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Major city · United States

Red Lodge

Stay 1–2 nights as a base for the Beartooth Highway and a Yellowstone northeast-entrance run; skip it if the Beartooth is closed.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Red Lodge is a small ranching and resort town of about 2,200 people in south-central Montana, at the foot of the Beartooth Mountains and the start of the 69-mile Beartooth Highway (US 212) toward Cooke City and Yellowstone's northeast entrance. It has a coal-mining past, a compact walkable Broadway, and a ski hill. Most travellers use it for one or two nights between Billings and Yellowstone, or as a summer base for the Beartooth drive. There is no public transport, so a car is required.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
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More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Jun–Sep for the Beartooth Highway and hiking; Dec–Mar for skiing
avoid The Beartooth Highway (US 212) is usually open only about May to mid-October, depending on snow — check MDT before you plan around it
Airport
BIL
Nights
1–2
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Red Lodge911 ▾
  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Montana Road Report (MDT)511

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Red Lodge, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffeecheck$3–6
  • Street or quick mealDiner breakfastcheck$10–18
  • BeerCraft beer at the brewerycheck$6–9
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entrycheck$5
  • Budget bedHostel or campground bed/site, a night, per personUS$30
  • Mid-range bedMotel or inn double room, a night, per roomUS$180
  • High-end bedMotel or inn double room, a night, per roomUS$260

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$90 · Mid US$170 · High US$300

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Beartooth Highway (US 212)Beartooth Mountains and Custer National ForestCoal-mining history and the Smith Mine disaster siteRed Lodge Mountain ski areaYellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary
Airports
BIL Billings Logan International Airport (The closest airport, about 100 km (62 mi) / 60 mi north via US 212 and I-90; rental cars at the terminal. Check seasonal flight schedules.)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Best

    2°C (36°F)

  2. Feb

    Best

    4°C (39°F)

  3. Mar

    Best

    9°C (48°F)

  4. Apr

    not flagged

    13°C (55°F)

  5. May

    Avoid

    18°C (64°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    23°C (73°F)

  7. Jul

    Best

    28°C (82°F)

  8. Aug

    Best

    27°C (81°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    21°C (70°F)

  10. Oct

    Avoid

    14°C (57°F)

  11. Nov

    not flagged

    6°C (43°F)

  12. Dec

    Best

    1°C (34°F)

Best: Jun–Sep, Dec–Mar. Avoid: May, Oct. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (28°C (82°F)), coolest Dec (−10°C (14°F) low), wettest May (12 rain days), driest Jan (7). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Red Lodge: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

2°C (36°F)

−9°C (16°F)

7 rd

Feb

4°C (39°F)

−8°C (18°F)

7 rd

Mar

9°C (48°F)

−4°C (25°F)

9 rd

Apr

13°C (55°F)

−1°C (30°F)

10 rd

May

18°C (64°F)

4°C (39°F)

12 rd

Jun

23°C (73°F)

8°C (46°F)

11 rd

Jul

28°C (82°F)

11°C (52°F)

9 rd

Aug

27°C (81°F)

10°C (50°F)

8 rd

Sep

21°C (70°F)

5°C (41°F)

8 rd

Oct

14°C (57°F)

0°C (32°F)

7 rd

Nov

6°C (43°F)

−5°C (23°F)

7 rd

Dec

1°C (34°F)

−10°C (14°F)

7 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

No public transport. The business district along Broadway is walkable in 10–15 minutes end to end, and biking works in good weather. In-town sights such as the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary are reachable on foot or by bike; everything out of town — the ski hill, trailheads, the Beartooth Highway — needs a car. Fill up in town before heading up US 212; services are sparse beyond Red Lodge.

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Beartooth Highway (US 212) to Cooke City

go

Door to door: Half day to the vista point; allow 2.5–3 h one way to Cooke City (check)

Drive US 212 southwest over the switchbacks; the classic turnaround is the Rock Creek Vista Point

Slow, steep switchbacks with pullouts; go early, check the road is open, and carry water and layers.

