Yellowstone NE entrance.

[dodge_guy]

Hello. I'm getting some things together for our Yellowstone trip next year. I'm already leaning on this route, but figured i'de ask anyway. Has anyone towed or taken their RV into Yellowstone from Red Lodge MT (212)? I know it is very high at 12k ft elevation, I don't have a problem with this, the wife may be surprised though! Just wondering if anyone has done this route with an RV. I'de rather not come in somewhere else and then drive back to 212 to do this route.

Just looking for comments. I know the other routes into Yellowstone, I'm just looking for something different that we don't see on other trips.

Thanks!

[2gypsies1]

According the 'Mountain Directory for Truckers and RVers' (highly recommended, by the way), regarding Bear Tooth Pass "the descent from the west summit to the bottom on the Montana side (eastbound) is 22 miles of 6-8%. The road is narrow with very few places to pull over. There are numerous 15-25 mph hairpin turns.

Descending eastbound from the west summit the first 1-1/2 miles are 8% downhill followed by 1-1/2 mi. of 5-7% uphill to the east summit.

The first 4 mi. downhill from the east summit is 8% with 20 mph hairpins. Then there are 10 mi of steady 5-6% grade with very little shoulder. After this 10 mi section it opens up a little but the grade is still 5-6%. The descent is completed about 7 mi west of Red Lodge, MT.

The westbound descent is 6-7% grade with 15-25 mph hairpin turns. 18 miles further is a bridge which ices easily. The last few miles have 7-8% grades."

It doesn't sound like a fun site-seeing drive to me! 🙂

[dodge_guy]

See now, those grades don`t sound all that bad, and at slower speeds it shouldn`t be an issue! the only one being the 5.2% grade for 15 miles. I know the big issue is with the switchbacks, but I`ve seen pictures and they are fairly large with plenty of turnouts along the way!

I found another video of the Beartooth and I really don`t see an issue other than some areas of the road can be narrow, but not dangerous!

[pulsar]

tsetsaf wrote:
Great entrance. Not too steep going up from Red Lodge but steeper on the other side... lots of fun. Great reference

That's not quite true. If you include the first 10 miles out of Red Lodge, the average grades on the two sides are fairly equal.
From Red Lodge to first Summit: average grade = 3.65%
27.5 mile climb with elevation change of 5300 feet
From Cooke City to Bear Tooth pass: average grade = 3.67%
21 mild climb with elevation change of 4070 feet

But, if you eliminate the first 10.5 miles of gradual climb out of Red Lodge and the first 2 mils of gradual climb form Cooke City, we get a different story.

From mile post 10.5 to first summit: average grade = 5.29%
15 mile climb with elevation change of 4190 feet
Form mile post 50 to Bear Tooth Pass: average grade = 3.88%
19 mile climb with elevation change of 3890 feet.

it is true that from mile post 44 to mile post 43, on the Cooke City side, there is 6.6% grade, probably the steepest on either side, but it is followed by a downhill for almost a mile. On the Red Lodge side, there is no downhill; it's just up.

Here is an elevation profile chart

Tom

[dodge_guy]

Ok, thanks for all the input and ideas. I did a search, but I wanted some current input on this not something from 5-10 yeas ago.

Now I'm rethinking this. I did find a video on you tube of someone taking the road on a normal trip. It looks as though hey we're following a guy in a duallly with a large truck camper towing a horse trailer. There didn't seem to be a lot of traffic, but I don't know when it was recorded. Maybe I'll do one of he other routes.

You never know though! If Lucy and Ricky can do it...........;)

[dodge_guy]

fla-gypsy wrote:
I say "do it" but only so your kids will have that great story to tell their friends about their crazy father and his wild ideas.

Oh they already have stories like that! LOL. The real fun would be my wife, she was freaking out on going to the sun road, and that was without a trailer and in a conv van!

[CloudDriver]

Having done the Beartooth in 2007 from Red Lodge, the Chief Joseph from Cody to the Northeast entrance in 2010 and in the opposite direction in 2014, I have to agree with others that towing such a long trailer over either route isn't a wise idea. Red Lodge is at 5,500 ft elevation and the Beartooth tops out at 11,000 feet, a long, long 5,500 ft climb. The Chief Joseph tops out at only 8,000 ft, but there are some pretty tight switchbacks going down from the pass toward Yellowstone.

Both routes are spectacular (we prefer the Chief Joseph for scenery), but are better experienced not towing.

[Busskipper]

test

[Jim_Shoe]

Rumor has it that you can see your own tail lights through the windshield on that road.

[TenOC]

After driving the Bear Tooth with a Travel Trailer to see YS. You MUST do the Moki Dugway - - UT 261 to see Natural Bridges NP. Then your children can commit you to a hospital with mental problems and not feel any guilt. . . . :B . . . . :B. . . . :B

[kohldad]

My father and sister are getting ready to do it later this year and I may even join them but thinking I will go via Chief Joseph Highway and meet them in Yellowstone. However, we all have truck campers,they have duallies with diesels so it will be a walk in the park, and they have done it before about 25 years ago.

What I would suggest, is stay in Red Lodge area and drive up for the day. Once you have seen it in person, you will have a much better idea if you can do it safely with your rig.

[dahkota]

If I was thinking about doing it, I would watch the weather closely. And even that won't guarantee a storm won't blow in. We were up there one June in a blizzard...

[fla-gypsy]

I say "do it" but only so your kids will have that great story to tell their friends about their crazy father and his wild ideas.

[nickthehunter]

Let me know when you're going to take your rig over that route. I want to be there to get the video. Should be a hoot on utube.

[BJ_NW_Arkansas]

It will certainly test your equipment and yourself. Many years ago I drove it in a 30 foot motorhome. I would not do it again. I thought there was a length restriction on that highway, but looking at the websites I DID NOT SEE ONE. If you are going in June watch your weather. I would recommend that you stay in Cody, WY and do a Day-Trip (which would include the Chief Joseph Hwy) over the Beartooth. It is an easy Day-Trip out of Cody.

[tsetsaf]

Great entrance. Not too steep going up from Red Lodge but steeper on the other side... lots of fun. Great reference