Beartooths to Badlands Loop

The first day of the Beartooths to Badlands Loop eases you into the majesty of the mighty Beartooth Mountains, with most of the day’s drive on U.S. Highway 212, leading to the charming town of Red Lodge in the foothills of these picturesque peaks. There’s much to see in and around Billings before really hitting the road, though, thanks to its vibrant downtown, museums, historical sites and opportunities for outdoor recreation. Visit the Yellowstone County Museum, the Moss Mansion Museum or the Western Heritage Center to familiarize yourself with the history and the inhabitants of the landscapes you’ll see on your trip. Time it right and catch one of the Western Heritage Center’s Hoof It with a Historian walking tours of historic Billings locations — you may encounter the Northern Hotel, a fixture of downtown Billings since 1904. Its current building — constructed in the early 1940s after its original structure was destroyed in a fire — was thoroughly renovated and updated in 2013. East of Billings, experience turn-of-the-20th-century farm life at the Huntley Project Museum, which tells the story of an innovative U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project to bring water to the dry farmlands of eastern Montana and the towns and homesteads it created through artifacts, farm equipment and historic structures on its 10-acre campus.

If Montana inhabitants of the furred and feathered variety are more your speed, head to ZooMontana, where you’ll see bison, grizzly bears, grey wolves, bald eagles and red-tailed hawks as well as some other species from the 45th parallel. At the Yellowstone Art Museum, let historic and contemporary artwork primarily by artists in the American Northwest inspire you, or take your own tour of the public art found throughout downtown. Take in the impressive overlook views of Billings and the scenery beyond from Swords Park, Zimmerman Park and the 3-mile-long, multi-use Skyline Trail that connects them along the Rimrocks — or “Rims” as they’re locally known. These sandstone outcroppings, the prehistoric river's edge, form a distinctive feature from which you can see the entire city, including six mountain ranges on a clear day. Nearby, Four Dances Natural Area just outside of town affords wildlife watching and hiking opportunities along the way to Pictograph Cave State Park, where you can view rock paintings and artifacts left behind by prehistoric hunters 2,000 years ago.

When you’re ready to leave the Billings area behind and start making your way to the mountains, head west to Laurel, where several markers on Main Street detail some of the history of the area, including a stop by Capt. William Clark during his travels in the West, the passage of the Nez Perce Indians during their flight to Canada (and the battle they fought against the U.S. Cavalry north of town) and the arrival of the railroad. Laurel features a site on the Southeast Montana Burger Trail, too: Sid’s East Side Bar & Grill earned a spot on the trail with its delicious Doc Holliday burger.

From Laurel, you’ll turn south to get on US-212. As you approach the town of Joliet — and as the Beartooth Mountains come into view — keep an eye out for the metal sculptures by local artist Charlie Ringer visible from the road: “The Creature” is an 18-foot-tall favorite that skiers and snowboarders heading to Red Lodge have dubbed “The Snow God.” Joliet’s numerous historic residences and buildings make it a picturesque place for a pit stop before continuing on to Roberts, where you can pick up the road to Cooney State Park — a gem of a spot for boating, swimming and fishing for walleye and rainbow trout. Consider camping here — the stargazing is out of this world — or spend your evening in Red Lodge a half-hour away.

Charming Red Lodge does double-duty as a popular skiing spot in winter – it sits near the base of Red Lodge Mountain and its incredible, family-friendly slopes — and a lively basecamp for summer recreation. Grab a drink at Red Lodge Ales or at the bar of the historic Pollard Hotel, then take in the charming storefronts lining Broadway before tucking in to a delectable dinner at the James Beard nominated PREROGATiVE Kitchen. If you’re traveling in the summer, consider passing through town and taking State Secondary Highway 308 east for about 5 miles to reach Bearcreek — and the little known but much loved Bear Creek Downs Pig Races at Bear Creek Saloon and Steakhouse. Enjoy the races while enjoying a bite and a brew, and join in the fun by placing bets on which little piggie will be the fastest — some of the money goes to scholarships for Carbon County high school students. Past Bearcreek, S-308 leads to the community of Belfry and the turnoff to reach the town of Bridger.

