“It was a trip of a lifetime!! We love the town of Red Lodge, and Montana, and Wyoming are breathtakingly gorgeous!”
Brenda a. | 2023 Montana family vacation
We make it easy to plan your next amazing adventure.
Our vacations are crafted to offer something for every interest and activity level. Gather your friends and family (minimum of four), choose your dates, and pick your Travel Montana & Yellowstone itinerary—we’ll do the rest!
Book a Montana Vacation in a few easy steps:
- Gather your friends and family (minimum of 4 people)
- Choose your dates
- Select your preferred activities appropriate for your group
- Enjoy your vacation!
Montana is big. They call it Big Sky Country for a reason. So finding just one location for our Montana vacations was not a simple task. But we are confident we have chosen one of the most amazing areas in Montana – really in the entire country. Why? Because we are based here!
We know there are more famous places in Montana, such as Glacier National Park, Big Sky, and portions of Yellowstone. And we love those too. But for a genuine, non-touristed, real Montana experience, you cannot beat Red Lodge and the Beartooths.
Red Lodge, Montana
Tucked into a valley between glaciers and plains, it won’t take you long to fall in love with Red Lodge. Our charming mountain town has great restaurants, fun shops and laid-back local watering holes. There are no stoplights in the entire county yet we are only one hour from the airport in Billings. The locals are incredibly friendly too – including our wonderful local guides!
We have a number of hotels from which we can choose, including the historic Pollard Hotel and the family-friendly Chateau Rouge. We think you will love Red Lodge as your Montana base – read more about it in our post on Red Lodge, Montana.
Beartooth Mountains
The breathtaking Beartooth Mountains are the highest mountain range in Montana, with numerous peaks above 12,000 feet, and offer an abundance of phenomenal hiking trails. For those interested in hiking, there are numerous hiking trails among the pristine alpine lakes, gorgeous plateaus, and stunning vistas. We’ll also take you on a ride up the Beartooth Pass, considered one of the most beautiful scenic drives in the country. The road zigzags up a series of switchbacks along the Montana-Wyoming border, topping out at almost 11,000 feet and with a view of the “bear’s tooth” for which the mountain range is named. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife throughout the trip and you might spot marmots, moose, coyote, big-horned sheep, mountain goats, grizzly bears and black bears.
Choose Your Activities
On your five-day family vacation, you get to choose your own activities. They can be active, such as hiking or river rafting, or relaxed, such as visiting the local wildlife recovery center. Once you book your tour, we will customize the tour activities based on your interests.
- Hiking: Hiking is spectacular in this region and some of our groups choose to spend all five days of their vacation hiking. We have more difficult hikes that head up onto the Beartooth Plateau to mountain peaks or high-altitude lakes. We have easier hikes along river beds through the evergreen forests. We will customize our hikes for your group.
- Horseback Riding: You can opt in for horseback riding with our friends at Elk River Outfitters, suitable for ages 6+. We’ll head up onto the plateau above town where we’ll get wide-open views of the Beartooth mountains and rolling wheat fields.
- Rafting: Another option is a fun but safe rafting trip down the Stillwater or Yellowstone River. This is generally class II and class III, meaning it is safe for all but the youngest ages but still offering thrills.
- Beartooth Pass: We can drive up the Beartooth Pass, one of America’s scenic highways. You’ll stop to enjoy the beauty of Montana, looking for animal tracks and skipping rocks into lakes.
- Rodeo, Pig Races, Wildlife Sanctuary: On top of fun outdoor pursuits, we can incorporate an authentic Western Rodeo in nearby Cody, Wyoming (named after Buffalo Bill Cody), pig races at a nearby saloon, and the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary.
What Does a Vacation Include?
Your vacation includes hotels, most meals, ground transportation, activities, all permits and fees, and a professional guide. Sign up now for what will likely be the highlight of your year.
Benefits of Taking a Guided Vacation
By taking a guided tour your vacation will be even more amazing than it would be if you were on your own. Our guides are experts – not just in the outdoors – but in knowing the best restaurants, the best times and locations to view popular sights, the history of the region, and in interpersonal dynamics and creating group fun. It means you can let our team take care of every detail so you can actually relax and enjoy your vacation!
Get the full scoop on all the benefits of taking a guided tour with Travel Montana & Yellowstone.
