United States · Montana · Wyoming · Absaroka–Beartooth
Beartooth & Chief Joseph
The classic American high-alpine pair. Beartooth Pass and the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, looped from Cody, Wyoming.
The classic American high-alpine pair, looped from Cody, Wyoming through the Absaroka and Beartooth ranges. Two hundred kilometres of paved road that climbs from sagebrush flats to open tundra above 3,300 m and back.
The Beartooth Highway is one of the rare US pass roads that feels genuinely Alpine, with broad switchbacks, a dozen visible lakes, and 30 km of open terrain at altitude. Chief Joseph Scenic Byway is its quieter sibling, running through red-rock canyons with almost no traffic.
The route
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Start
Cody, Wyoming
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Dead Indian Pass
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Sunlight Basin overlook
Classic Absaroka view
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Red-rock canyons
Descent toward Pilot Creek
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Stop
Cooke City
Gateway town between the two passes
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Beartooth Pass
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Rock Creek Vista Point
3,100 m overlook of the plateau
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Beartooth Lake
Alpine lake just below the summit
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Top of the World Store
Summit gas station and curiosity
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Stop
Red Lodge
Gateway town at the north foot
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Finish
Cody via Highway 120
Who it's for
- Cyclists: very hard. The Beartooth climb from the west is 30 km long at high altitude. Fitness and acclimatisation matter.
- Motorcyclists: a bucket-list ride. Sparse traffic, pristine pavement, and legitimate Alpine scenery.
- Drivers: a classic Americana road-trip loop with an easy option to continue into Yellowstone.
Practical notes
- Base: Cody, Wyoming. Full range of hotels, fuel, and restaurants, and the natural western anchor for the loop.
- Season: Beartooth typically opens Memorial Day weekend and closes mid-October. Chief Joseph opens earlier and stays open slightly later. Both are weather-dependent, check the Montana DOT and Wyoming DOT sites.
- Fuel: Cody and Red Lodge are the main stops. Cooke City sits between the two climbs and has a gas station at a premium price.
- Altitude: the Beartooth summit is at 3,337 m (10,947 ft). Headaches and shortness of breath are common for visitors from sea level.
- Variant: from the Beartooth summit, a short drive south leads into Yellowstone's Lamar Valley, the richest wildlife viewing in the park.