Why visit Red Lodge
Townapedia lists 9 museums and landmarks, 8 parks and trails, 30 places to eat, 10 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary, Roman Theatre, Hi Bug Historic District and Kent Dairy Round Barn.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 81°F; January lows average 14°F, and about 142 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Red Lodge
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Red Lodge
Red Lodge is a city and county seat of Carbon County, Montana, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 2,257.
From the Wikipedia article Red Lodge, Montana (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks9
Hi Bug Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Montana, United States
Kent Dairy Round Barn
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Red Lodge, Montana, NRHP-listed in Carbon County
Red Lodge Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic district in Montana, United States
Red Lodge Communal Mausoleum
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Mausoleum in Carbon County, Montana
Parks, trails and playgrounds8
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Restaurants and cafes30
Babcock & Miles Cafe & Wine Bar
Cafe · Regional, Sandwich, Coffee Shop, American · 0.5 mi
107A 12th Street
We-Sa 08:00-20:00; Su 10:00-14:00; Tu 08:00-14:00
Sam's Tap Room & Kitchen
Restaurant · Regional · 0.6 mi
1445 North Broadway Avenue, Red Lodge
Mo-Su 11:00-22:00
18 more on the map.
History
On September 17, 1851, the United States government signed a treaty with the Crow Nation, confirming control of the area which now contains Red Lodge to the Crow Indians. Rich coal deposits were found there in 1866, and gold was discovered nearby in 1870. An 1880 treaty between the U.S. government and the Crow allowed the area to be settled starting April 11, 1882.
The Red Lodge post office was established on December 9, 1884, with Postmaster Ezra L. Benton. A rail line was constructed into town, and coal shipments began in June 1889. The boundaries of the Crow Reservation were redrawn October 15, 1892, opening the whole area to settlement. From then until the 1930s, coal mining defined the town.
In the late 19th century, many new settlers came to Red Lodge, MT. The majority came from Italy, the British Isles, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, and Austria-Hungary. By the mid-1880s, migrants were still outnumbered by large numbers of Native Americans. By 1892 the population reached 1,180.
In 1896, Red Lodge had twenty saloons and, as the library records show, riotous and violent living was characteristic of the town. By 1906 the population had grown to 4,000 and by 1911 this had increased to 5,000.
From the History section of Red Lodge, Montana on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay10
Lupine Inn Red Lodge Montana
Motel and hotel · 1.0 mi
702 South Hauser Avenue, Red Lodge
Churches and places of worship11
Calvary Episcopal Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Saint Agnes Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.4 mi
1 North Word Avenue, Red Lodge
Shopping21
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Healthcare1
Map of Red Lodge
99 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°F | 14°F | 0.8 in | 13.5 in |
| Feb | 37°F | 14°F | 1.1 in | 19.4 in |
| Mar | 46°F | 22°F | 1.8 in | 20.2 in |
| Apr | 53°F | 28°F | 2.8 in | 25.5 in |
| May | 62°F | 37°F | 4.7 in | 6.2 in |
| Jun | 72°F | 44°F | 2.6 in | 0.6 in |
| Jul | 81°F | 50°F | 1.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 49°F | 1.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 71°F | 42°F | 1.6 in | 2.1 in |
| Oct | 56°F | 31°F | 2.3 in | 17.0 in |
| Nov | 43°F | 21°F | 1.4 in | 18.7 in |
| Dec | 36°F | 14°F | 1.0 in | 18.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Red Lodge Hcn (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Carbon County has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2026-04-07: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (Straight-Line Winds)
- 2023-10-11: Flooding (Flood)
- 2022-06-16: Severe Storm And Flooding (Flood)
- 2021-06-16: Robertson Draw Fire (Fire)
- 2020-03-31: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Powell Municipal Airport (POY) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 32 miles away.
- Bridger 18 mi northeast, about 28 min by car
- Fromberg 22 mi northeast, about 35 min by car
- Joliet 24 mi northeast, about 39 min by car
- Absarokee 25 mi northwest, about 40 min by car
- Rockvale 29 mi northeast, about 47 min by car
- Columbus 31 mi north, about 49 min by car
- Laurel 40 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
- Cody 47 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Billings 53 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Big Timber 56 mi northwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Red Lodge, Montana, Tumbleweed1954, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Johnson cabin Red Lodge MT1, Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Red Lodge Brewing Company NRHP 07000947 Carbon County, MT, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Red Lodge Cafe MT1, Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Calvary Episcopal Church (Red Lodge)1, Chris06, CC0
- Red Lodge Communal Mausoleum, Red Lodge, MT, 25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kent Dairy Round Barn, Red Lodge, MT, 25or6to4, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Red Lodge Main Street July 2000, User:Velela, Public domain
- Hi Bug Historic District2 NRHP 86001932 Carbon County, MT, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hi Bug Historic District NRHP 86001932 Carbon County, MT, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Carbon County Courthouse MT1, Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Calvary Episcopal Church NRHP 86002928 Carbon County, MT, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 3.0
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