Your Own Private Group
You can book this Montana Vacation for your own group of four or more people. Our private vacation groups can be a family, couples traveling together, a group celebrating a milestone, a company treating their employees, or anything else that deserves an amazing trip.
Many of our groups are families, either smaller one-family units or larger multi-generational family reunions. Organized family tours with Travel Montana are not like a typical family vacation for multiple reasons. We provide a structure that offers group activities when you can enjoy life with your kids while at other times we separate adults and kids, allowing you to have a nice glass of wine with a fancier dinner or a long hike while we take care of your brood. Have questions about our Family Vacations? Check out our answers.
“Our guide Jeremy was excellent! His unlimited knowledge, his sense of humor, and his patience with all three generations was so appreciated! He was awesome!
Don A. | 2023 montana family vacation
Travel Montana is an authorized permit holder of the US Forest Service and equal opportunity service provider.
Main Image Credit: Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development
Private Tour Info
We make it easy to plan your next amazing vacation. Our tours are crafted to offer something for every interest and activity level. Gather your friends and family, choose your dates—we’ll do the rest!
Book Your Private Vacation NowDetails
- Activities: Hiking, Horseback Riding, Rafting, plus small town activities
- Duration: 5 days
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Price Per Person
4 - 5 people: $2,750
6 - 7 people: $2,600
8+ people: $2,500 - Single Supplement: $800
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Other Info:
> This trip is recommended for kids aged five and up
> We offer this tour for groups and families of all shapes and makeups!
Arrival/Meetup & Departure is in Billings, MT
> Kids staying in a room with their adult(s) receive a 15% discount.
> Adults wishing to have their own room can pay a single supplement of $800 - Public Tour Date: n/a
Trip Highlights
- Enjoy the friendly setting of Red Lodge, Montana - a small town under the Big Sky
- Hike to waterfalls, around alpine lakes, and up mountain trails in the Beartooth Mountains
- Horseback ride with sweeping views of the open plains and rugged mountains
- Drive the stunningly scenic Beartooth All-American Road
- Pool time, ice cream and a stop at the best candy shop ever for the kids
- Authentic Western rodeo in Cody, Wyoming
Please note: The itinerary will be adapted based on your specific interests. The below is just a sample.
DAY 1
We meet you in Billings, Montana at 9:30 AM and after a brief orientation head to nearby Pictograph Caves State Park to become amateur archaeologists and contemplate the origins of human habitation in Montana. After a picnic lunch, we'll shuttle to Red Lodge and go straight to our horse camp to meet our wranglers for a 1.5-hour ride up onto the plateau, where we'll have sweeping views of the mountains on one side and plains on the other. This evening we'll dine at Bogarts, a family-friendly local eatery also known for its margaritas. After dinner (depending on the day of the week), we'll reconvene to drive over the hill to watch the pig races at the Bearcreek Saloon - to our knowledge, this is the only place in the country where you can do that! These adorable and humorous races were created to attract tourists but also to raise money for a scholarship fund for local students.
DAY 2
Rise and shine! After breakfast prepared by your guides, we'll drive to the nearby town of Absarokee for a fun and splashy family-friendly raft trip down the Stillwater River. We'll practice our paddling, listening to our raft guides for instructions on what to do and when to do it. On a hot summer day, stopping at our favorite swimming hole will seem like a good idea, won't it? Once back on dry land, we'll enjoy a picnic along the river before returning to Red Lodge. In the afternoon, we'll visit the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary to see incredible wildlife like wolves, bears, bison, big cats and raptors up close. The sanctuary provides a lifelong home to non-releasable native Montana wildlife while sharing a message of conservation and education. For those who want to play, we can enjoy a leisurely game of disc golf or do a scavenger hunt in town afterwards. Should we tell your kids about the world's greatest candy store, which happens to be on main street in Red Lodge? That is up to you! This evening for dinner, if your group has young ones, let our guides entertain your kids at the pool with a pizza party while you eat at our favorite local tapas restaurant.
