At nearly 11,000 feet, Beartooth Highway in Montana experiences brutal winter weather with high snowfall and extremely cold temperatures. To keep drivers away during these brutal weather events, the Montana Department of Transportation closes the road through the winter. If you’re hoping to drive the iconic route in 2024, your last to day to so is Monday, October 14.
“The Beartooth Highway (US 212) will close for the season on Tuesday, October 15, at 8 a.m. At almost 11,000 feet, the highway is known for unpredictable winter weather, extreme cold temperatures, and excessive snow. Drifts have been seen as high as 26 feet. With these rapidly changing conditions in mind, we close the highway each fall for the safety of the traveling public. Please respect the closure gates for your own safety as well as others.” – Montana Department of Transportation
The road runs from the town of Red Lodge to Yellowstone National Park’s Northeast Entrance near Cooke City, both in Montana. America’s only summer-only ski area, Beartooth Basin, is located along the road. Sadly Beartooth Basin didn’t open this summer and was put up for sale back in June.
Beartooth Highway usually reopens in the late spring. This year, the Montana Department of Transportation has stated that the targeted reopening date for 2025 is the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend. Let this closure be a major sign in your mind that winter is fast approaching!
