Beartooth Highway Road Trip Guide
Start: Red Lodge, Montana. End: Cooke City / Silver Gate, Montana at Yellowstone's Northeast Entrance · 68 miles (US 212 between Red Lodge, MT and the Northeast Entrance of Yellowstone at Cooke City, MT)
Route at a Glance
Distance
68 miles (US 212 between Red Lodge, MT and the Northeast Entrance of Yellowstone at Cooke City, MT)
Drive time
About 2.5 to 3 hours non-stop; plan a full day (6-8 hours) to use the overlooks and side stops
Route
Start: Red Lodge, Montana. End: Cooke City / Silver Gate, Montana at Yellowstone's Northeast Entrance
Which way to drive
Drive southwest from Red Lodge toward Cooke City. Starting at Red Lodge (about 5,500 ft) means you climb out through Rock Creek Canyon and up the Beartooth switchbacks, so the Beartooth Pass summit (10,947 ft) and the high plateau views open up ahead of you rather than appearing in the rearview mirror. It also positions you to finish at Yellowstone's Northeast Entrance.
About the Beartooth Highway Drive
The Beartooth Highway (US-212) climbs 68 miles from Red Lodge, Montana, to the Northeast Entrance of Yellowstone National Park near Cooke City, crossing Beartooth Pass at 10,947 feet — the highest drivable point in Montana. The road ascends through 4,000 vertical feet of switchbacks in the first 30 miles, passing through spruce forests and alpine meadows before emerging above treeline into a tundra landscape of glacial lakes, snowfields, and exposed granite plateaus. Twin Lakes Overlook and the Rock Creek Vista Point offer views extending 100 miles across the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. The plateau section crosses terrain that resembles the Arctic — with snowbanks lingering into August and alpine wildflowers blooming in miniature meadows. The descent into Cooke City drops through Clark's Fork Canyon with views of Pilot and Index Peaks.
Free Beartooth Highway Audio Road Trip Guide with Roamee Pro
Roamee Pro offers a free GPS audio guide for the Beartooth Highway drive. Stories play automatically as you reach each stop — Beartooth Pass Summit (10,947 feet), Rock Creek Vista Point, Twin Lakes — so you keep your eyes on the road. Works offline.
explore by interest
Major Stops Along the Route
- 1Red Lodge, MT — Last full-service town on the east end. Fuel up, grab food, and use restrooms here; Broadway Ave has restaurants, groceries and gas.
- 2Rock Creek Vista Point — Paved overlook about 9 miles southwest of Red Lodge near 9,200 ft, with a short accessible walkway, vault toilets and views down Rock Creek Canyon and the switchbacks below.
- 3Beartooth Pass Summit (10,947 ft) — High point of the highway, marked by a sign. Snowbanks can persist into July; cold and windy even in summer.
- 4Beartooth Plateau & alpine lakes — Open tundra above treeline with numerous small lakes (Long Lake, Island Lake, Beartooth Lake). Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds branch off here.
- 5Beartooth Lake & Clay Butte Lookout — Clay Butte fire lookout sits on a gravel spur road (about 3 miles) with a wide view of the Absaroka-Beartooth peaks; Beartooth Lake has a campground and picnic area.
- 6Chief Joseph Scenic Byway junction (WY 296) — Near Pilot Creek, US 212 meets the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (WY 296). Good viewpoint for Pilot and Index Peaks; an optional alternate route south toward Cody.
- 7Cooke City / Silver Gate, MT — End point and gateway to Yellowstone's Northeast Entrance. Limited, seasonal fuel and food; both are small seasonal towns. Continue into Yellowstone from here.
Don't-Miss Sights Along Beartooth Highway
- •Beartooth Pass Summit (10,947 feet) — the highest point on the highway with a stone marker and views across the Beartooth Plateau's glacial lakes and permanent snowfields
- •Rock Creek Vista Point — a cliffside overlook at 9,190 feet with views down the glacially carved Rock Creek Canyon and across to the Beartooth face
- •Twin Lakes — a pair of alpine lakes just below the summit that remain partially frozen through July, accessible from a short pullout trail
- •Pilot and Index Peaks — dramatic volcanic spires visible on the descent into Cooke City, rising above Clark's Fork Canyon
Best Viewpoints
- •Rock Creek Vista Point
- •Beartooth Pass Summit overlook (10,947 ft)
- •Clay Butte Lookout spur (Absaroka-Beartooth panorama)
- •Beartooth Lake / Island Lake overlooks
- •Pilot and Index Peaks viewpoint near the WY 296 junction
Worthwhile Detours off Beartooth Highway
- •Gardner Lake — a remote alpine lake at 9,780 feet accessed by a 1.5-mile scramble from a pullout near the summit, with brook trout and no crowds
- •Top of the World Store — a tiny seasonal general store and gas station at 9,400 feet that claims to be the highest-elevation commercial establishment in Montana
Fuel, Food & Services
Fuel and full services are at Red Lodge on the east end. The 68-mile stretch in between has no gas stations; the plateau has only seasonal campgrounds and trailheads. Cooke City and Silver Gate at the west end have limited seasonal fuel and a few restaurants. Fill the tank in Red Lodge and carry water and snacks, as there are no services for roughly 60 miles over the pass.
Road Conditions
Paved two-lane road (US 212) with steep grades and a long series of switchbacks on the Red Lodge side. No tunnels. Numerous tight hairpins and dropoffs with limited guardrails; expect sustained climbs and descents. Cell coverage is absent across most of the plateau and the pass. Afternoon thunderstorms, high wind, and sudden temperature drops are common at elevation. Snow squalls and ice can occur in any month at the summit.
Best Season to Drive
Open seasonally, typically late May (around Memorial Day) through mid-October, weather permitting. The road is closed all winter and can close temporarily for snow even in summer. July and August offer the most reliable conditions and wildflowers on the plateau; check the Montana DOT or NPS road status before driving.
RVs & Trailers
Passenger cars handle the route fine. Large RVs and trailers are not recommended because of the steep grades, sharp switchbacks, and limited turnaround space; drivers of big rigs should use low gear on descents to avoid overheating brakes. The Clay Butte Lookout spur is gravel and unsuitable for large vehicles.
Start Your Beartooth Highway Road Trip Tour
Get a road trip route with narrated stories —
personalized to your interests, ready in seconds
Your personal guide in 5 seconds