In Red Lodge, Carbon County Historical Society and Museum and the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary are worth checking out before heading out of town. At the museum, you’ll find exhibits on many aspects of local history — including the Crow Nation, historic firearms and two families of rodeo fame — and at the sanctuary, see wildlife from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem up close, including bears, bison, bobcats, wolves, and birds of prey.

From Red Lodge, head north on Montana Highway 78, a two-lane road that gently rises, falls and curves through a landscape of rolling hills dotted with farms and small towns, all with the Beartooths your constant backdrop to the southwest. At Absarokee — a jumping-off point for rafting and fishing excursions — start the Absarokee Loop Scenic Drive, a 44-mile loop brimming with panoramic views of soaring mountain peaks and breathtaking valleys. When you reach the town of Nye, you can take an 8-mile detour to the Woodbine Campground, where you’ll find the trail for the ¾-mile hike to Woodbine Falls, which, at about 280 feet, is one of the tallest waterfalls in the state. As you loop back toward MT-78, be on the lookout for the Fishtail General Store in Fishtail — it’s the oldest continuously operated general store in Montana, in business since 1900! Here, you can find a little bit of everything — clothing, groceries, Made in Montana gifts and crafts, hardware, fishing and hunting supplies and licenses, as well as a deli and bakery with made-to-order sandwiches and fresh-baked treats. In the summer, you can head a little ways outside of Fishtail to visit Tippet Rise Art Center. This one-of-a-kind art center features films, musical performances and large-scale art installations, all on the grounds of a working sheep and cattle ranch. (Also in summer, you can take W. Rosebud Road out of Fishtail to the Mystic Lake Trailhead, about an hour’s drive on a bumpy gravel road. From the trailhead, it’s a moderately challenging 5.8-mile hike one way to the lake and incredible views.)

The scenic loop ends where it began in Absarokee, and from there, you’ll again head north. Views of the Stillwater River will be your companion on the stretch of road to Columbus, where the Stillwater meets the Yellowstone River. It’s no wonder, then, that the town’s Itch-Kep-Pe Park, situated along the Yellowstone River, is a great spot for boating, swimming, fishing and camping. In town, stop into the Museum of the Beartooths to see engaging exhibits — even some hands-on ones — detailing the stories, art and artifacts of Stillwater County residents over the last 100+ years. And be sure to pop into the New Atlas Bar to check out the taxidermy for which it’s renowned — including a two-headed calf.

When you’re finished exploring Columbus, start making your way to the town of Roundup. Go east on Interstate 90 toward Billings before heading north on Montana Highway 3 into expansive prairie land for a side trip to Acton Recreation Area, where opportunities to mountain bike, hike, hunt (in season) and watch wildlife among sandstone bluffs, minor badlands and steep drainages abound. Camping is allowed here, which is handy because the lack of city lights makes it an incredible spot for stargazing — in fact, it’s a stop on Montana’s Trail to the Stars. (Take U.S. Highway 87 north from Billings if you’d rather head straight to Roundup.)

From Acton, it’s just about an hour to reach Roundup, which sits surrounded by hills along the Musselshell River — a great spot for catching trout and catfish or collecting mussels known as “the jewels of the Musselshell.” The hills secured the town’s destiny as an ideal location for ranchers to round up their cattle — a heritage that’s memorialized in a sculpture at the town’s courthouse of cattle crossing a river during a traditional roundup. Stop at the Musselshell Valley Historical Museum to explore Roundup’s cowboy and ranching history and to learn more about life in the valley from the time of the dinosaurs to the days of coal mining and homesteading. Stretch your legs a bit along the Roundup RiverWalk, which skirts the Musselshell River, and don’t miss the standout barbeque and in-house baked goods at The Backporch, a James Beard Award finalist. Prepared with many local ingredients and a healthy amount of tradition, it’s the ultimate comfort food done the Montana way. If you’re in more of a burger mood, head to The Grand — another Southeast Montana Burger Trail stop — and enjoy a warm cowboy welcome to boot.

