Boyd

This Northern Pacific Railway stop en route to Red Lodge is home to less than 50 residents. It's a tiny agricultural town livestock fluent in grains and sugar beets, and proudly serves as a trading center for regional farmers.

If you plan to take the granddaddy of scenic drives, the Beartooth Highway (212)—south from I-90, you’ll pass through Boyd. Before arriving in red Lodge Red Lodge to being 65 miles of some of the most beautiful scenery in the country.

Boyd's close to Cooney State Park, a popular recreation spot for boating, swimming, camping and excellent walleye and rainbow trout fishing. Cooney makes a great basecamp (literally) to explore the area. There are five campgrounds with 82 campsites, some with electrical hookups in the Red Lodge and Marshall Cove campgrounds. Camping is less crowded in the fall, by the way. It’s also one of the best season to explore the area, if you’re not planning on a Beartooth Highway road trip (the road’s only open in the summer months).

Stargazers love the dark skies in Cooney. On a clear night, the stars and planets are so dense it’s awe-inspiring. Bring your telescope and a comfy chair and enjoy the show. You’ll be especially lucky if you happen to catch a meteor shower. You’ll definitely be able to see the Milky Way though, and that’s certainly not nothing!

Birders love Cooney, too. Hundreds of species of birds have been identified in the park, including American kestrels, franklin gulls and short-eared owls. The reservoir is a stopping point for migratory birds such as osprey and pelicans during the spring and fall. (Yes, we said pelicans!) Bird walks are popular during the summer months.