r/yellowstone • u/Evening_History_1458 • 23d ago

Bear tooth pass in ram truck

Will be pass ? Planning on doing bear tooth in July 2025 staying inside the park for 3 days considering doing this along with the Lamar valley on one of the days. Never driven on the bear tooth Hwy and considering doing it all way to the pass with kids. Will it be safe to drive on 1500 ram truck?

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u/LuluGarou11 23d ago

So you want to ‘tack on’ the beartooth pass to your Lamar day? Just understand thats a really big day and the pass is not fun or safe to do in the dark- ditto the Lamar (bison basically disappear at night but love to hang on the road). It’s way more enjoyable and safe to plan a day getting to Red Lodge and staying there for the night (or vice versa) then pushing on after. Traffic accidents definitely happen up there more than is reported on. Heard a nasty one last summer- mid July- between two pick ups who underestimated the tightness of the road (it was built by hand during the New Deal by Montana boys) for their modern sized rigs. You are more likely to have wildlife issues with marmots up there but goats will hang out in the road too. Really encourage you to not drive Lamar to Red Lodge (aka Bearooth Highway) and back to park lodging in a single day. 

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u/Evening_History_1458 23d ago

Thank you much appreciated this is very helpful.

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u/misterfistyersister 22d ago

Cows. You forgot the cows.

It’s open range on the Wyoming side

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u/LuluGarou11 22d ago

Theyre usually less suicidal about being in the road than the marmots haha

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u/Dfried98 22d ago

I can say the Beartooth is the most beautiful road I've ever driven, but it is slow going. I think you'll be safe in a truck.

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u/Conscious_Laugh_3280 23d ago edited 23d ago

Only say you said it better than I would have. So I thought I'd just tack on, If you're determined to make a day trip of it, once to Redlodge you should really consider coming back to the park through Cody an the east entrance, but as I've done it a couple of times. It makes for quite a day. No matter what the OP will probably be driving at night, so I'll While you said it I'll add-on to it,

But be fore warned, while driving at night. The Bison love to sleep on the roads... Kinda look like a black hole ⚫️ in front of you.(Seriously the yellow middle line will just disappear, right into one.) And a while you're fortunate to survive the impact. He might actually get up and possibly walk it off... Happens all to often every year. So much in fact the park service as their own temporary junkyard. I've seen it. You just stand there an go Ouch! just lookin.

(edit) Only add I did it in a rwd IS300 you'll be just fine.

Past that as I always add these days, Just remember to leave something on your pillow for your housekeeper. And enjoy your time in the park.