Picks and Pans – Between Yellowstone National Park and Red Lodge, MT

Leaving via Yellowstone’s east entrance, you immediately enter the Shoshone National Forest and pass around 10 national forest campgrounds within the first 30 miles out of the park. They cost between $7-9 per night and most have potable water. The first campground we pulled into (at around 7:30pm) was full but the extremely helpful campground host directed us to two other options within 8 miles, the first one of which had an empty spot just waiting for us. In addition to the cheap and plentiful campgrounds, Shoshone National Forest is beautiful, with interesting rock formations, rushing mountain creeks and trees galore.

After spending the night at Newton Creek, we started our journey up to Red Lodge, Montana to meet my sister Abby and brother-in-law Sten for the Fourth of July. Along the way we stopped in Cody for some coffee and a wi-fi fix (it had been almost 3 days!). Rawhide Coffee is right on Main Street across the street from Buffalo Bill’s old hotel, The Irma. We not only got some decent coffee and a fast internet connection, we also had front row seats for the community rodeo/Independence Day parade. There were actual cowboys, kids dressed up as cowboys and even the official Miss Teen Rodeo Idaho (maybe Miss Wyoming had more pressing engagements that day?).

On our way out of Cody and en route to Montana, we turned on to the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway. After venturing a few miles on to this spectacular drive, I was more than a little surprised that, having lived in fairly close proximity to it for more than half my life, I had never even heard of it. So here’s my contribution to the world for today: If you ever have the opportunity to take this mountainous, valley-ous, panoramic view-ous drive….Do it!

Just when we thought the pretty part of the drive might be coming to a close, we turned off Chief Joseph and directly on to Hwy 212. Now we had heard repeatedly from our official Montana aficionado (my sister Abby) that this drive was going to blow our minds. Although often prone to hyperbole, this time Abber was right. At one scenic pull-off, the view was so incredible it prompted some spontaneous hugging/spinning/dancing. Not bad for a drive through the mountains. And just to throw a little fodder on to the age old Montana vs. Wyoming fight, I would argue that the best parts of the drive are actually in Wyoming (although I may have let out a little whoop of joy when we passed the “Welcome to Montana” sign along the way).

National Forest camping is the best! It’s free. Your campsite is as remote as you want it to be. And they’re usually smack dab in the middle of some of the best forest around. Plus, since we were camping with Sten (campsite constructor extraordinaire), we camped it up in style. Can you say deer steak with blue cheese marsala sauce? Yea, that’s right, we were hooked up.

After a short and bumpy pickup truck ride up the road from our campsite, we all headed up the trail toward Glacier Lake. Sean and I have been so used to hiking alone, we had almost forgotten how much fun it is to hike with a posse. I got to assist my mountain goat of a sister as she climbed up an old lookout pole. Then, we trekked through ice and mud uphill the entire way to the lake, where we all got to slide down a snowbank to reach the shore. It was a pretty rockin’ good hike.

Our friend (and member of our camping gang), Gerit, is an innovative and whimsical ceramic artist and, lucky for us, a Red Lodge gallery was showing some of her work while we were in town. Her figures are plucked out of a fantasy world where fish are for riding and girls always wear pajamas while horseback riding. Check out Gerit’s website for a small peek into the wonderland of her imagination.

Walking into Red Lodge’s Candy Emporium, the row upon row of candy filled buckets beckon to all who enter. The brightly colored cellophane wrappers and sparkling sugar covered treats seem to wink at you as you walk by. Needless to say, Abby and I walked out with a happily crinkling brown paper sack containing the sweets we just couldn’t leave behind.

What does one do on the Fourth of July after you’ve eaten your fill of BBQ, but before the firework festivities begin? Why, go to the pig races of course! A very short drive from Red Lodge, in the town of Bear Creek, the local saloon has an arena out back built specifically for imbibing while taking in the majesty that is the Bear Creek Pig Races. Sitting at tables elevated above the race track, you can root (pun intended) for your pig. Not only did we get to partake in the fun of watching the races, we also walked away a few dollars richer. My lucky brother-in-law bet on the races and left with an extra $25 in his pocket….just enough to buy us some firecracker-y fun.

Every U.S. town has a Fourth of July fireworks display, and Red Lodge is no exception. The thing that makes Red Lodge special, however, is that not only does the town set off fireworks, but so does everyone else. Since it’s legal to shoot off your own fireworks, everyone and their uncle brings a stash to their viewing spot and sets them off. We joined in the fun by spending all of Sten’s pig race money (plus a little more — it’s hard to resist colored explosives) at the fireworks stand and then lit each one with a healthy amount of glee.