Yellowstone northeast entrance (via Cooke City)overnight

Door to door: About 3 h to Cooke City (check), then on to the park

US 212 over the Beartooth to Cooke City, then into the park

Too far for a comfortable same-day return; sleep in Cooke City or the park.

Billings

go

Door to door: About 1.5 h (check)

US 212 east to I-90, or MT-78 north to Columbus then I-90

Nearest big city, airport and full services.

Cooney State Park / Cooney Reservoir

go

Door to door: About 30 min (check)

About 20 mi north of town

Reservoir for swimming, boating and fishing, with campgrounds; day-use fee applies.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Downtown Broadway

Walkable to shops, bars and restaurants; the historic Pollard Hotel and several B&Bs sit here.

South Hauser Avenue

Edge-of-downtown motels with parking, a short walk from Broadway.

North Broadway / US 212

Highway-side lodging and the brewery; you need a car for everything.

Out-of-town cabins and campgrounds

Cabins and RV/tent sites north and west of town; book ahead in summer.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$90–150 excl. bed (2026 estimate)
Mid
$150–260 excl. bed (2026 estimate)
High
$260+ excl. bed (2026 estimate)

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Motel or inn double room1 × 2 nights × US$180US$360
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × US$170US$680
Rental car, one day1 × US$70 · checkUS$70
Fuel, Beartooth loop1 × US$30 · checkUS$30
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$20 · checkUS$40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$118
Trip total≈ US$325 per person per day, bed includedUS$1,298

check

2026 estimate in US dollars; prices shown before Montana sales tax. Flights and rental car excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffeecheck$3–6
Diner breakfastcheck$10–18
Pub burger or platecheck$14–24
Craft beer at the brewerycheck$6–9
Museum entrycheck$5
Gallon of fuelcheck$3–4

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Red Lodge is a small, low-crime town; the real risks are wildlife, altitude, dehydration and the seasonal Beartooth Highway. Carry bear spray, treat stream water, and check the road report before driving US 212.
  • The Beartooth Highway (US 212) is seasonal, typically open about May to mid-October depending on snow; check the Montana DOT road report before you commit.
  • This is bear country: keep your distance from wildlife, store food properly, and check current bear guidance from the Forest Service or Montana FWP before hiking.
  • Do not drink from streams — giardia is present; filter, boil or treat water.
  • High altitude (town is around 1,700 m / 5,600 ft) and dry air: drink more water than you think you need.
  • Cell coverage is patchy on the Beartooth and in the national forest.
  • Winter driving on US 212 can be icy; check conditions.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Montana Road Report (MDT)
511

Pocket card

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Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Red LodgeRed Lodge

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Montana Road Report511

Embassy

No embassies in Red Lodge; nearest consulates are in Denver and Salt Lake City, embassies in Washington, DC.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Billings (BIL) → Red Lodge by car: about 100 km (62 mi) / 60 mi, 1.5 h
  • Red Lodge → Cooke City via Beartooth: about 100 km (62 mi) / 60 mi, 2.5–3 h

Say or show

  • Where is the trailhead? — Where is the trailhead?
  • Is the Beartooth Highway open? — Is the Beartooth Highway open?
  • Do you have bear spray? — Do you have bear spray?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Where is the nearest gas station? — Where is the nearest gas station?
  • Thank you — Thank you

Emergency numbers and road report are the key ones; check local listings for anything else.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Red Lodge. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Sep for the Beartooth Highway and hiking; Dec–Mar for skiing · avoid The Beartooth Highway (US 212) is usually open only about May to mid-October, depending on snow — check MDT before you plan around it · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 6 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for BIL: rental-car pickup times, drive time to Red Lodge, late-arrival check-in.
  2. Beartooth Highway status fixture: live MDT road report, seasonal open/close dates, turnaround points.
  3. Place pages with verified hours and prices (Carbon County Historical Society Museum, Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary, Red Lodge Mountain) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Winter and shoulder-season fixtures so gates can go green when the highway is closed.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources