Beartooth Pass, Wyoming
A review of the Beartooth Pass, a part of a scenic highway that goes through Montana and Wyoming.
· 4/5 stars ·
Beartooth Pass is part of Beartooth Highway between Montana and Wyoming, built to increase tourism in Red Lodge, Montana. This scenic pass takes about two hours to drive in full and reaches an altitude of 10,947. It is typically open Memorial Day through October 15th, depending on how severe the weather is. Beartooth Pass has a 6% grade and many sharp hairpin turns, making it incredibly dangerous. The thin, winding road on top of the steep mountains makes it difficult for the transportation center to clear any snow and ice. There is not a firm number, but dozens of people get into sometimes fatal accidents every year on Beartooth Pass. Despite its danger, Beartooth Pass is a beautiful drive and I would love to go back and explore the terrain a bit more.
I took this photo at the Beartooth Basin Summer Ski Area of the Christmas Lake. All along this drive, there are dozens of alpine lakes and the majority of them are accessible. Most areas on Beartooth Pass (that are safe) are open to the public. You are able to pull over at almost any point and just walk around the area, but they do have designated hikes, as well.
This photo was taken around 44°57’35.0″N 109°29’09.9″W of the Frozen Lake. Unlike the photo above, I did not take this at a stop, it was just the view straight out of the window. After this photo was taken, I saw three mountain goats come up and drink from the lake. There is not an overwhelming amount of wildlife along this drive because of the harsh climate, so when you are able to see them it is especially exciting. In the warmer months, there are usually a lot more animals nearby, but I visited in April, so it was not quite warm enough yet. There are also beautiful wildflower patches that grow beside Beartooth Pass, but again it was not quite warm enough for that.
I took this photo around 44°58’11.2″N 109°28’41.3″W of the winding road. This was a part of a double switchback. In the photo, you can see rain falling in different areas, which we later drove through. Being at such a high altitude, the clouds look very close to the ground, and you are able to see the rain especially well.
It’s clearly best to visit in the summer months, so you can get the full effect of the environment with all the wildflowers and animals, but be sure to plan ahead for poor weather because it is unpredictable. Give yourself plenty of time to drive through, because I can guarantee you will want to stop several times, if not to hike, then at least to take photos; and there is generally a bit of construction going on to widen the road because it has a habit of sliding off the side of the mountain. Beartooth Pass is most definitely worth the drive, even if it can be a little nerve-wracking at times. The alpine lakes, the snow-capped mountains, and the rocky terrain are all so gorgeous, and anyone would love to see it in person. The views highlight how vast the mountains are, and it is mind-blowing to see almost untouched wild land at the top of a mountain range.