As you begin to head toward the northeastern part of the state, remote prairie scenery unfolds before you on a scale that gives you a chance to see just how big the sky is out here. From Roundup, take US-87 north and about 8 miles out, you’ll find Lake Mason National Wildlife Refuge, a tranquil spot for wildlife watching, photography and hunting. Take US-87 to State Secondary Highway 244, the junction marking your entry into Petroleum County, Montana’s least populous. Keep an eye out to spot deer, elk and antelope as S-244 leads you into Winnett, the county seat. Here, stretch your legs and check out the town’s historic buildings by following the historical Winnett Walking Tour.

From Winnett, drive east on Montana Highway 200, the road rising and falling over the hilly prairie terrain and the occasional butte coming into view as you approach Jordan, a small ranching town that — with surrounding rangeland and numerous false-front buildings still standing from homestead days — retains an Old West feel. Jordan marks your entry into prime dinosaur fossil country — the world’s first identified Tyrannosaurus rex was uncovered nearby in 1902. Be sure to visit the Garfield County Museum, a stop on both the Montana Dinosaur Trail and the Missouri River Country Talking Trail, to see a T. rex skull and a full-size cast of a triceratops skeleton discovered north of town. The museum also highlights the area’s homesteading days, with artifacts and replicas displayed inside and a jailhouse and schoolhouse on its grounds. The land around Jordan is home to antelope, elk, mule deer and whitetail deer as well as wild turkeys, sage grouse and waterfowl, making this a great hunting area. Anglers are in luck here too: The Hell Creek Recreation Area, north of town on Hell Creek Road and a Talking Point on the Missouri River Country Talking Trail, offers incredible fishing for walleye, northern pike and smallmouth bass on the Hell Creek Arm of Fort Peck Lake against a stunning backdrop of Missouri River breaks terrain (think buttes and higher-level land that "break" into steep slopes, canyons and ravines where they meet the river). Boating, biking, hiking, camping and wildlife watching are popular here, as is stargazing – this site appears on Montana’s Trail to the Stars. Note that the dirt road to Hell Creek can be very washboarded and will get muddy in wet weather to the point of being impassable. Travel when it’s dry.

Leaving Jordan, continue east on MT-200 through a mesmerizing landscape of badland formations. The scenery of hills, coulees and badlands persists after you turn north on Montana Highway 24. Before crossing the Missouri River into Fort Peck, take a short detour to the Milk River Observation Point — Lewis and Clark stopped here in 1805 and observed the confluence of the Milk and Missouri rivers. One of the highest spots in northeast Montana, enjoy the incredible views from up high before heading into Fort Peck. After crossing the Missouri River, visit the Lewis and Clark Overlook, with interpretive signage and a picnic area. You can find out more about each of these two vantage points on the Missouri River Country Talking Trail app.

Back on MT-24, head into Fort Peck to explore its cultural and historical sights — many of which are Missouri River Country Talking Trail Talking Points — and enjoy its abundant recreational opportunities. Make the Fort Peck Interpretive Center your first stop to explore exhibits on the history of Fort Peck Dam — the largest hydraulically filled dam in the U.S. — and on the area’s natural history and wildlife. That includes dinosaurs: The center, a Montana Dinosaur Trail site, is home to both a life-size model and a skeleton cast of Peck’s Rex, a T. rex found just 20 miles away, as well as other dinosaur fossils. A wildlife exhibit and two freshwater aquariums — the largest in Montana — highlight the land animals and fish found on the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge and in Fort Peck Lake and the Missouri River. Next, head to the beautiful Fort Peck Summer Theatre, a true gem of Northeast Montana and the state as a whole. Built as a movie house in 1934, its sound construction and craftsmanship — and the tireless preservation efforts of the Fort Peck Fine Arts Council — means that it still stands today and hosts a summer series of stage productions.

