Scenic bywayCited official sources
Beartooth Highway US-212 — Red Lodge to Cooke City
Charles Kuralt called it America's most beautiful drive. 68 miles, two states, one 10,947-foot pass, and a Yellowstone gateway.
US-212 from Red Lodge, Montana, crosses Beartooth Pass at 10,947 feet and descends into Cooke City just outside Yellowstone's northeast entrance. The 68-mile route is open only late May through mid-October — sometimes shorter when snow lingers. Charles Kuralt named it the most beautiful drive in America. The honest RV assessment is that it is the most RV-friendly of the great alpine roads: no posted length limit, no width restriction, no reservation system, and a wide enough roadway that even a 32-foot Class A can manage with attention.
Frame: a highway in Montana — not this route.
Elevation
10,947ft
highest point · climbs from 5,560 ft
Elevation range — drawn from this page's surveyed low and high points
At a glance
Route facts worth checking before you roll out
Conservative, source-minded numbers for planning — always confirm against current conditions and state DOT 511 before you depart.
Distance
68 mi
Red Lodge MT to Cooke City MT (Yellowstone NE entrance)
Drive time
2–4 hr
1 day
Elevation
5,560–10,947 ft
RV compatibility
Mid-size RV (Class B + small Class C)
Best season
Late June through early September is the reliable window. The road typically opens late May but can be delayed by snow into June. Early closures in October happen when storms close the pass.
Cell coverage. No reliable service between Red Lodge and Cooke City. Verizon has weak signal at Top of the World gas station and Beartooth Pass summit. Plan as offline.
Elevation profile
Red Lodge sits at 5,560 ft. Climbs to 10,947 ft at Beartooth Pass. Drops to roughly 7,500 ft at Cooke City.
Roughly 5,400 ft of climb west bound; 3,400 ft descent east
Vehicle restrictions
- No formal length, width, or weight restrictions
- Sustained 7-10% grades on both approaches
- High altitude affects all gas + diesel engine power
- Wyoming portion is unfenced — wildlife crossings frequent
Why Beartooth is the alpine road for RVs
Beartooth's roadbed is wider than Million Dollar Highway and Going-to-the-Sun. Lane widths are full 12 feet with marked shoulders in places. The switchbacks have generous radii — designed in the 1930s for buses and trucks of the era and engineered with safer margins than the equivalent National Park roads of the same vintage.
The drop-offs are real but most are mitigated by guardrails or by the natural shelf-cut into the granite. The cliffside lane in the unmitigated sections is generally the south-bound (west-bound) lane on the east approach, meaning your RV is on the inside on the climb up — psychologically easier.
The route's main difficulty is altitude itself. Beartooth Pass is at 10,947 feet. Gas engines lose roughly 20-30% of sea-level power at that altitude. Diesel engines fare better. Plan for slow climbing and use lower gears.
Pre-departure checklist
Top off fuel in Red Lodge or Cooke City
Top of the World gas station (mid-route) operates seasonally with limited hours and premium prices. Don't rely on it.
Check Beartooth opening status
MDT and WYDOT post the road status. Snow can close the pass even in summer.
Inflate tires for the trip
Cool-tire pressure should be at the upper end of your manufacturer's range due to the altitude pressure drop.
Plan a daytime crossing
No services overnight. Wildlife strikes increase at dusk.
Carry chains if travelling in June or September
Snow can fall on Beartooth any month of the year — chains can be required for late-season passes.
Real warnings
Brake management on the descent
Sustained 8% descent for 12 miles east of the pass. Use 2nd or 3rd gear. Pull over at the marked brake-cool turnouts if you smell hot brakes.
dangerSnow squalls at the summit
Even in July, brief snow squalls happen. Tire chains may be required briefly. Carry chains.
cautionAltitude sickness
At 10,947 ft passengers may experience headache, nausea, shortness of breath. Plan a stop at Beartooth Lake to acclimate before pushing on.
cautionLightning at the summit
Afternoon thunderstorms common July-August. Get off the high ridge before storms develop. Plan crossings before noon.
dangerOpen range cattle
Lower elevation sections in Wyoming may have unfenced cattle on the road. Drive slowly through marked zones.
info
What Beartooth Highway Visitor Center marketing + USFS Custer Gallatin doesn't tell you
Most travel coverage of Beartooth focuses on the scenery, which is genuinely spectacular. What gets undercovered is the road's role as a Yellowstone backdoor. Cooke City sits at the northeast entrance to Yellowstone. Many seasoned Yellowstone visitors enter via Beartooth-Cooke City specifically to avoid the West Yellowstone tourist crush.
The USFS Custer Gallatin National Forest manages the public lands along the route. There are about a dozen developed USFS campgrounds along the road — most rarely full even in summer. Beartooth Lake, Island Lake, and Crazy Creek are favorites among returning RV travelers. Reservation is via Recreation.gov where applicable.
What no glossy magazine will tell you is that the Beartooth gets weather. Real, fast-moving, dangerous mountain weather. Charles Kuralt's beautiful drive in good conditions is also a road that has killed motorcyclists, blown over high-profile vehicles, and stranded travelers when the pass closes for sudden snow. Respect the mountain.
Frequently asked questions
- When does Beartooth open in 2026?
- Officially Memorial Day weekend, weather permitting. Actual opening dates vary year to year — sometimes early June. MDT posts the official opening date about a week in advance.
- Can I drive it during winter?
- No. Beartooth Highway closes mid-October through late May. The closure is non-negotiable; the road is not plowed in winter.
- What's the difference between Beartooth Pass and Beartooth Summit?
- Same thing, different names. The high point is officially 10,947 ft at the marked Beartooth Pass. Some sources call this Beartooth Summit.
- Where does the road change states?
- About midway. Beartooth Pass itself is in Wyoming. The Montana-Wyoming border crosses near Twin Lakes. The whole route is signed as US-212.
Authoritative sources
- Montana 511 — Montana DOT road conditions State DOT
- Wyoming Department of Transportation — WYOROAD State DOT
- USDA Forest Service — scenic byways USDA Forest Service
- National Park Service — find a park National Park Service
- America's Byways — Federal Highway Administration scenic byway program FHWA National Scenic Byways
Verify current conditions with state DOT 511 systems before departure. RV restrictions may change. Weather may close roads.
Planning an RV trip along Beartooth Highway US-212?
Rent an RV in the 2 states Beartooth Highway US-212 crosses
This drive spans more than one state. Pick up where the road starts, or wherever the trip suits you.
Not sure which state yet? Search every RV on PickRV.
Was this guide helpful?