Montana and Wyoming
Beartooth Highway
About this scenic drive
US 212 between Red Lodge and Cooke City climbs to 10,947 feet at Beartooth Pass and spends most of its length above treeline on a high plateau of alpine lakes and permanent snowfields. It is the highest highway in the northern Rockies and it is only open for a few months a year. Because it ends at Yellowstone’s northeast entrance, it works as an approach rather than a detour, which is how most RV travelers use it.
Red Lodge over the 10,947 ft Beartooth Pass to Cooke City and the northeast gate of Yellowstone.
Highlights
What earns the trip
- Tops out at 10,947 feet, with switchbacks visible for miles below
- Miles of driving above treeline, unusual for a paved US highway
- Snowbanks beside the road well into July
- Ends at the quiet northeast entrance to Yellowstone
Stops
- 1
Red Lodge
Northeast start, the last full-service town before the climb.
- 2
Beartooth Pass
The 10,947 foot summit, above treeline.
- 3
Cooke City
Western end, four miles from Yellowstone’s northeast gate.
When to go
Best time to go
Typically open from late May to mid October. Snow can close it in any month.
Planner estimate for the mapped line: 4h 18m
Before you go
Know before you go
- The road closes for the season and can close temporarily for summer snow. Check status the morning you drive it.
- Sustained grades and switchbacks. Descend in a low gear rather than riding the brakes.
- Weather at the pass bears no relation to weather in Red Lodge. Expect 30 degrees colder and wind.
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