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Park news · Yellowstone

Yellowstone: The Beartooth Highway Closes Ahead of Winter

US-212 between Red Lodge and Cooke City closes temporarily before the snow, then shuts for the season on October 12.

By Victoria Boissonade,

The Beartooth Highway (US-212) is closing temporarily this Friday at 2:30 p.m., along the stretch that connects Red Lodge to Cooke City and Silver Gate, Montana. Crews are getting ahead of winter and the dangerous driving conditions coming with it. The forecast calls for ice and snow from Saturday through Monday, enough to make this mountain road impassable.

If you were planning to reach Yellowstone from the northeast, work this into your plans right now. The Beartooth isn't your average road: it climbs very high and serves as the access route to the park's northeast entrance. Closing it changes your approach in real terms.

A winding, partly snow-covered road crosses an alpine valley with evergreens, lakes and high peaks beneath cloudy skies

And this is only a preview. The road is set to close for the season on Monday, October 12, and depending on how conditions develop, it may not reopen until next spring. In other words, don't count on it opening back up in the next few days. At this elevation, the snow settles in and won't leave for months.

So what should you do if your trip is coming up? Plan to enter Yellowstone through a different gate and check road conditions before you head out, because fall weather shifts fast in these mountains. The west, south, and north entrances are still the most reliable ways in this time of year. Keep in mind, too, that the high-country stretches close first: a clear sky down in the valley tells you nothing about the passes.

To lock in your trip without any nasty surprises, lean on the Yellowstone park guide, which breaks down the entrances and seasons. And if you're planning a big Western loop, our road trip itinerary through this park will help you space out your stops around the routes that are still open.