MotorcycleRoads.US

State Route 78 - Montana

AKA:

Red Lodge - Columbus

Distance/Driving time: 48 miles/56m

County(ies): Carbon, Stillwater

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• The paving on the new section of this road has been delayed a little, partly by unusual August rains. more...
  It is now supposed to be paved on about the third week in September. Most of it is pretty good now, but it is still gravel. September is the prettiest time of year here, but I would check the weather forecast. We can get snowstorms from now on, and mornings will be frosty at times. - Mike Kelley (9/4/10)
• I live in Absarokee. The road between Absarokee and Columbus has been redone in the last few years, with the last section leading up to Absarokee and from there to the turnoff to Fishtail/Nye nearing completion right now. more...
  They plan to pave this in August, 2010 I have heard. The new construction will make this a much better route than it was before. The view of our Beartooth Mountains is to die for, and it is better with the new, higher road. Rumor has it the narrower road from above Absarokee will be redone soon all the way to Red Lodge. A side trip I would recommend is the one Bryan Whitehead mentioned, except I would keep on going South toward the Beartooths from Fishtail. There is a newly remodeled bar at Dean that has really good food now. Beyond that, the view is amazing all the way up to where it ends at Woodbine Campground above the Stillwater Mine and Nye. This route goes right by some of the tallest mountains in Montana, such as Mount Wood. Woodbine is a main trailhead for backpackers heading into the Beartooths and over to Yellowstone Park's back country. A short walk up the trail from Woodbine will knock your socks off. Take a camera. The only caveat I would add for this whole ride is that deer are a very big threat all the way from Columbus to Red Lodge and up to Nye. I would never ride it at night and watch like a hawk for critters the rest of the time. Enjoy. - Mike Kelley (7/16/10)
• If you get the chance, you want to do this road. more...
  It's a real gem that not very many folks know about. Now, it's possible to win some money riding this road by stopping at some of the Taverns along the way and playing Shake-A-Day. I got lucky at the Grizzly Bar in Roscoe doing that very thing. But the ride is the best part. Starting in Red Lodge (do your Shake-A-Day at the Snag or Snowcreek) you start to climb out of the valley and past all the little yuppie ranchettes up and over the ridge. Nice sweepers and beautiful views of the mountains to the left riding the bench and then going down into Roscoe. The Grizzly Bar is where you want to stop and do your Shake-A-Day, and they have good food too, if you're so inclined. From Roscoe it's on down the drainage to Fishtail. This is a sweet stretch with smooth sweepers that follows the Rosebud Creek. You gotta do a short detour and get off of SR 78 at CR 419 (Nye Road) and head about 3 miles west to hit the Cowboy Bar in Fishtail and get your Shake done in there. They got good food too. Then it's back to SR 78 and on to Absarokee where you can Shake at two really cool taverns: The Five Spot and The Chrome Bar. This whole stretch from Roscoe to Absarokee has you riding the drainages past ranches with their hay and alfalfa fields. If you're lucky enough to ride it right after an afternoon thundershower, the smells of the fresh air will knock you out.
  Absarokee is where you pick up the Stillwater River and ride down the floodplain valley past beautiful farms and ranches and more hay fields. Simply awesome! And when you get to Columbus, you have two more shots at Shake-A-Day. Hit the 307 Bar and The New Atlas. The New Atlas has been around for over 100 years and still going strong. And if you haven't won at least one free drink or a meat stick (not to mention the cash) in all those Shake-A-Days, then maybe you're walking on the wrong side of Jesus. This is just an ultra cool ride with fantastic scenery, good pavement, really really cool taverns and great people along the way. It's worth the detour off of I-90 to ride this road. - Rider from Wyoming (3/29/10)
• Very pretty, fast road, perfect condition, great views. more...
  - Bryan Whitehead (7/28/09)

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