What you're actually riding

The Beartooth Highway is 68 miles of US-212 connecting Red Lodge, Montana to Cooke City and the northeast gate of Yellowstone National Park. The road climbs from roughly 5,200 feet on the canyon floor to 10,947 feet at Beartooth Pass — a gain of more than 5,700 vertical feet — and most of that elevation comes in a concentrated 12-mile switchback section out of Red Lodge. What follows the pass is a broad, mostly flat alpine plateau at or near 10,000 feet, dotted with glacial lakes, before the road descends into Wyoming and then loops back into Montana toward Cooke City. The two halves of the road feel like different rides: one a tight, committed climb through granite walls, the other a long, open traverse across tundra.

Why it's famous — and how it got built

Congress authorized the highway under the National Park Approaches Act of 1931, and construction began in 1932 using Depression-era labor. Hundreds of workers blasted and hand-carved the route through some of the most unforgiving terrain in the Northern Rockies, often working at elevations near 11,000 feet with limited seasonal windows. The road opened on June 14, 1936 at a cost of $2.5 million — under budget. During construction, crews named the individual bends they were cutting: Frozen Man Curve, Deadman's Curve, Mae West Curve, and Primal Curve are names that have stuck. The highway was officially called the Red Lodge–Cooke City Highway through the 1940s; the name Beartooth Highway came after World War II. CBS correspondent Charles Kuralt called it "the most beautiful drive in America" in his 1979 book Dateline America, and the road was designated an All-American Road in 2002 — one of only a handful in the country to hold that status.

Maintenance has always been contested territory. Because the highway exceeded the 60-mile limit for federally funded national park approach roads, it fell under split jurisdiction: Montana DOT maintains the Red Lodge-to-state-line section, and the National Park Service maintains most of the Wyoming and western Montana portion — even though it sits entirely outside the park boundary.

Segment breakdown

Red Lodge to Rock Creek Vista Point (~21 miles): The road leaves Red Lodge and immediately starts climbing through lodgepole pine forest toward the Beartooth Range. The switchback section — approximately 12 miles of the tightest work on the highway — carries the road up the granite face of the Beartooths. The named curves (Frozen Man, Deadman's, Mae West, Primal) are all in this stretch. Pull into Rock Creek Vista Point at 9,199 feet for a wide view back down into the Rock Creek canyon and the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness below.

Vista Point to Beartooth Pass (~9 miles): The road continues above treeline across the Beartooth Plateau. Hellroaring Plateau and Silver Run Plateau open up on either side. Near mile 23 from Red Lodge, Beartooth Basin Summer Ski Area operates in early summer when snow permits. The pass itself sits at 10,947 feet — the highest drivable point in Montana, technically in Wyoming at the state line.

Beartooth Pass to Beartooth Lake (~10 miles, Wyoming): After the pass, the highway descends through Wyoming across open tundra, passing numerous alpine lakes. Beartooth Lake Viewpoint sits at 9,000 feet in Shoshone National Forest — a straightforward pull-out with views of the lake against rugged slopes. The Wyoming portion of the road is maintained by the NPS, not WYDOT.

Beartooth Lake to Cooke City (~remainder): The highway crosses back into Montana and descends toward the tree line before arriving at Cooke City and Silver Gate — the last services before Yellowstone's northeast entrance. The Index and Pilot Peaks of the Wyoming Absaroka Range are prominent landmarks on this approach.

How to ride it

Skill level: The switchback section is intermediate-level riding — continuous tight turns on a two-lane road with guardrails along most of the exposed sections, but genuine drop-offs beyond those rails. Experienced mountain riders will find it manageable. Newer riders should know the road before committing; it's not the place to learn switchback technique. The plateau section is straightforward.

Bike types: Any well-maintained street bike works. Adventure bikes and mid-weight touring bikes handle the climb well. Larger touring rigs are common; watch brake heat on the descent, especially with a load. Heavily loaded saddlebags don't change the ride significantly, but the tight radius on some named curves rewards patient throttle management.

Direction: Most riders prefer Red Lodge to Cooke City (east to west). You climb the switchbacks in the direction where the view keeps expanding upward, and the plateau and descent feel like a reward. The reverse direction is still worth doing if you're out-and-back or coming from Yellowstone.

Traffic: Summer weekends, especially late June and July, bring heavy RV traffic. Weekday mornings are noticeably quieter. Expect slow sections behind large vehicles on the climb. Cell service is unreliable to nonexistent across much of the plateau — don't count on navigation or emergency calls working above treeline.

Real hazards: Rock debris and sand can collect in the apex of blind corners, particularly early in the season. Lingering ice or wet patches occur in shaded sections even in summer. Wildlife — elk, moose, mountain goats, marmots, and occasionally bears — cross or stand on the road without warning. Altitude sickness is a genuine issue for riders from low elevations who ascend quickly: expect 15–20 degrees of temperature drop between Red Lodge and the summit, and plan layers accordingly. Snowstorms and severe thunderstorms can occur any month the road is open.

Season and closures

The Beartooth Highway is a summer-only road. Snow removal typically begins in May, and the road generally opens around Memorial Day weekend — but heavy-snow years (like 2018 and 2024) have pushed opening into early June. The road closes in mid-October, with the exact date weather-dependent; historical closures have ranged from early October to mid-October. Snow drifts reaching 20 to 26 feet are recorded annually, and the spring plowing effort can itself take weeks. Even after opening, mid-season snowstorms can close the road temporarily without much notice.

Always verify conditions before you leave. Montana 511 (MDT) covers the Red Lodge to state line section. WYDOT covers the Wyoming and NPS-maintained segment from WY-296 to the pass. Check both the morning of your ride.

Fuel, food, and where to stay

There is no fuel between Red Lodge and Cooke City on the highway itself. Fill up in Red Lodge before you start; gas is also available in Cooke City at the far end. Do not assume you can add range mid-route.

For a night in Red Lodge before or after the ride, The Pollard Hotel is the landmark choice — a National Register property open since 1893 and squarely in the middle of Red Lodge's motorcycle-friendly downtown. It's the natural base camp for a Beartooth day.

If you're building a multi-day montana loop that includes the Beartooth as part of a Yellowstone corridor run, Chico Hot Springs Resort in Paradise Valley sits on US-89 south of Livingston — a historic geothermal resort open since 1900 with cabins and a restaurant, a reasonable overnight before or after coming off the highway.

For riders extending into wyoming, the Medicine Wheel National Historic Landmark near US-14A in the Bighorn National Forest is a worthwhile detour — a 74-foot stone wheel atop Medicine Mountain at 9,642 feet, accessible by a 1.5-mile hike from the parking area.

Plan your ride

Block a full day for the Beartooth — two hours is the minimum drive time, but that accounts for nothing worth stopping for. Budget four to five hours if you want to walk to any overlook, sit at the pass, or explore Cooke City. Confirm the road is open via MDT 511 or WYDOT the morning you leave. Carry rain gear and a mid-layer regardless of the forecast at Red Lodge; the summit operates in its own weather system. Gas up before you go.