Red Lodge & riding accessibility

[doudea]

Hello, looking at a job in the Red Lodge area. Curious where are good riding areas located in relation? Looks like access to the Cooke City area over the pass to the west. Just looking to find out in general how riding options are in the area and how far to get to them. Right now we're located in western, CO so riding is fairly close. Experienced rider with about 28 years experience mountain riding, enjoy tree boondocking / off trial riding the most. Snowmobiling is my main hobby so just want to gauge how it is in the Red Lodge area as its an important factor for me. I appreciate any feedback/info!

 

[boondocker97]

Unfortunately for how close Red Lodge is to Cooke City and Top of the World (area between the Beartooth pass and junction of HWY 212 and 296) it's not easily accessible from there. Verry rugged mountains and wilderness between them. I've never personally done it, but you can ride up HWY 212 (closed in the winter) to Beartooth Pass to get to the Top of the World area. However, weather conditions have to be right, it's steep, and have to navigate the highway that can be bare in spots and drifted in to the edge of the cliffs in others. It's better to drive the cut across to Belfry then around on 296 through Wyoming like everyone else. Probably still closer than for those of us that go from Billings.

Other riding options include the Big Horns going up the Lovel Side on highway 14A. I hear there is limited riding south of Absarokee and further over south of Big Timber, but again I've never personally been to either place. @BeartoothBaron is in Roberts so he might be able to give you a good idea.

After that you have to start branching out further over by Big Sky and The Belts north of White Sulphur Springs. Island Park, Seely Lake, and Togwotee are within reach if you commit to driving and multi-day trips.

 

[doudea]

Unfortunately for how close Red Lodge is to Cooke City and Top of the World (area between the Beartooth pass and junction of HWY 212 and 296) it's not easily accessible from there. Verry rugged mountains and wilderness between them. I've never personally done it, but you can ride up HWY 212 (closed in the winter) to Beartooth Pass to get to the Top of the World area. However, weather conditions have to be right, it's steep, and have to navigate the highway that can be bare in spots and drifted in to the edge of the cliffs in others. It's better to drive the cut across to Belfry then around on 296 through Wyoming like everyone else. Probably still closer than for those of us that go from Billings.

Other riding options include the Big Horns going up the Lovel Side on highway 14A. I hear there is limited riding south of Absarokee and further over south of Big Timber, but again I've never personally been to either place. @BeartoothBaron is in Roberts so he might be able to give you a good idea.

After that you have to start branching out further over by Big Sky and The Belts north of White Sulphur Springs. Island Park, Seely Lake, and Togwotee are within reach if you commit to driving and multi-day trips.

Thank you, this the info I was looking for. Appreciated!!!

 

[Summit Guy]

We have done Red Lodge to Cooke and there is definitely a pucker factor. I would not plan it on a regular basis.

 

[BeartoothBaron]

@boondocker97 pretty well covered it. My favorite place to ride is Top of the World - closer to Red Lodge than Cooke, but about the same difference because I usually take the route mentioned (head towards Cody, then take 296 to 212), which drops you off about halfway between the two. I have rode up from the Red Lodge side, but only once. It wasn't difficult the time I went, but I hear it can be very treacherous sometimes, and that's before you factor in getting caught in weather. I've heard there's a guy in Red Lodge who goes that way more frequently, I think he owns a mechanic shop there, but I don't know him personally.

I guess the quick answer is, the short way is a possibility, but don't plan on it. I think there are some places you can ride closer by, but the trouble is that you tend to run into either wilderness areas, or not have enough snow most years. The good news is, two hours of driving from Red Lodge gets you access Cooke, Top of the World, or the Big Horns. Cooke has the best reliable snow and longest season in the area, and all are great places to ride when the snow is good. Of course, if you're picking purely on access for snowmobiling, Cody would put you closer to everything. Some other places in MT might also be a better fit depending on the job aspect, but unless a couple hours of driving is too much, Red Lodge is a decent place to be.

 

[doudea]

@boondocker97 pretty well covered it. My favorite place to ride is Top of the World - closer to Red Lodge than Cooke, but about the same difference because I usually take the route mentioned (head towards Cody, then take 296 to 212), which drops you off about halfway between the two. I have rode up from the Red Lodge side, but only once. It wasn't difficult the time I went, but I hear it can be very treacherous sometimes, and that's before you factor in getting caught in weather. I've heard there's a guy in Red Lodge who goes that way more frequently, I think he owns a mechanic shop there, but I don't know him personally.

I guess the quick answer is, the short way is a possibility, but don't plan on it. I think there are some places you can ride closer by, but the trouble is that you tend to run into either wilderness areas, or not have enough snow most years. The good news is, two hours of driving from Red Lodge gets you access Cooke, Top of the World, or the Big Horns. Cooke has the best reliable snow and longest season in the area, and all are great places to ride when the snow is good. Of course, if you're picking purely on access for snowmobiling, Cody would put you closer to everything. Some other places in MT might also be a better fit depending on the job aspect, but unless a couple hours of driving is too much, Red Lodge is a decent place to be.

Thank you, appreciate the info! Fingers crossed Ill be heading north next winter.

 

[AMNB60]

Hello, looking at a job in the Red Lodge area. Curious where are good riding areas located in relation? Looks like access to the Cooke City area over the pass to the west. Just looking to find out in general how riding options are in the area and how far to get to them. Right now we're located in western, CO so riding is fairly close. Experienced rider with about 28 years experience mountain riding, enjoy tree boondocking / off trial riding the most. Snowmobiling is my main hobby so just want to gauge how it is in the Red Lodge area as its an important factor for me. I appreciate any feedback/info!

The Red Lodge area offers a plethora of backcountry skiing options. You can access the Cooke City area over the pass to the west, which provides a variety of terrain. The options are plentiful and you can find everything from beginner friendly groomed runs to advanced technical terrain. The area also offers plenty of tree boondocking and off-trail riding. With 28 years of mountain riding experience, you should have no trouble finding challenging routes that meet your needs. Depending on where you are located in the area, you can be close to some epic backcountry skiing spots within a few hours. Overall, the Red Lodge area is a great choice for experienced backcountry skiers looking for a variety of terrain and plenty of options for tree boondocking and off-trail riding.