Don't like heights: Should I avoid the Beartooth Highway?

I%26#39;m trying to decide if Dh and I should plan on driving the Beartooth highway. The pictures I%26#39;ve seen of the views look breathtaking, but since I%26#39;m scared of heights I%26#39;m not sure if we should drive it or not. We did drive through the Rockies in Colorado last year; I did fine with that but we took the Interstate;-).

Also, do they have places where you can pull over and take pictures? As you%26#39;re driving do they have guard rails over the steepest parts? Is snow alongside the road pretty much a given the first week of Sept?

Thanks!

Kelly

Don't like heights: Should I avoid the Beartooth Highway?

Hi Kelly,

I live just 60 miles north of Beartooth Pass and do lots of camping/hiking in the Beartooths so I go up over the pass 5-6x a year. The switchbacks on the north end are quite steep with guardrails at the outside edges. If someone was afraid of heights that area would probably be scary. The road isn%26#39;t real narrow but its not wide either. There are turnouts along the way up. Almost to the top is a Rest Area/Scenic Vista Viewpoint with a real good parking lot. Once you get to the top of the pass you drive for quite a ways on a road that%26#39;s pretty flat with gradual hills and turns. The south side of the pass are switchbacks again but are gradual switchbacks (nothing like the northside). There are some guardrails there but there are also open areas too. In the 30+ years I%26#39;ve been going over the pass I%26#39;ve never seen a car that has driven off the road or seen tracks where someone has gone off the road. With the exception of the road at the top, you really don%26#39;t drive that fast. If the driver is paying attention to the road there shouldn%26#39;t be any reason to be concerned about going off the road.

There are lots of turnouts that you can pull over. With the exception of the rest area all are dirt/gravel. Some are small turnouts with room for one car- others are bigger.

If you%26#39;re coming from the south (Wyoming) I would recommend going as far as the rest area and turning around. While the north switchbacks are an experience worth doing- in my opinion, the top and the south side of the pass are the definate ';don%26#39;t miss'; parts of the pass.

The pass will dry the first week of September. I%26#39;ve never heard of snow that early. I%26#39;ve driven it many times the first and second week of October and there can be snow then. In fact, one time I went over it and got to the ';Top of the World Store'; on the Wyoming side and they closed the road behind me due to snow (it was raining in Red Lodge and started snowing when we got to the rest area and then turned into a blizzard by the time we got to the top). The pass ended up being closed for the season. Luckily, I have a 4 wheel drive and I%26#39;ve driven in many blizzards and black ice situations so it wasn%26#39;t too hairy.

If you have any other questions let me know and I%26#39;ll try to answer them and hopefully calm some of your apprehension.

Deb

Don't like heights: Should I avoid the Beartooth Highway?

On my last trip to Yellowstone, I took pictures of both sides. I have an album of pictures at outdoors.webshots.com/album/560247520ihINgs. The first two pictures will show you the road on the north/east side of the Beartooth, the side closer to Red Lodge. Pictures 17 through 23 will show you the south/west side, coming from Yellowstone. I much prefer the ';west'; side -- more turnouts, more lakes, road shoulders, more vistas to enjoy. Hope this helps!

kren250,

I am also afraid of heights but the Beartooth did not frighten me at all. There are plenty of pull outs and there are guard rails.

have fun!

ojon