Just a few miles from Red Lodge, along the banks of the West Fork of Rock Creek, lay the Silver Run Ski Trails. We took a little walk here during the fall and imagined how fun it would be to ski here in the winter.
The West Fork of Rock Creek is a boulder-strewn beauty. The trail is a long, narrow loop with connector trails throughout, dividing it into four mini-loops. There are supposed to be signs designating the cutoffs, but we only saw the signs on the upper part of the loop and since we started at the bottom, that didnt help much, but it still pretty obvious.
This is a lovely hike, not the most spectacularly scenic, but a great close-to-town walk or mountain bike ride.
Just the Facts
Getting There: From Red Lodge drive south and turn right on West Fork Road. Stay straight at 2.8 miles (the right road goes to Red Lodge Ski Area). Drive another 1.6 miles to Silver Run Road and turn left. Drive across the bridge and park.
Distance: 2.4-5 miles (Loop 2 is a three mile hike).
Elevation Gain: 300 feet
For more hikes around Red Lodge and in the Beartooth Mountains check out these books.
Day Hikes in the Beartooth Mountains by Robert Stone
Hiking the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness by Bill Schneider
Other Red Lodge posts
Red Lodge Road Trip–Are we there, yet? from Montana Parent magazine
Hike the Silver Run Ski Trails Near Red Lodge, Montana
Hike South Fork Grove Creek Near Red Lodge, Montana
Hike to Island and Night Lakes in the Beartooths
Drive the Beartooth Scenic Highway from Red Lodge to Cooke City
Beartooth Nature Center: Red Lodge, Montana
Field Trip Friday: Beartooth Nature Center