- Hikes near West Fork of Rock Creek include: Willow Creek (also known as Palisades Campground Trail) is a pleasant, uphill 2-mile hike to the Red Lodge Mountain Resort parking lot.
- Hikes near US Highway 212 (Beartooth Highway) include: Mount Maurice Trail is an easy 3-mile hike from the Rock Creek Resort footbridge to Line Creek Plateau.
- Hikes near Main Fork of Rock Creek include: Parkside Recreational Trail is only 10 ½ miles south of Red Lodge and offers 2 miles of gently, open hiking terrain that parallels Rock Creek.
Overview
Pull on those hiking boots, pack your backpack, and hit the trails near Red Lodge, Montana. There more than 100 marked trails to choose from within thousands of miles of magnificent national forests and national parks like Gallatin, Custer, Shoshone and Yellowstone.
These alpine paths will delight hikers passing old-growth cedars, jagged peaks, roaring waterfalls, and remote meadows to pristine lakes.
Day hikers and backcountry campers, both experienced and novice can have an incredibly memorable hiking adventure throughout the summer.
Where to Go Hiking and Backpacking
A few popular trails to hike and backpack in the Red Lodge area include
Hikes near West Fork of Rock Creek
- Willow Creek (also known as Palisades Campground Trail) is a pleasant, uphill 2-mile hike to the Red Lodge Mountain Resort parking lot.
- Silver Run Trails are various easy, moderate and somewhat challenging hiking loops located about two miles south of Red Lodge, ranging from 2 ½ miles round trip to just over 5 miles roundtrip.
- Basin Creek Lakes Trail is located off Ski Run Road, mostly uphill for 4 miles.
- Timberline Lake Trail is a 4-miles trail through burned forest (from the 2008 Cascade fire).
- Senia Creek Trail is mostly uphill and runs 2 ½ miles from the end of West Fork Road to trails that split to East Rosebud Lake.
- West Fork Trail climbs 1000 feet past Calamity and Sentinel Falls and continues either Lake Mary or Sundance Pass.
- Mount Maurice Trail is an easy 3-mile hike from the Rock Creek Resort footbridge to Line Creek Plateau.
- Corral Creek Trail is located four miles south of Red Lodge and covers 3 miles to Line Creek Plateau with a 3,000-foot climb in elevations.
- Parkside Recreational Trail is only 10 ½ miles south of Red Lodge and offers 2 miles of gently, open hiking terrain that parallels Rock Creek.
- Glacier Lake Trail, also about 10 ½ miles south of Red Lodge, offers a rocky, 1 ½ mile, 1,100-foot climb to
Hire a Guide
There are a variety of experienced local guides and outfitters listed here that can make sure you don’t get lost and enjoy your hike or extending backpacking journey in the Red Lodge area. If you don’t know the area or if you are an inexperienced hiker, a guided hike or backpack trip is the way to go.
