Red Lodge Historic District
Red Lodge Commercial Historic District
Late-19th-century brick and stone buildings line Broadway Avenue, now home to bars, restaurants, galleries and outdoor shops. They preserve the Wild West character of a mining town.
Red Lodge grew up in the 1880s around coal mining. At the time it drew miners from Finland, Italy, Slavic countries and elsewhere. After the mining industry declined, the town reinvented itself as the gateway to the Beartooth Highway and a resort town. The brick and stone commercial buildings along Broadway Avenue, the main street, were mostly built between 1890 and 1910. The whole district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Pollard Hotel, which opened in 1893, is said to have hosted Western celebrities such as Buffalo Bill. The street has many old-style bars, craft breweries, steakhouses, candy shops and outdoor gear stores, making it ideal for an evening stroll. The early-July Home of Champions Rodeo and the August Festival of Nations are the liveliest times in town. Red Lodge has plenty of accommodation, making it a convenient base before and after driving the Beartooth Highway.
Opening hours
All day; shops about 10:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary
- Smith Mine Historic District
- Red Lodge Mountain
- Bear Creek Saloon Pig Races
- Beartooth Highway & Rock Creek Vista Point
- Twin Lakes & Beartooth Basin
- Beartooth Lake & Beartooth Butte
- Clay Butte Fire Lookout