Outdoor recreation here centers around Fort Peck Lake, which is completely bordered by the 1.1-million-acre Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, the second-largest national wildlife refuge in the lower 48. The reservoir — created by Fort Peck Dam — is Montana’s largest body of water with a length of 134 miles and more shoreline than the coast of California. Six recreation areas, including the Fort Peck Lake Reservoir and Recreation Area, can be found around the lake and offer excellent swimming, camping, hunting, boating and year-round fishing — walleye, northern pike, paddlefish, sauger and lake trout are just a few of the species that will keep anglers busy. The tucked-away Pines Recreation Area rewards intrepid travelers who navigate the dirt road to get there with serene scenery, great photo opportunities and, if you decide to camp, incredible stargazing — it’s a stop on Montana’s Trail to the Stars.

From Fort Peck, it’s just a short jaunt to the northwest on MT-24 to reach neighboring Glasgow, a rural community with railroad roots. You can learn more about Glasgow’s railroad past — along with the Indian cultures that have historically called this area home, early 20th-century homestead and cowboy life, Montana military history and Fort Peck Dam construction — through the eclectic exhibits at the Valley County Pioneer Museum. The museum also features a collection of more than 200 wildlife mounts. And speaking of wildlife, visitors to the Children’s Museum of Northeast Montana and its hands-on arts and science exhibits can explore the taxidermy collection of animals from around the world in the museum’s World Wildlife Experience. If experiencing wildlife in its natural surroundings is more your thing, head northwest of Glasgow to the Bitter Creek Wilderness Study Area — a prime place for wildlife watching and hunting. You can learn more about both museums, the World Wildlife Experience and the Bitter Creek Wilderness Study Area on the Missouri River Country Talking Trail app.

Driving east from Glasgow on U.S. Highway 2 through the sweeping Great Plains landscape, you’ll soon enter the Fort Peck Reservation, home to members of the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes. Wolf Point, once a trading post, is the reservation’s cultural center and most populous town. Visit the Wolf Point Area Historical Society Museum — if you’re traveling on a summer weekday — to see artifacts of the area’s Native American cultures as well as antiques and heirlooms from settlers who arrived starting in the late 1800s. The museum — a spot on the Missouri River Country Talking Trail — also features a life-size statue of famed Montana artist Charles M. Russell made by a Wolf Point local.

From Wolf Point, head south on Montana Highway 13 to Circle, a stretch of road that also happens to be the northern half of the Big Sky Back Country Byway — you can find more information about the route and the towns it connects at kiosks in Wolf Point, Circle and Terry (at the byway’s southern end). Look for the historic Lewis and Clark Bridge, a Talking Trail Talking Point, when you cross the Missouri River — it was once the only bridge crossing of the river for 350 miles and was named in recognition of Lewis and Clark’s stop here in 1805. In Circle, a farming and ranching community at the crossroads of MT-13 and MT-200 in McCone County (a Talking Point on the Missouri River Country Talking Trail ), stop into the McCone County Museum — you’ll know it by its quirky collection of concrete dinosaurs outside. The small-town museum focuses on the area’s homesteading history and houses more than 10,000 artifacts in its exhibits and onsite historic structures.

Take Montana Highway 200S out of Circle and drive just shy of 50 miles to Glendive, where you’ll get a hint of the dinosaur action in store in the T. rex sculpture on the “Welcome to Glendive” sign. It’s an appropriate greeter for an area that developed on the late-Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation and has been a hotbed of significant fossil finds for more than a century. In town, visit the Frontier Gateway Museum — a stop on the Montana Dinosaur Trail and a Talking Trail site — to see a collection of dinosaur fossils as well as a full-size skeleton cast of a Struthiomimus named Margie for the “finder” who discovered it nearby. (The museum showcases more recent history as well, featuring Native American and homestead-era artifacts and historic structures from the area). At the Glendive Dinosaur & Fossil Museum, view more than 23 full-size dinosaur and fossil exhibits, including an 18-foot-tall T. rex, a 39-foot-long Acrocanthosaurus and a 40-foot-long Tylosaurus, presented in the context of biblical history. If you’ve worked up an appetite after your museum visits, make your way to American Legion Post 28, whose Legionnaire burger earned it a spot on the Southeast Montana Burger Trail.

