Famous route
Beartooth Highway
A high switchback road over the Beartooth Plateau between Red Lodge, Montana, and Yellowstone's northeast entrance.
- Length
- 68 mi
- Top elevation
- 10,947 ft
- Suggested time
- 1 day
- Open
- late May–mid Oct
Before you go
- Weather at the top can change within minutes, and snow is possible any month.
- Allow at least three hours for photo stops.
- The Top of the World store is the only fuel stop, so fill up in Red Lodge or Cooke City.
The drive
From Red Lodge, the road climbs a series of tight switchbacks onto an alpine plateau dotted with glacial lakes. Mountain goats often graze near the pass. The descent toward Cooke City passes Beartooth Lake and Pilot Peak before reaching Yellowstone's Lamar Valley.
FAQs
When is the Beartooth Highway open?
It usually opens in late May and closes in mid-October, depending on snow. Opening dates change every year.
