Green pasture and sagebrush bench rising toward the Beartooth Front at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana

Gallery

A visual tour of the bench, the road, the water, and the Beartooth Front in every season.

The Road: bridge over Pleasant Valley Canal at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — bridge over Pleasant Valley Canal

Sunset: golden hour over the valley at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — golden hour over the valley

Utilities: power on the bench at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — power on the bench

The Bench: sagebrush hillside at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — sagebrush hillside

Pleasant Valley Canal: spring runoff at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — spring runoff

Pleasant Valley Canal: clear water through meadow at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — clear water through meadow

Utilities: hookup at the lot line at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — hookup at the lot line

Sunset: light across irrigated fields at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — light across irrigated fields

The Bench: looking down the bench at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — looking down the bench

The Road: new gravel through pasture at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — new gravel through pasture

Sunset: Beartooth Front silhouette at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — Beartooth Front silhouette

The Road: building the access road at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — building the access road

The Bench: rock outcrop looking north along the east bench at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — rock outcrop looking north along the east bench

The Bench: afternoon light across the valley at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — afternoon light across the valley

The Bench: sun over the ranch at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — sun over the ranch

The Bench: afternoon light southwest down the bench at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — afternoon light southwest down the bench

16 photographs

From the Trail Cam

The other residents

A trail camera has been running on the bench since spring 2024. Whitetail and mule deer most days, red fox and coyote most weeks. Moose, black bear, and mountain lion rarer. These are a curated sampling.

Mule deer crossing the canal with the Beartooths behind. April 2024 captured on a trail camera at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — Mule deer crossing the canal with the Beartooths behind. April 2024

Whitetail doe on a spring snow morning. April 2024 captured on a trail camera at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — Whitetail doe on a spring snow morning. April 2024

Raccoon on the bench after dark. April 2024 captured on a trail camera at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — Raccoon on the bench after dark. April 2024

Red fox along the canal. April 2024 captured on a trail camera at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — Red fox along the canal. April 2024

Whitetail in fresh snow with the Beartooth Front behind. April 2024 captured on a trail camera at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — Whitetail in fresh snow with the Beartooth Front behind. April 2024

Striped skunk on a cold night. April 2024 captured on a trail camera at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — Striped skunk on a cold night. April 2024

Deer gathered along the canal at dusk. April 2024 captured on a trail camera at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — Deer gathered along the canal at dusk. April 2024

Cross-phase red fox near the canal. April 2024 captured on a trail camera at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — Cross-phase red fox near the canal. April 2024

Mule deer doe in spring green. May 2024 captured on a trail camera at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — Mule deer doe in spring green. May 2024

Whitetail doe in the late-spring snow at the canal. May 2024

Mule deer doe grazing at the canal. May 2024

Striped skunk in the trail cam beam. May 2024

Raccoon on a spring night. May 2024

Whitetail buck in velvet by the canal. June 2024

Fox on a summer night. June 2024

Whitetail stepping into the canal. June 2024

Mule deer doe in the canal shade. June 2024 captured on a trail camera at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — Mule deer doe in the canal shade. June 2024

Whitetail doe standing in the canal. June 2024 captured on a trail camera at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — Whitetail doe standing in the canal. June 2024

Moose along Pleasant Valley Canal. June 2024 captured on a trail camera at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — Moose along Pleasant Valley Canal. June 2024

Moose feeding on branches in the canal. June 2024

Black bear passing through at night. June 2024

Velvet buck resting at the canal bank. June 2024

Velvet buck bedded in the canal grass. June 2024 captured on a trail camera at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — Velvet buck bedded in the canal grass. June 2024

Deer at the canal in fall foliage. September 2025 captured on a trail camera at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — Deer at the canal in fall foliage. September 2025

Mountain lion on the road before dawn. September 2025 captured on a trail camera at East Bench Overlook near Red Lodge, Montana — Mountain lion on the road before dawn. September 2025

Three deer at dusk with equipment on the pad behind. October 2025

Fox on the road beside the equipment at night. October 2025

Hardhorn whitetail buck on a late-October night. October 2025

Red fox crossing the new road at night. November 2025

Two whitetails sparring by the new gravel road. November 2025

Three deer on the snowy bench on a winter morning. January 2026

31 trail camera captures · Reveal Tactacam