Wrap up your day with exploration of Makoshika State Park and its remarkable badlands formations — “Makoshika” (pronounced muh-KOH-shih-kuh) is a variant spelling of a Lakota phrase that translates to “bad land” or “bad earth.” A variety of hiking trails wind through the striking landscape, where wind and water erosion have sculpted caprocks, natural bridges, pinnacles, pedestals and fluted hillsides and helped to reveal dinosaur remains — the park is a site on the Montana Dinosaur Trail. Ten dinosaur species have been discovered at Makoshika, including T. rex, Edmontosaurus and the rare Thescelosaurus. You can see partially uncovered hadrosaur vertebrae in a hillside on the 1.5-mile Diane Gabriel loop trail, and the park’s visitor center features a triceratops skull in addition to other dinosaur remains and badlands interpretive displays. Makoshika State Park is Montana’s largest state park, and offers lots of activities beyond hiking and dinosaurs. Visitors will find scenic drives, a disc golf course, an archery range, a picnic area and campgrounds, and some trails can be used for biking and horseback riding. The park is also a site on Montana’s Trail to the Stars — it’s a breathtaking place for stargazing.

From Makoshika State Park, your drive will follow the Yellowstone River, heading west along the river valley on Interstate 94 to Terry, the county seat of Prairie County. There’s great fishing to be had (for the likes of rainbow trout, paddlefish, perch and walleye) on this stretch, so if you’re inclined, stop at the fishing access site in Fallon, about 9 miles before Terry. In addition to fishing, it’s a great spot to hunt for Montana moss agates, which are only found on the banks of the Yellowstone. In Terry, stop at Prairie Unique, a shop — and unofficial visitor center — where you’ll find a wealth of Made in Montana goods, like gourmet treats, skin care items and gifts crafted from antlers. The kindly owners are a friendly source of local knowledge to boot. For an intimate perspective on turn-of-the-20th-century life in Terry and its surroundings, check out the photographs of Evelyn Cameron; you’ll find them at the Prairie County Museum and Evelyn Cameron Gallery and across the street at the Evelyn Cameron Heritage. Another spot to take in some Terry history is the Kempton Hotel, the oldest continuously operated hotel in Montana. Built by homesteaders and opened for business in 1902, it has hosted the likes of Theodore Roosevelt and Calamity Jane, and continues to welcome travelers to stay in updated rooms that still retain historic charm. For its part, Roy Rodgers Bar Grill & Casino in town welcomes burger enthusiasts as another Southeast Montana Burger Trail stop.

