People that purchased real estate in Jackson, Wyoming during the 1970s and 1980s are dancing a jig today. That is because this southern entry community to Yellowstone National Park has seen real estate prices rise twenty-fold, or more, as some of the nations wealthiest individuals purchased real estate in the area. The same is true of Aspen, Vail, Park City, and many other Rocky Mountain resort locations.
It’s a whole new ball game out there now in the post-bust economy and Red Lodge real estate is well positioned as a low cost alternative. This makes it increasingly likely that many of today’s retirees will start seeking out better priced alternatives, which is precisely what Red Lodge is.
Enter the charming Victorian mining era town of Red Lodge and Red Lodge real estate. Butch Cassidy once tried to rob the bank here and Calamity Jane spent her nights at the Pollard Hotel. The town has a ski resort in Red Lodge Mountain with over 2,000 feet of vertical drop and the Beartooth Pass, which crests at just over 11,000 feet and boasts some of the best spring time back country skiing anywhere in the nation. Red Lodge Mountain was recently purchased by San Francisco based JMA Associates and the company has already made significant capital improvements to lifts, trails, and snowmaking capacity. Red Lodge real estate is probably one of the best Montana real estate investments remaining.
A lot of towns in the West are having a tough go in the current economy; the exception are those towns where prices never ran up so high. Over $70 million in commercial and residential development has occurred in Red Lodge in the past 24 months making it the single biggest expansion in its history.
Red Lodge serves as the northeastern gateway community to Yellowstone National Park and has every conceivable type of recreation including ice climbing, skiing, trout fishing, horse trails, hiking trails, biking trails, its a Mecca for kayaks, the backpacking is the best in the region, and there is an 18 hole golf course in the City. Red Lodge real estate is some of the best priced resort property in a six state region. Montana real estate is a buy, but Red Lodge real estate is a screaming buy.
Why then does Red Lodge still have the least expensive resort real estate in the entire Rocky Mountain region? That is a good question and a question that we dont feel will be asked for many more years as we expect to see prices rise, say architect Don McLaughlin a member of the Spires at Red Lodges development team. Mr. McLaughlin was also helped create Red Lodges National Historic District in the early 1980s by chronicling all of Red Lodges historic structures with his wife Betsy.
Small towns have a unique ambiance and attraction, like when was the last time anyone gave you a friendly wave at rush hour? Happens all the time here. The mix of residents is pretty diverse as well from a harmonica player who used to play with Bruce Springsteen all the way to the former chief of staff for U.S. Senator Alan Simpson and they both sit together sharing a beer and shooting the breeze at Sam’s taproom. Unlike many Rocky mountain resorts, there is no class system here.
An awesome new Red Lodge real estate development that borders the golf course named the Spires was finished a little over a year ago. This development features miles of trails, acres of parks, a spring creek with trout in it, and views of 12,000 foot peaks, all for less than the price of a postage stamp sized piece of dirt in most other Rocky communities.
There are so many national events here on an annual basis that it is tough to find room to name them all. One of the more popular summer events is the Harley rodeo during the second week of July.
Perhaps the real ace in the hole for the town is the close proximity to Montanas largest city Billings. Billings with its population of over 100,000 has the northern Rockies best medical center, largest regional shopping center, and the States largest airport, which helps explain why Billings too is growing.
Towns like Red Lodge are popular with retirees and for good reason. How many Rocky Mountain resort towns do you know of that had over 20 homes listed for under $200,000 in the beginning of 2009? Answer: you won’t need many fingers for this exercise. There is a lot of sunshine on the eastern front of the Rockies too, so you’ll never miss your daily dose of Vitamin D.
The amount of homes under $200k in this region and the amount of land well under $100k is enough to make even the most fervant fans of a “blue light special” salivate with anticipation.
Adventure whitewater serves up great rafting trips on the Stillwater and you can’t beat a quick stop at the Grizzly Bar and Steakhouse in Roscoe on the way back home from a day on the river.
Yellowstone Park is about one hour away and the famed Beartooth Pass is just 12 miles south of town and climbs from 5,800 feet in elevation to just over 11,000 feet. This highway was called the most scenic highway in America by journalist Charles Kuralt.
The oldest national park and the highest paved pass originating in the State also exist here and the Beartooth was called the most beautiful highway in America.
Hundreds of miles of trails and some of the best kayaking and whitewater rafting in the nation await you just minutes from downtown Red Lodge.
Mountain bikers will have a great time on the Silver Run trail (10 minutes from town), the Meteetsee Trail (south of town), the Palisades Trail or on one of the many trails at Red Lodge Mountain Resort.
Golfers can break out the clubs to shoot a round of 18 holes at the Red Lodge Country Club, a course that always seems to challenge everyone with its water hazards and take their breath away with the spectacular scenery.
Maybe its time to get on you trusty steed and ride on out to visit Red Lodge, Montana.
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