Beartooth Pass / Chief Joseph Memorial Hwy...

[elmosisu]

Got my trip coming up in mid June....WA to MN and back, on my Rockster.

I've planned the return trip day 3 to leave from Sheridan WY and head east through the Big Horns to Cody, and then over to Beartooth via the Chief Joseph memorial hwy...........then up to I-90 and break west to Missoula. I know that this route is quite twisty, and massive elevation change and I have a feeling that this 600 mile leg will take a LONG time, and I'm wondering if anyone has ridden this area?

[Hoop50]

I traveled the Chief Joseph Memorial Highway on the way back from Yellowstone in 95 and don't remember it all that well. It had a lot of low speed switchbacks. I do recall it was under construction and we had to wait for the escort vehicle thing.

The one thing I do recall about Wyoming were the high winds. I left Sturgis South Dakota early Sunday morning about 7:00 am, hoping to make Yellowstone or at least something real close. My route was to be Sturgis to Buffalo to Ten Sleep to Cody to Yellowstone.
The high winds (30+ mph) were absolutely brutal less than an hour after I was on the road. This was definitely something I had never experienced before.

I wound up getting a room in a small town called Meeteetse, Wyoming, approx 30 miles short of Cody. 340 miles for the day and I was whipped.
Nearly exhausted. I'm sure I could have made Cody, but figured it was safer to get off the highway and hope tomorrow was a better day. Fortunately it was.

Wyoming = far too frequent high winds.

[munchmeister]

I wound up getting a room in a small town called Meeteetse, Wyoming, approx 30 miles short of Cody. 340 miles for the day and I was whipped.
Nearly exhausted. I'm sure I could have made Cody, but figured it was safer to get off the highway and hope tomorrow was a better day. Fortunately it was.

Wyoming = far too frequent high winds.

Meeteetse, great little town, home of the Black Footed Ferret (in the mountains to the West). I've lived and/or worked in Wyoming for most of my life. Great people, great vistas, beautiful mountains and not too many danged people (around 500,000 in the entire state). But the wind, yeah, she does blow:

[peterbulgar]

from Sheridan WY and head east through the Big Horns to Cody, and then over to Beartooth via the Chief Joseph memorial hwy

You will be going west from Sheridan to Cody, right? Probably following Alt 14 to Lovell and then to Cody.

My son and I rode the Chief Joseph Highway to Highway 212 and then over the Beartooth Pass back in 1998. We were on my R90/6. We didn't go as far east as Red Lodge, but once over the pass we turned back to Cooke City since we were going into Yellowstone the next day. At that time the Chief Joseph Highway (Highway 296) had just been resurfaced and it was in great shape. It is very scenic but not all that twisty - a beautiful ride. Highway 212 to Beartooth Pass has more and tighter curves, but many are sweepers and you can move right along. Beartooth Pass is known for severe and changeable weather and high winds. We were there in mid-July and experienced sunny skies and gentle breezes. YMMV, and probably will.
Peter '73 R75/5, '04 R1150RA

[elmosisu]

yes, Peter.......that is the exact route from Sheridan to Lovell,Cody and then to Red Lodge and beyond.

I have seen conflicting reports that this route is a Day long in itself, and I have 300+ mile more to Missoula, after the passes, to make on that day. How long do you think ( assuming no major long stops) it will take to go from Sheridan to the top of Beartooth?

thanks

[munchmeister]

yes, Peter.......that is the exact route from Sheridan to Lovell,Cody and then to Red Lodge and beyond.

I have seen conflicting reports that this route is a Day long in itself, and I have 300+ mile more to Missoula, after the passes, to make on that day. How long do you think ( assuming no major long stops) it will take to go from Sheridan to the top of Beartooth?

thanks

I've never done that route but you are looking at 267 miles based on the route you've given, between Sheridan and Red Lodge. Wyoming is not crowded by any measure, but distances are long in the west, and you will not be on interstates. Estimates of average speed would be deceiving and this would likely take 5 hours or more. It will be a beautiful ride and if it was me, I want to make some stops. If you plan to make Missoula, you'd better have some Iron Butt experiences under your belt Weather could be anything in mid June in the Rockies, from bright hot sunny days, to snow flurries. But, hey, the surprises along the way make for great stories later, right?

BTW, you can check the road construction in Wyoming at http://map.wyoroad.info/construction/index.html

[peterbulgar]

How long do you think ( assuming no major long stops) it will take to go from Sheridan to the top of Beartooth?

This was six years ago, remember. We had a late breakfast in Thermopolis, stopped once or twice along Chief Joseph, checked into the motel in Cooke City and unloaded the bike, then backtracked to Beartooth Pass. My nine-year-old son had never seen snow before that trip, so a fair amount of time was spent at the pass running around in the snow and taking pictures. It was late afternoon before we were back in Cooke City, but I had time for a run and laundry before dinner. So I agree with munchmeister - 5 hours minimum from Sheridan to the top of Beartooth, and then you've got another 40 minutes to Red Lodge. That's assuming good weather - Beartooth Pass is known for its mood swings. You will need at least one gas stop, and you will want to stop once or twice along Chief Joseph to take pictures and read the historical markers. You'll probably want to stop in Big Horn Canyon as well. I'd allow myself 6 hours.

From Red Lodge you have another 60 miles on Highway 78 via Roscoe and Absarokee before you are at I-90. I suppose that you could just make a very long day of it and blast straight to Missoula ion I-90, but it would be more pleasant to spend the night in Big Timber or outside Livingstone. The next day you could get off I-90 and take Highway 89 up to US 12 and follow that to Missoula, or even go north on I-15 when you get to Helena and take 279 along the continental divide to Highway 200, and take that to Missoula. Another couple of hours but probably worth it if you are in no hurry. Are you going to follow Highway 12 over Lolo Pass west of Missoula or is Missoula your destination?
peter '73 R75/5 , '04 R1150RA[/quote]

[elmosisu]

Thanks for the info on this route! I'm certainly not tied into Missoula as a desination, however it is a known 1 day trip for me to travel to Bellingham, WA ( home), and I'm fighting with the idea of extending the total return trip from Minnesota ( via Nebraska) from 4 days to 5, cutting back on one day of visiting with my parents in MN. I may stop before Missoula after Beartooth, and "iron-but" the last day via I-90. I've been on Lolo a couple of times, and hadn't planned it for this trip.

I may look at other options for the return trip as well. Nebraska is in the plan ,for the simple reason that I've never traversed it on a Bike, and I;ve been though SD many times.

ant other options for a 4 day trip from centeral MN ( near St Cloud) to Bellingham, WA would be appreciated!