Beartooth Mountains & Highway Pass

To the south of Bozeman, on the way to Yellowstone National Park, lies the rugged Beartooth Mountains. The Beartooth Mountains are a part of the Absaroka Range that stretches from Livingston to the canyon of the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone. The northern edge of the Beartooths is bordered by plains while the Yellowstone River borders the western edge. The southern border is also distinguished by the Yellowstone River. Yellowstone national Park lies south of the Beartooth Mountains.

The Beartooth Mountains are made of rocks that formed 4-5 billion years ago during the Archean period. Archean rocks are difficult to study because tumultuous geologic events have destroyed much of this exposed rock, while most of the remaining rock is buried beneath other rocks. However, the Beartooths provide an excellent example of exposed Archean rock that is revealed in the large glaciated valleys. Geologists study the Beartooth Mountains because they fill in missing pieces to geologic puzzles.

The Beartooth Highway is probably the best-known feature of the Beartooth Mountains. The Beartooth Highway is the section of US 212 that winds through Beartooth Pass to Cooke City and through the northeast gate of Yellowstone National Park. The highway was built in the 1930s and is considered an engineering feat--even by today's standards.

On this famous drive, you ascend to an elevation of over 11,000 feet in 68 miles. Take the time to enjoy the spectacular scenes that get better with every turn. There are pullouts and parking areas available for you to stop and take a picture or to just take it all in. Glaciers can be seen at all times of the year, and sometimes you can also find snow at the summits of the passes in the summers. This drive is considered "the most scenic highway in America."

The beginning of the Beartooth Highway is located in the town of Red Lodge. Red Lodge is an alpine town tucked in the foothills of the Beartooth Mountains. The town is named for the Crow Indians' tradition of decorating their tepees with red clay that was found in nearby mountains. There is a high-quality ski area here that boasts a 2.016 foot vertical drop. The end of the highway brings you to Cooke City. Cooke City is an old mining town that still bears original log structures. From Cooke City, the northeast gate to Yellowstone National Park is only a few miles away.