The road reaches its highest point at the top of Beartooth Pass (10,974 feet in elevation), where expansive views showcase miles of wilderness. Near the pass, West Summit Overlook reveals the western slope’s striking blue jewelry of lakes. While driving, travelers may spot one of the jagged rock formations resembling a bear’s tooth that give the highway its namesake. Or a real grizzly bear may wander into sight as it searches for forage.
The scenery viewed from a car is breathtaking--and also inviting. I parked along the Beartooth Plateau and took a short hike on the alpine tundra to a nearby ridge. I passed an array of wildflowers, including my favorite: the delicate sky pilot. While resting on a rock, I heard the unmistakable call of a pika and watched with delight as it scurried across the boulders.
Recreational opportunities abound in the Beartooth, with miles of hiking and horsebackriding trails, plentiful fishing streams, and numerous campgrounds. In the winter, heavy snowcover renders the road impassable, but the gateway communities of Red Lodge and Cooke City provide skiing and snowmobiling access.
On your next trip to Yellowstone, be sure to include time for an excursion on the Beartooth Highway—no visit to the first national park would be complete without driving on America’s most beautiful road.
Watch a video of the breathtaking views of the Beartooth Highway below:
credited to examiner.com and youtube
Nice but the going to the sun road (logans pass) is much more beautiful. Glacier National Park