DAY 3
Today is a day for hiking in the Beartooth Mountains. These are some of the most rugged and isolated mountains in the continental United States. Yet, at the same time, there are excellent family hikes. We'll choose one that meanders along the a small creek, meaning we'll make slight uphill progress but never get beyond the skills of our littlest members. (Adults can choose to go ahead a bit more quickly if they wish.) In the afternoon, we'll jump in the van for a drive over the border into Wyoming and the small town of Cody, named for Buffalo Bill. We'll learn about the history by visiting Old Trail Town, where Cody himself started the town, to view a slew of old buildings and artifacts. We'll watch a fun Wild West Show in front of the Cody Hotel and enjoy a western style dinner. After dinner, we'll head over to the Cody Stampede Rodeo, an authentic small-town Western experience. Some of our troop might get a few winks on the drive back into Red Lodge after such a long day.
DAY 4
This morning we will have some free time before we head up into the mountains for a spectacular drive along the Beartooth Highway, a National Scenic Byways All-American Road. This 68-mile road winds its way up and through the Beartooth Mountains, through southwest Montana and northwest Wyoming, and leads into Yellowstone National Park at its Northeast Entrance. We'll not be driving the entire road but we'll stop along the way to stretch our legs, take a sip of some of the freshest water you'll ever drink (right out the side of the mountain!), throw some rocks in a few lakes, and get out for a couple short hikes. Back in town we'll have a final dinner at a taco joint that is beloved by kids and adults.
DAY 5
Today you can choose to sleep in or take a short early morning hike on the bench above Red Lodge with mountain views in every direction. We check out and head back to Billings, arriving in time to take an early afternoon flight back home, or extend your travels by renting a car.
Book This VacationTrip Accommodations
NIGHTS 1 - 4 >> CHATEAU ROUGE / RED LODGE
Located at the foot of the Beartooth - Absaroka Mountains and in walking distance to the center of town, this family-friendly hotel offers comfortable condo-style accommodations and an indoor swimming pool and Jacuzzi. It is perfect for families.
Book This VacationArrival & Departure
We meet you at 9:30 AM at the Northern Hotel in Billings on the first day of the trip, allowing us to maximize our day. This means you will most likely need to arrive the day before, as there are limited flight options that arrive before the tour start time. The last day of the tour we will drop you off at the Billings airport by noon, making it possible to book your flight home after 1:00 pm.
What's Included?
- One local Travel Montana guide will accompany each trip. Additional guides added depending on group size.
- Our trip prices are based on double occupancy. You have the option to pay the single supplement to get your own room if you don’t want a roommate. If kids stay in your room, they get a discount of 15% off the tour price. If your private group has an odd number of participants, the single supplement for the person getting his/her own room becomes mandatory. You also have the choice to put three people in one room.
- All meals except one lunch are included. Gratuity for these meals is also included.
- All your transportation is included once you meet your guides on the first day.
- All trail fees and permits are included.
- NOT INCLUDED Beverages, one lunch, gratuities to your guides, personal expenses and travel to and from the destination.
When to Travel
The season for outdoor activities in Red Lodge generally runs from May through September. In the summer months of July and August, highs average 80 degrees so the days can be warm. June and September are about ten degrees cooler, making them a wonderful 70 degrees on average for daytime highs, while in May high temperatures average in the low 60s. In June, the hills are green while, in September, they are a golden brown.
Type of People Who Will Enjoy This Tour
This trip is perfect for both adults and kids, with activities that both kids and adults will enjoy. If you are traveling with a family including kids, we know you love your little darlings, but we realize it is nice to have an occasional break for an adult drink or longer hike — our guides are more than happy to oblige you in this! We plan a couple of separate activities and dinners for kids and adults (your older teenagers can make up their minds which group they would like to join these times!). Keep in mind that our definition of family is quite liberal: traditional nuclear families, single parent households, and aunts, uncles, and grandparents are all welcome.
Changes to Your Itinerary
While everything under “What is Included” will remain the same, the actual restaurants, hotels, and activities listed in our itineraries are subject to modifications. Changes that are out of our control are common – a restaurant closes or loses its awesome chef, a winery changes its visiting hours, a hotel gets remodeled, a road or trail undergoes construction. You are entrusting us to create an outstanding vacation for you and so it is possible we may take the liberty of making necessary changes (even at the last minute, during the guides’ scout trip) to the itinerary that will improve your overall trip experience. If there is any one experience that is going to make or break your trip, please discuss this with us in advance! We will attempt to keep our website itinerary as current as possible and communicate any major changes with you in the weeks prior to the tour.
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