Beartooth Highway Opens to Montana State Line

After weeks of digging, shoveling, and clearing snow, the wait is over to drive one of the most beautiful drives in the world.

A message posted on the Beartooth Highway Facebook page made it official with "WE'RE OPEN(ing)." Beginning tomorrow (Friday 5/22) the Beartooth Highway will be open to the Montana / Wyoming State Line.

For those interested in traveling through to Cooke City on the Beartooth Highway, that will have to wait another week. That stretch of Highway 212 is not scheduled to open until next Friday, May 29, according to the Beartooth Highway Facebook page.

Governor Bullock announced Phase 2 of Montana's reopening plan will begin on June 1, which will open the Montana entrances to Yellowstone National Park, including the Northeast entrance through Cooke City-Silver Gate.

The Wyoming side of the Beartooth Highway has been completely closed since September 11, 2019. That's also the date Montana Department of Transportation closed Highway 212 to Vista Point due to winter storm in early fall of last year.

Dramatic aerial video of road crews clearing the Beartooth Highway were shared back in April as drones were used to show the massive amount of snow that was being removed.

According to the Montana Department of Transportation's official website, snow drifts on the Beartooth Highway can get as high as 26 feet in the higher elevations.

MDT is responsible for the highway to the Montana/Wyoming border, where the National Park Service takes over maintenance responsibilities through Wyoming, back into Montana and into Yellowstone Park. MDT and NPS coordinate closely in keeping the road open throughout the summer. -Montana.gov

To get current conditions on the Beartooth Highway from MDOT, CLICK HERE.