Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Continuing south from Absarokee, Rte. 78 follows East Rosebud Creek to Roscoe,
where the road and the creek part company. But here again a secondary road offers the op-
portunity for a pleasant side trip: Rte. 177 continues alongside the waterway, corkscrewing
a route into the wilds. Usually passable, the gravel road skirts arid patches of sage and an-
cient, eroded cliffs, and finally deadends at East Rosebud Lake. Replete with a clutch of
rustic cabins, piney woodlands, meadows, and steep mountain slopes, the area is a hiker's
paradise.OnetrailsnakeswestintotheBeartooths;asecondremainswiththecreek,which
spills though a dramatic canyon.
2.
Red Lodge
Crossing myriad creeks that are fed in part by melting snow in the up-country, Rte. 78
climbs 1,000 feet more before arriving at Red Lodge, a town that was settled in the late
1800s to tap coal deposits. Although the mines are no longer active, a historic district
conjures up the lifestyles of the settlers. Now an important gateway to the wilderness,
Red Lodge has earned special renown as the eastern terminus of the Beartooth Highway.
Opened in 1936, this extraordinary 68-mile stretch of road begins with a series of switch-
backs, then climbs through glacier-gouged Rock Creek Canyon. It continues to higher el-
evations, passing through an area that averages 200 inches of snow per year. The road's
gradient, however, remains reasonable—about 4 percent—and turnouts invite drivers to
pull over and enjoy the views.
3.
Rock Creek Vista Point
Asteadyascent,aboutadozenmilesinlength,overlooksseeminglybottomlessvalleysand
leads to Rock Creek Vista Point. Here, at an elevation of some 8,000 feet, the panorama
takes in fields of sage, Rock Creek Canyon, and the road ahead, twisting and turning like a
ribbon into the distance.
Although the area seems forbidding, wildlife is plentiful. Two hardy survivors—agile
mountain goats and mountain sheep—can sometimes be seen leaping across the ledges.
Spiraling overhead, hawks and eagles keep watch for potential prey.
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