The Beartooth All-American Road is a 68-mile paved two-lane highway running between Red Lodge, Montana and the Northeast Entrance of Yellowstone National Park near Cooke City. The road climbs from roughly 5,500 feet at Red Lodge to Beartooth Pass at 10,947 feet, crossing the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness corridor on Custer Gallatin and Shoshone National Forests. It is one of the highest paved highways in the Northern Rockies.

The road is open seasonally, typically from Memorial Day to mid-October, and closes for snow the rest of the year. Most drivers run it in three to four hours, longer with stops at Vista Point, Beartooth Lake, and Top of the World. RVs and trailers manage the climb, but should plan slow grades and long switchback sequences.

Trailhead: 44.97220, -109.40830

Technical Difficulty: easy
Length: 68 miles
Direction: Point to point
Vehicle: Any street-legal vehicle. Steep grades and long no-shoulder switchbacks reward proper brakes; trailers and RVs handle the route but should plan for slow-going on the climb.
Nearest town: Red Lodge, Montana
Terrain: Paved two-lane highway climbing from valley floor to a 10,947-foot pass through alpine tundra and granite headwalls in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness corridor.
Cell coverage: None on the high stretch above treeline; service returns near Red Lodge and Cooke City.
Best months: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Management: U.S. Forest Service, Federal Highway Administration
Also crosses: Wyoming
Trailhead: 44.97220, -109.40830

Resources

Plan in Epic Plans Official site Open in Google Maps

Directions

From Red Lodge (north entrance). Take US-212 south from Red Lodge. The climb begins immediately south of town.

From Yellowstone (south entrance). From the Northeast Entrance Station near Silver Gate, drive east on US-212 four miles to Cooke City and continue up the climb to the pass.

Photos · 3

Getting Oriented

The road runs between Red Lodge, Montana on US-212 and the Yellowstone Northeast Entrance near Cooke City. Custer Gallatin National Forest's Beartooth Ranger District manages the Montana side; Shoshone National Forest covers the Wyoming portion across the state line. The Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness flanks the corridor on both sides.

Trail Overview

Sixty-eight miles, point-to-point, paved two-lane the whole way. The climb out of Red Lodge gains roughly 5,500 feet in twelve miles via switchbacks etched into the Rock Creek headwall. The plateau stretch above 10,000 feet runs through alpine tundra past lakes and glacial cirques, then drops to Cooke City. The Yellowstone Northeast Entrance sits four miles past Cooke City on the same route.

Points of Interest

Vista Point Observation Site. USFS overlook 18.9 miles south of Red Lodge with interpretive signs about Rock Creek Valley. Vault toilets and parking only.
Beartooth Pass (10,947 ft). The high point; pullouts on both sides for tundra walks.
Beartooth Lake. Lake and developed FS campground at 8,900 feet on the Wyoming side.
Top of the World Store. Privately owned roadside stop at 9,400 feet with limited supplies and gas.
Clarks Fork Overlook. Pullout with views into the Clarks Fork canyon and Granite Peak, the highest point in Montana.
Cooke City. Old mining town just before the Yellowstone Northeast Entrance, with lodging, fuel, and outfitters.

Where to Camp

Custer Gallatin maintains several developed campgrounds in the Rock Creek drainage near Red Lodge (Sheridan, Limber Pine, Greenough Lake, MK). On the high plateau, Beartooth Lake and Island Lake campgrounds sit on the Wyoming side near 9,000 feet. Soda Butte Campground near Cooke City is hard-sided only because of grizzly activity.

Tips for a Safe and Enjoyable Trip

Drive in daylight if possible. The switchbacks and exposed plateau benefit from full visibility.
Carry warm layers in any month. Snow is possible in July, and overnight lows on the plateau drop into the 30s through August.
Top off in Red Lodge or Cooke City. Top of the World Store sells gas at high markup.
Watch for wildlife on the lower stretches at dawn and dusk: moose, bears, and bighorn sheep are common.
Pair the drive with the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (WY-296), which connects at the Beartooth's south end and drops to Cody.

Hazards

Seasonal closures. The pass closes from mid-October to Memorial Day weekend most years, with the exact dates set by snow conditions.
High elevation. Beartooth Pass tops 10,947 feet. Watch for altitude effects, sudden weather, and afternoon thunderstorms in summer.
Switchback overheating. The descent into Red Lodge is steep enough to cook brakes. Use engine braking and pull off if rotors smoke.
Wildlife. Moose, grizzly bears, and bighorn sheep cross the road. Reduce speed at dawn and dusk.
No services on the high stretch. Carry water, snacks, and a fuel buffer.