Beartooth Highway: 68 Miles Up Into the Clouds
There’s a moment on the Beartooth Highway when the trees simply let up. The road keeps climbing, switchback after switchback, and suddenly you’re above it all — bare rock, snowfields, lakes the color of slate, and clouds that seem close enough to roll the window down and touch. We’ve driven this road more than once, and it still quiets us both every single time.
Why We Keep Coming Back to the Beartooth
Your grandpas are not ones to toss around phrases like “hidden gem” or “must-see.” But if you’re like us, and a good scenic drive is your idea of a perfect day, then these 68 miles might be exactly your kind of road.
The Beartooth Highway (US-212) runs between Red Lodge, Montana and the Northeast Entrance of Yellowstone National Park, (via Cooke City/Silver Gate) crossing into Wyoming along the way. At Beartooth Pass it tops out at 10,947 feet above sea level. This is bear country, elk country, and moose country — and on a clear morning it may be one of the most dramatic stretches of pavement we’ve ever driven, and one of the most memorable.
Red Lodge or Yellowstone? Pick Your Direction
Here’s the friendly debate: is the Beartooth more scenic driving from Red Lodge toward Yellowstone, or from Yellowstone toward Red Lodge? We’ve done it both ways, and honestly, we’re not going to settle it for you. Drive it, decide for yourself, and then come tell us which way you liked best.
In the interest of full transparency: coming from the Yellowstone side, we hit some serious traffic in the Lamar Valley on our way up to the pass. And by traffic, we mean the four-legged kind – Buffalo! This is their country, not ours. So do what we did — relax, go with the flow, and enjoy the show.
Timing Is Everything
The Beartooth has one of the shortest seasons of any road we know. It typically opens around Memorial Day weekend and closes in early-to-early October, depending on snow. For 2026, Yellowstone projects the road closing around October 12 — so if this video has you itching to go, the window is closing fast. Check the Montana and Wyoming DOT road reports before you head out, because an early storm can shut it sooner.
Our other timing tip: get up early. Did you notice anything special about the road in our video? Count the cars we passed. We had the Beartooth nearly to ourselves, and that’s no accident. Start early and chances are you’ll enjoy the same.
A Few Things to Know Before You Go
The Beartooth is gorgeous, but it demands your attention. A few things we always keep in mind:
It’s curvy. Hairpins and switchbacks are the whole personality of this road. Take them slowly and put the passenger who might get car sick in the front seat!
The weather changes fast. Sunshine at the bottom can still bring snow flurries and wind at the top. Bring a jacket, even in summer — and trust us, it gets windy up there.
Wildlife is everywhere. Keep your eyes on the road and the roadside, all the time.
Use the pullouts. There are plenty of pullouts and observation points along the way. Stop often. This is not a road to rush. Be courteous to drivers who might want to go a little faster.
And one little challenge for you: as you watch the video, you’ll spot some tall orange poles standing along the roadside. Do you know what they’re for? Put your answer in the comments — we’d love to see who gets it.
When We Stop Talking
Here’s a little secret about how your grandpas drive a road like this: we barely talk. Somewhere past the summit, one of us goes quiet, then the other, and we just let the Beartooth do the talking. So that’s what we did in the last stretch of our video. No narration, no chatter — just the road, the mountains, and the sky.
If you watched all the way through, well done. We think you’re ready to drive the Beartooth yourself.
Watch the full Beartooth Highway drive on our YouTube channel and ride along with us from the valley floor to the top of the clouds. If you enjoy traveling with us, please subscribe, give the video a like (and a hype, if you’re feeling generous), and let us know in the comments where we should drive next.
Follow along day to day on Instagram and TikTok @twogaygrandpastravel, and catch our podcast Travel Your Heart on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Travel Your Heart,
Grandpa Bobby &
Grandpa Scott
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