half-