After your explorations in town, head to the Terry Badlands – a Bureau of Land Management Wilderness Study Area (WSA) – for another breathtaking dose of badlands terrain and opportunities for rock collecting and backcountry hunting. Reach a stunning scenic overlook via State Secondary Highway 253 north of Terry for views that are spectacular both during the day and at night — the area’s dark skies make the Terry Badlands Overlook a phenomenal spot for stargazing, earning it a spot on Montana’s Trail to the Stars. You can also head west from Terry on Old Highway 10 (the frontage road) to access the Terry Badlands via the Calypso Trail, which delivers a panoramic view of rugged, untouched prairie that looks much like it would have more than a century ago. From the Calypso Trail you can access the Natural Bridges Trail, a short, moderate hike to hoodoos and natural bridge formations. Note that you should visit the rough WSA terrain only when the road is dry and in a high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Heading west from Terry on I-94, the Yellowstone River will still be your companion as you cross through sweeping prairie land and badlands to reach Miles City. (You can also take the two-lane Old Highway 10 west from Terry for part of the drive, passing a scenic overlook and interpretive signage close to where the Powder River meets the Yellowstone.) Miles City’s roots as a horse trading and livestock center are alive and well today – cattle auctions take place weekly and the renowned Bucking Horse Sale, a major rodeo stock auction, lights up the town annually. Visit the Range Riders Museum to explore 38,000 square feet of exhibits — some of them in historic structures — highlighting the area’s dinosaur, Native American and, later, military and pioneer history. Near the spot where the Tongue River meets the Yellowstone, check out WaterWorks Art Museum, housed in the 1910 waterworks facility that produced the city’s drinking water into the 1970s. In addition to showing regional and national exhibits, the museum displays pieces from its permanent collection, which includes vintage photographs from acclaimed photographers who documented the West at the turn of the 20th century. Try a burger at one of the four Southeast Montana Burger Trail stops here — June’s Bungalow, Tilt Würks Brewhouse, Tubb’s Pub and Vintage & Rustics in Montana — before making a side trip to Strawberry Hill Recreation Area, just a 15-minute drive away. Hike through native grasses, sagebrush and ponderosa pines and on rugged rock formations to catch the view of the Yellowstone Valley at this 4,000-acre area. Spot wildlife here or, at night, a sky full of stars — Strawberry Hill is another site on Montana’s Trail to the Stars.

Back on I-94 heading west, two welcoming Yellowstone Valley communities await you. Forsyth, the first, sits on the river below a striking rim of badlands. With easy river access, boating, fishing and agate hunting at the water’s edge are favorite pastimes here. Explore the town’s railroad and homesteading history through the Rosebud County Pioneer Museum’s displays of everyday items from the turn of the 20th century, farming equipment and a restored steam engine. If you’re following the Southeast Montana Burger Trail, you’ll find one of its stops here: the Joseph Café. Just a little farther west on I-94, you’ll come to Hysham, the county seat of Treasure County. With the Yellowstone River bordering the town to the north and the confluence with the Bighorn River nearby, Hysham also offers fishing and boating access — it marks the western end of the Lower Yellowstone River Trail — and the chance to do some agate hunting. The many deer, antelope, pheasants, turkeys, grouse and ducks in the area make for excellent wildlife watching or hunting, in season, as well at the Isaac Homestead Wilderness Management Area. In town, the Treasure County 89’ers Museum is the place to go for local history — you’ll find exhibits on the Crow Tribe of Indians, Lewis and Clark, the railroad and homesteading. You’ll also learn about Frank Borman, a local rancher and farmer who was also an astronaut who flew on NASA’s Gemini 7 and Apollo 8 missions in the 1960s. Don’t miss the landmark Yucca Theater across the street or the quirky figures of Sacajawea, Capt. William Clark, a woolly mammoth and a saber tooth tiger, among others, created by local sculptor Bob Schulze. Hysham also boasts a stop on the Southeast Montana Burger Trail: BW Grill and Bar.

On the final stretch back to Billings, make a stop at Pompeys Pillar National Monument, a massive sandstone outcropping that drew the attention of Capt. William Clark as he and his team explored the Yellowstone River and surrounding land in 1806. Explore the on-site interpretive center and follow a boardwalk trail to the spot where Clark inscribed his name in the rock — the mark remains the only known physical evidence of the expedition left on the route, and it joins the inscriptions, petroglyphs and markings left by other visitors over the last 11,000 years. Climb 202 steps to the top of the butte for a chance to see far and wide over the Yellowstone River valley.

Drive the rest of the way to Billings on I-94, and when you arrive, take some time to experience the city’s dining scene. Two urban trails — Trailhead Treats and the Billings Brew Trail — lead to establishments that will satisfy any sweet tooth or craft beverage craving. And be sure to make one last stop to bring your Beartooths to Badlands journey to a satisfyingly memorable close — a visit to one of Billings’ three Southeast Montana Burger Trail locations: Diamond X Beer Co., The Burger Dive or Stacked | A Montana Grill. Like all the memories you make on this trip, it will be one to savor.