Popular Red Lodge Campgrounds Closed for a Dangerous Reason

Your favorite Red Lodge campsite might be closed this weekend.

Four popular campgrounds south of Red Lodge are temporarily closed due to increased bear activity in the area. Per a Facebook post from the Carbon County Sheriff's Department Wednesday afternoon (6/5), the following campgrounds are closed:

• MK
• Greenough
• Parkside
• Limber Pine
• Access to Greenough Lake is also closed

Residents in Red Lodge have been sharing photos over the last week or two of numerous bear sightings near town and the surrounding area, including a Grizzly momma bear with at least one cub. We're unsure if it is the same bear or multiple bears.

Check-in before you head out.

A quick call (406-446-2103) or an in-person visit at the Beartooth Ranger District Office at  6811 US-212 in Red Lodge is probably a good idea if you plan on camping or hiking in the area this spring. Various trails and bridges are still closed from the flooding of 2022. 

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Stay safe and bear aware.

According to the National Park Service, your odds of getting injured by a bear in Montana are approximately 1 in 2.1 million. Those stats don't make the thought of getting mauled or killed by a bear any less terrifying. Montana FW&P offers these tips for hikers in bear country:

• Carry bear spray in an accessible place and know how to use it.
• Stay alert and look for bear activity, especially where visibility or hearing is limited (woods, bushy areas, streams)
• Travel in a group and keep members together (especially kids).
• Make noise whenever possible to avoid surprising a bear, especially where visibility or hearing is limited.
• Avoid traveling at night, dawn or dusk.
• Avoid carcass sites and scavenger concentrations.

The same recommendations apply to those camping in bear country, with additional guidelines regarding food storage.