Campfire Lodge is nestled against the renowned Madison River on Hwy 287, Hebgen Lake Road, West Yellowstone, MT. However before reviewing the Lodge let me explain that when visiting West Yellowstone a day trip west chronicles some interesting history. A short 30 minute drive from West Yellowstone offers an opportunity to walk Refuge Trail and learn about the locals who survived a devastating earthquake on August 17, 1959. Then follow up with a visit a few miles further west to Earthquake Lake Visitor Center to learn about the earthquake and the lake it created.
After walking Refuge Trail and exploring Earthquake Lake Visitor Center it is time for lunch. And back down Hwy 287 is Campfire Lodge which serves breakfast and lunch until 2:00PM. This unassuming lodge, built in 1921, offers individual cabins as well as several rv sites. The lodge also carries an extensive line of fly fishing gear as this is the legendary Madison River-renowned for rainbow and large brown trout. This day we stopped at Campfire Lodge just before their restaurant closed and were pleasantly surprised to be served homespun dishes from a limited and simple menu. There is a daily special and this day it was pastrami on toasted rye. What was interesting was that the pastrami consisted of one large thick wedge of meat between the perfectly toasted and buttered rye bread. This particular culinary approach proved to offer a distinctive textural experience and enhanced flavor from this tender and juicy pastrami. Eschewing credit cards was only a minor inconvenience as the old lodge’s ambiance and excellent food are what made the meal so enjoyable. The small dining room is located on the back side of the lodge overlooking the Madison River. The dining room opens to a large deck with comfortable seating so close to the Madison that one could cast a fly from their chair into the River. This is the famed Madison River renowned for fly fishing in its icy cold waters for rainbow and brown trout(see video).
The Takeaway: a definite lunch spot after hiking nearby Refuge Point and exploring the Earthquake Visitor Center. The Lodge offers a limited menu with daily specials serving up simply prepared homemade and tasty victuals. The famous Madison River rolls by just beyond the restaurant windows providing a glimpse into the respite visitors must have enjoyed back in the early 19th century when trout fishing at the Lodge. Go to www.rickpicks.com for more photographs, other reviews, critiques and essays with links to area attractions and a more detailed review of rv parks as well as reviews of restaurants, etc.
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