Beartooth Highway open May 25

The Beartooth Highway was open for the 2026 season by Monday, May 25, after transportation crews in Montana and Wyoming pushed through a late storm delay ahead of the Memorial Day weekend rush. KTVQ reported that holiday travelers arriving on the route this year were finding thinner snowpack and shorter snow walls than in heavier winters. (ktvq.com) Yellowstone National Park said on May 22 that the Beartooth Highway section from Red Lodge to Cooke City, Montana, was open for the season, while warning that restrictions or closures can still happen without notice at high elevation. (mdt.mt.gov) The road is one of the main seasonal approaches to Yellowstone’s Northeast Entrance and typically draws sightseers, skiers and drivers looking for an early-summer mountain pass opening. Montana Department of Transportation information says crews try to keep the road plowed and open, but unpredictable weather can force temporary summer closures. ### Why did the opening slip past the usual pre-holiday target? A winter storm on May 21 delayed the Wyoming section of U.S. 212 from the junction with WY-296, also known as the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, to the Montana state line. Wyoming Public Media reported that the stretch had been scheduled to open May 22 but was pushed to May 23, weather permitting. (ktvq.com) Yellowstone National Park said in a May 22 release that the route from Red Lodge to Cooke City was then open for the season. KULR8 reported that crews had partially reopened the Montana side to Vista Point before working to open the rest of the road. (mdt.mt.gov) ### Why do the snow walls look smaller this year? KTVQ reported on May 25 that drivers should expect shorter-than-usual snow walls along the route after a milder winter reduced snowpack. The station said the highway was welcoming Memorial Day travelers despite the thinner snowpack. (wyomingpublicmedia.org) Earlier spring reporting still showed substantial drifts in places. Cowboy State Daily reported in April that crews were cutting through drifts as high as 15 feet during seasonal clearing operations, even after a warmer-than-normal winter. (nps.gov) ### What part of the route is covered by which agency? Montana Department of Transportation says it maintains the highway to the Montana-Wyoming border, where the National Park Service takes over through Wyoming and back into Montana toward Yellowstone. That split helps explain why opening notices can come from both state transportation officials and Yellowstone-area federal officials. (ktvq.com) The road is generally open from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through mid-October, weather permitting, according to MDT. The exact opening date depends on snow clearing progress and spring weather. (cowboystatedaily.com) ### What should drivers expect now that the road is open? The Montana Department of Transportation says the high elevation of the pass means conditions can change quickly and temporary closures may happen throughout the summer. Yellowstone National Park used similar language in its May 22 update, saying travel restrictions or closures can occur at any time without notice once the road is open. (ww.mdt511.com) KTVQ reported that the opening brought in skiers, sightseers and holiday travelers. That seasonal traffic can build quickly around Memorial Day, especially when the route first opens after spring plowing. (ww.mdt511.com) ### Where can travelers check before they go? MDT directs drivers to its 511 traveler information map for the latest Beartooth pass conditions and closures. Yellowstone National Park also posts road-status updates tied to the Northeast Entrance and surrounding routes. For the next phase of the season, the key milestone is not another ceremonial opening date but day-to-day operating status. (mdt.mt.gov) As of May 25, the road was open, and officials were telling travelers to keep checking MDT 511 and Yellowstone updates for any summer restrictions. (ktvq.com)