This Montana Town Named One Of America’s Best Small Mountain Towns

We didn't actually nab the TOP spot on the list, but runner up ain't too bad. Montana certainly has some of the best small mountain towns in America - you just have to look around. Several of our small towns could make the list on any given day.

Recently, Travel & Leisure magazine named the Best Small Towns in American, broken down into several different categories. They searched for the latest 'best of the best' from Best Desert Town and Best Wellness Town to Best Beach Town to Best Wine, Beer & Sprits Town.

WHAT ARE THE BEST MADE IN MONTANA BEERS?

Montana's small towns have experienced some of the biggest 'booms' in the last several years. Added titles aren't always a welcome thing - places such as Bozeman and Bigfork know all too well, with property values (and taxes) skyrocketing. In this case, a Travel & Leisure stamp of approval can be a great endorsement for local businesses.

We launched America’s Best Small Towns to shine a spotlight on the lesser-visited destinations we want you, our readers, to know about this year, be it for natural beauty and outdoor adventure (think beaches, mountains, lakes, and deserts), or specific topics of interest, such as great restaurants or vineyards, interesting culture, and soothing wellness experiences.

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Red Lodge was selected as Travel & Leisure's runner up for Best Small Mountain Town in America. Montanans already know how great Red Lodge is - no matter if you live there, or visiting for Yellowstone or a wedding. Personally, it has always been one of my favorite towns to enjoy a Montana staycation. Golfing, fishing, skiing, great food...Red Lodge is just cool. Travel & Leisure had this to say:

Red Lodge is more than a mile-high mountain town with no stoplights or Starbucks; it’s a gateway community leading to Yellowstone’s underrated northeast entrance. Whether en route to tackle the hairpin turns of the Beartooth Highway, one of the most scenic drives in the world, or coming for a ski sojourn at a resort that still has lift tickets under $100.

Red Lodge has a population of less than 3,000 people, (2,339 to be exact in the last official count in 2021. We're betting the town has seen some increase in the last few years as folks across the country have been clamoring for the Montana lifestyle.)