Hi everyone. This is my first post! We've had a travel trailer for awhile, but since I'll be retiring soon we plan to upgrade to a Fifth Wheel. But for this summer's trip we'll still have our 30 ft. TT. We're wondering about the wisdom of pulling it across the Beartooth Highway. My husband would rather not tow it on that road, but we can't figure out the logistics of how we would get from Cody to Yellowstone National Park if we don't. We'd like to go out through the Badlands, etc., and on in to Cody. From there we're stuck. We want to spend several days in (hopefully INSIDE) YNP, but we also want to drive the Beartooth. Is it realistic to leave Cody early in the a.m., then drive the Beartooth and return to Cody that evening? How long would it take to do that? We're photographers so we stop quite a lot to take pictures.The other option is for us to visit Yellowstone NP first, then take a day trip up the Beartooth from there. I wonder which way would be best from a lighting/photography standpoint......driving from East to West or from West to East? I'm thinking if we start on the East we wouldn't have the sun in our eyes at least. At any rate, if you can shed some light on this for us, we'd greatly appreciate it. We plan to start utilizing this site a lot now that we'll be doing some serious traveling in the RV.

From Cody you just take Hwy 20 which is not the Beartooth to get into YNP. You'll enter the park via the east entrance. From Cody you'd have to drive north on Hwy 120 almost to I-90 and then west to the Beartooth and then south to YNP. I haven't done it but just looking at the map it would be a long day of driving. I have driven to Cody and back from Fishing Bridge in YNP and that is easily done in less than a day.

Is it realistic to leave Cody early in the a.m., then drive the Beartooth and return to Cody that evening? How long would it take to do that? We're photographers so we stop quite a lot to take pictures.Absolutely the best way to do this. Very long day with stops. Also you get to do the Chief Joseph HWY from this way. We sometimes do it clockwise one day then do a Museum day then counterclockwise the next day. You do get radically different views.Seven years working in Yellowstone and we always do the Beartooth at least once during the summer. Heading West tomorrow... :) :)

ditto to staying in Cody and driving the Beartooth on a day trip.You can take a picnic lunch, or you can drive into Cooke City and eat or you can wait until you get down into Red Lodge to eat.There is a picnic and campground area on Beartooth Lake and plenty of other spots as well.

We also have driven the loop of the Chief Joseph and the Beartooth a number of times. It is about a 176 mile loop. Red Lodge makes a good stop for a break and something to eat if you are so inclined. Going to Cooke City adds a little less than 30 miles to the trip.

To further clarify the loop drive others have suggested, from Cody go north on route 120 (route 72 in MT) to Belfry then west on route 308 to Red Lodge. Route 212 south from Red Lodge is the Beartooth Highway which tops out at about 11,000 feet then descends to join route 296, which is the Chief Joseph Highway. The Chief Joseph tops out at Dead Indian Pass at about 8,000 feet then joins with route 120 north of Cody, making the round trip. We have done this entire route except for the route 308 section.In our Class C we have done the Beartooth from Red Lodge to the Northeast Entrance of Yellowstone and the Chief Joseph in both directions from/to the Northeast Entrance. Both roads are spectacular drives but IMO not a good idea to tow a 30 ft TT over either one.Some pictures of the climb from Red Lodge on the Beartooth:The Bear's ToothOn the Chief Joseph, the descent from Dead Indian Pass heading toward Yellowstone:

Help with traveling the Beartooth Highway | Good Sam Community

Bumpyroad
Explorer
Apr 17, 2015
CloudDriver wrote:
Both roads are spectacular drives but IMO not a good idea to tow a 30 ft TT over either one.

yep, why punish yourself. I drove across I-80 and dropped down to yellowstone from the North. Is there some reason he has to go to Cody?
bumpy
cbwallace
Explorer
Apr 17, 2015
This past summer while staying at Fishing Bridge, we took a day trip to drive the Bear Tooth Highway. We left Fishing Bridge in the morning and headed to Cody before going north to Red Lodge and then took the BTH back into Yellowstone via the NE entrance and back down to Fishing Bridge. It was a long day but worth the trip! I pulled my TT across the Big Horns on Highway 14 with no issue and I don't think Bear Tooth would have been much more difficult.
CloudDriver
Explorer
Apr 17, 2015
To further clarify the loop drive others have suggested, from Cody go north on route 120 (route 72 in MT) to Belfry then west on route 308 to Red Lodge. Route 212 south from Red Lodge is the Beartooth Highway which tops out at about 11,000 feet then descends to join route 296, which is the Chief Joseph Highway. The Chief Joseph tops out at Dead Indian Pass at about 8,000 feet then joins with route 120 north of Cody, making the round trip. We have done this entire route except for the route 308 section.

In our Class C we have done the Beartooth from Red Lodge to the Northeast Entrance of Yellowstone and the Chief Joseph in both directions from/to the Northeast Entrance. Both roads are spectacular drives but IMO not a good idea to tow a 30 ft TT over either one.

Some pictures of the climb from Red Lodge on the Beartooth:

The Bear's Tooth

On the Chief Joseph, the descent from Dead Indian Pass heading toward Yellowstone:
trailertraveler
Explorer
Apr 17, 2015
We also have driven the loop of the Chief Joseph and the Beartooth a number of times. It is about a 176 mile loop. Red Lodge makes a good stop for a break and something to eat if you are so inclined. Going to Cooke City adds a little less than 30 miles to the trip.
TexasShadow
Explorer II
Apr 17, 2015
ditto to staying in Cody and driving the Beartooth on a day trip.
You can take a picnic lunch, or you can drive into Cooke City and eat or you can wait until you get down into Red Lodge to eat.
There is a picnic and campground area on Beartooth Lake and plenty of other spots as well.
Twomed
Explorer
Apr 17, 2015
Is it realistic to leave Cody early in the a.m., then drive the Beartooth and return to Cody that evening? How long would it take to do that? We're photographers so we stop quite a lot to take pictures.

Absolutely the best way to do this. Very long day with stops. Also you get to do the Chief Joseph HWY from this way. We sometimes do it clockwise one day then do a Museum day then counterclockwise the next day. You do get radically different views.

Seven years working in Yellowstone and we always do the Beartooth at least once during the summer. Heading West tomorrow... :) :)
agesilaus
Explorer III
Apr 17, 2015
From Cody you just take Hwy 20 which is not the Beartooth to get into YNP. You'll enter the park via the east entrance. From Cody you'd have to drive north on Hwy 120 almost to I-90 and then west to the Beartooth and then south to YNP. I haven't done it but just looking at the map it would be a long day of driving.

I have driven to Cody and back from Fishing Bridge in YNP and that is easily done in less than a day.

Forum Discussion

Help with traveling the Beartooth Highway

About Bucket List Trips

Related Content

Beartooth Highway

Beartooth highway

Highway Travel

Beartooth Pass

Highway Driving