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rv2go's avatar
rv2go
Explorer II
Jun 29, 2013

Beartooth and Chief Joseph highways in a day! I did it.

As mentioned earlier I was wanting to do both in a day. Well we drove the 270 miles from Mammoth Hot Springs CG in Yellowstone in less than 10 hours making all sorts of stops.



From the summit.




Looking west from where I came up.


Looking East, where I am heading.


We met one gas MH coming up from the east. He was about half way up pulled over in a wide space. I stopped to see if help was need. He said he was going to disconnect his CRV toad. I asked if he knew what was ahead. His reply was...I was told that my V10 Ford could make it. He thanked me for stopping. We left.

Then on down and over to Cooke City and the start of the Beartooth.


Our first "offical" stop was at the Rock Creek Vista Point. 9,190'






I never saw any sign or marker that we had reached the summit of the Beartooth. Any way lots of lakes on top.




Both were awesome drives.
Roads and Routes
  • EsoxLucius's avatar
    EsoxLucius
    Explorer
    Jul 07, 2013
    troy t wrote:
    SRT wrote:
    Have done both Beartooth and Chief Joseph. There are several really nice NF campgrounds along Rock Creek up from Red Lodge. You can drive up the valley to where the creek begins. One year we were there Memorial Day and had several feet of snow at the campground. But the pass wasn't open yet. Great scenery!!


    How far out of Red Lodge are these NF campgrounds? We are heading for Yellowstone next week and expect to be getting into Red Lodge on Friday evening and spending the night there. Do these campgrounds fill up quickly on a Friday night?
    Also, we plan to drive the beartooth in Yellowstone on Saturday with a F150 pulling a 21' Hybrid camper weighing about 4500 lbs. Don't think we should have any trouble but what do others think?


    Within 10 miles of the northeast entrance: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/gallatin/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5138825 Colter, Soda Butte and Chief Joseph campgrounds

    Beartooth Plateau campgrounds: http://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/shoshone/recreation/camping-cabins/?recid=35807&actid=29
  • troy_t's avatar
    troy_t
    Explorer II
    Jul 05, 2013
    SRT wrote:
    Have done both Beartooth and Chief Joseph. There are several really nice NF campgrounds along Rock Creek up from Red Lodge. You can drive up the valley to where the creek begins. One year we were there Memorial Day and had several feet of snow at the campground. But the pass wasn't open yet. Great scenery!!


    How far out of Red Lodge are these NF campgrounds? We are heading for Yellowstone next week and expect to be getting into Red Lodge on Friday evening and spending the night there. Do these campgrounds fill up quickly on a Friday night?
    Also, we plan to drive the beartooth in Yellowstone on Saturday with a F150 pulling a 21' Hybrid camper weighing about 4500 lbs. Don't think we should have any trouble but what do others think?
  • EsoxLucius's avatar
    EsoxLucius
    Explorer
    Jul 04, 2013
    Beartooth Lake campground in the presence of Beartooth Butte is a great place to stay. Day trips into Yellowstone with an America the Beautiful Pass is an alternative to staying in the park. There are several more National Forest Campgrounds even closer to the northeast entrance to Yellowstone on the way towards Cooke City, MT. Going into Yelowstone this way takes one right past Thunderer and down the Lamar Valley.
  • ramyankee's avatar
    ramyankee
    Explorer
    Jul 03, 2013
    Maybe the summit sign, 10,947, was still buried in the snow. Living in Livingston from 70-82, we made that trip a few times and it was beautiful. Thank you for the pictures.
  • noe-place's avatar
    noe-place
    Explorer
    Jul 01, 2013
    Yep, I can remember our first trip and even though it was dark you could see the snow piled up as high as the rv on the roadside. I think that's one of the things that scared DW the most. Even after all these years, it still comes up in conversations about where to take our next RV trip.
  • SRT's avatar
    SRT
    Explorer
    Jun 30, 2013
    Have done both Beartooth and Chief Joseph. There are several really nice NF campgrounds along Rock Creek up from Red Lodge. You can drive up the valley to where the creek begins. One year we were there Memorial Day and had several feet of snow at the campground. But the pass wasn't open yet. Great scenery!!
  • noe-place's avatar
    noe-place
    Explorer
    Jun 30, 2013
    I drove the Bear many years ago in a small C in the middle of the night!:E DW has never forigiven me. :M We were back in Y'stone last summer and I took her back over it again only this time in the daylight and in a car. :D She enjoyed it this time!!:B
  • rv2go's avatar
    rv2go
    Explorer II
    Jun 30, 2013
    CloudDriver wrote:
    Congratulations! That's quite a drive for one day.

    From what I remember when we were there, your next to last picture is either at or just before the top of the Beartooth.

    This sign was at the top when we went through from Red Lodge six years ago. Elevation reads 10,947 ft.

    I could name several reason that a sign such as this could go missing. :B :W
  • CloudDriver's avatar
    CloudDriver
    Explorer
    Jun 30, 2013
    Congratulations! That's quite a drive for one day.

    From what I remember when we were there, your next to last picture is either at or just before the top of the Beartooth.

    This sign was at the top when we went through from Red Lodge six years ago. Elevation reads 10,947 ft.
  • brirene's avatar
    brirene
    Explorer
    Jun 30, 2013
    Nice pictures, thanks for posting. Glad you had a good drive.

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