Red Lodge is a small town in southern Montana where cowboys, ski bums, and ranchers live, work and play.
It's one of the last strongholds of the Western frontier, but it's also surprisingly modern and sophisticated.
Sure, there are old saloons and hotels dating back to the late 1800s, but there's also a sustainable microbrewery that churns out craft beers, a high-end food and wine shop, a renowned ceramic arts center, and several fine-dining restaurants that serve local organic fare.
The town also caters to skiers and boarders heading to Red Lodge Mountain. In warmer months, outdoor enthusiasts flock here to hike, bike, and explore the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness and the Beartooth Highway, which links Red Lodge to Yellowstone National Park. Many visitors stop here on their way to Yellowstone, about 160 miles away.
Whatever the reason you visit, Red Lodge is full of surprises.
Located about 62 miles from Billings, Red Lodge looks like a typical town from the old west.
There are saloons and bars typical of a small Western town, but there are also surprising shops, like a coffee roaster, artisanal food store, and a high-end kitchen supply store. Red Lodge promotes local sustainable foods and products, which you'll see in the specialty shops and restaurants around town.
4th Avenue Meats is a butcher and specialty meat shop that smokes and cures all meats in house. They work with local farmers and ranchers to secure the highest-quality meat products. A bonus: they have samples of their cured meats for tasting, from Elk Kolbas to Bretonne sausage.
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