The Beartooth Highway is the section of U.S. Route 212 between Red Lodge and Cooke City, Montana. We accessed this scenic drive exiting the Northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
Because of it's high altitudes and unpredictable weather, snowstorms can occur even in the middle of the summer and the pass is also known for strong winds and severe thunderstorms. Because of heavy snowfall at the top, Beartooth Pass is usually open each year only from mid May through mid October, weather conditions permitting. The Beartooth Pass is at an elevation of 10,947 feet.
Much of the highway is above the tree line and it traces a series of steep zigzags and switchbacks along the Montana-Wyoming border. Because it is such a picturesque drive, my advice would be to stop as many times as possible and take in the spectacular scenery. CBS correspondent Charles Kuralt called this highway "the most beautiful drive in America."
