| Description: General Sheridan was the first recorded traveler across Beartooth Pass, in 1882, pioneering a route across the mountains from Cooke City to Billings. Since the paved road was completed in 1936, millions of travelers have been awed by "the most beautiful highway in America." The scenery changes quickly from dense woodlands to open alpine tundra, as the road climbs through one of the highest & most rugged mountain ranges on the continent. The glacier-topped Beartooth Mountains contain 20 peaks over 12,000 feet, creating a spectacular setting for the resident wildlife, such as mountain goats, moose, black bears, grizzly bears, marmots, & mule deer. Modern travelers are advised to spend plenty of time along the way, enjoying the scenery & the wildlife, fishing the abundant trout streams, camping in the 12 campgrounds along the route, or leaving the route entirely, exploring on skis, on horseback, or on foot. Although the road is closed to automobiles in winter, you can still enjoy it in a snowmobile.
Location: US 212 from Red Lodge to Yellowstone National Park. The route is 68 miles long & takes about three hours.
Season: year round; snowmobile only in winter.
Fee: no.
Reservations: no. |
Campground: Beartooth Scenic Byway in Red Lodge Montana *