If there’s one thing you and your kids will notice while visiting Red Lodge, Montana, there’s a lot of things to do outside and a lot of incredible space to do them in. Kids and their families will get a kick out of Red Lodge’s cozy, old west community atmosphere downtown after spending a day or several days playing in a spectacular outdoor environment, including visits to nearby National Forests.

What to do for Kids Summer Fun

• Wagon Rides
  What a great way to see the Red Lodge area from an old West traveler’s point of view. Even better, you can enjoy your driver’s stories and wisdom about the Red Lodge area as you take pictures, throw hay at your neighbor, and watch for wildlife. Some rides include a chuckwagon dinner or other refreshments.
• Horseback Riding and Packtrips
  If you and your kids want to ride horses, check out a ½ day, day, or extended trip offered by the experienced local guides and outfitters listed on this page. Experts and novices alike, bring your close-toed shoes and be ready for your breathtaking ride in the saddle.
• Biking
  Taking a cruise on a mountain or road bike in the Red Lodge area is something the whole family can appreciate. You never forget how to ride a bike and there’s nothing quite like the wind in your hair as you take in the sights of nearby National Forests like Gallatin, Shoshone, Custer and Flathead. Or maybe you’ll stay in town and check out some historical areas.
• Hiking and Backpacking
  One reason parents seem to love their visits to the Red Lodge area is how soundly their kids fall asleep after a fun day hiking or backpacking. There are various trails within just a mile or two of Red Lodge or you and the kids can venture farther to other nearby National Forests.
• Camping
  Pitch a tent, roast marshmallows and tell ghost stories galore in scenic Red Lodge, Montana. There are many nearby campsites to choose from whether you are roughing it in a tent or traveling in RV style. If your daughter is a Girl Scout, consider a summer camping session for her at Timbercrest Girl Scout Camp, just 6 miles outside Red Lodge. Scouts of all ages can learn survival skills, participate in arts & crafts, and learn more about how early pioneers lived.
• Water Sports
  The Stillwater River near Red Lodge is a great place for kids and their families to ride the river and splash around in majestic surroundings. Whether you and your kids canoe, kayak, or want to kick back and enjoy a scenic float, there are guides and outfitters listed here that can take you, return you to your point of origination, and enhance your safety and rafting skills along the way.
• Golfing
  Tee’d off at your child? Take off for the Red Lodge Mountain Golf Course and work it out on the green. This 18-hole golf course is a favorite summer and holiday destination, so call at least a month ahead for your tee times during peak season. A nearby Frisbee golf facility will be a hit with the younger golfers in your family too.

Kid Friendly Summer Attractions

• 4th of July Parade and Home of Champions Rodeo
  All the fun and fireworks of Independence Day and good old Western Rodeo fun for the whole family.
• Beartooth Motorcycle Rally
  For families with older or more mature kids, this annual gathering of hog lovers takes over downtown Red Lodge for a weekend that takes all year to recover from. Lots of food, fun, and live music.
• Beartooth Run
  This annual race began in 1968 and is a challenging race no matter how old the participant. The course cruises through amazing Red Lodge area terrain and ends at the scenic outlook at Vista Point of the Beartooth Pass.

Winter Kid Friendly Activities

• Skiing
  Drop your kids for a day of skiing or snowboarding lessons at Red Lodge Mountain Resort, or join them on the two and a half mile-long Lazy M, the longest ski run at RLMR.
• Cross Country Skiing
  Enjoy a quality day outdoors at the Red Lodge Nordic Center. You and the kids can get some great exercise on 15 kilometers of track.
• Snowcoach Tours
  You and the kids can stay toasty warm in a snowcoach while you explore nearby Yellowstone National Park. Head to Cooke City when weather and road conditions permit to enjoy this activity. Be sure to book early because only a certain number of authorized snowcoach tours are allowed in YNP.
• Snowshoeing
  If your kids have never gone snowshoeing, Red Lodge is a great place to try it. Snowshoes come in a variety of sizes and it’s not very expensive. You and the kids will have fun learning to walk and keep your balance while enjoying the great outdoors at Red Lodge Nordic Ski Center and area trails near the West Fork of Rock Creek and the Silver Run Trail loops.
• Ice Skating
  For kids who like to ice skate or push a hockey stick and puck around, there is a great outdoor rink in Red Lodge that offers a warming hut and bathroom. Skate under the stars, too, when the lights come on at night.
• Ice Fishing
  For a unique Winter activity, go ice fishing with an experienced local guide. Glacier Lake is a two mile hike so make sure you and the kids are up for the exertion and dress warmly. Don’t forget your marsh mellows and corn to bait your hooks.
• Sleigh Rides
  Your kids will love an old fashioned sleigh ride through Red Lodge and a warm cup of hot chocolate afterward. Guides will entertain you and the kids with great stories and answer all your questions about their horses and anything you want to know about Red Lodge.