I'm planning a trip sometime in September to go up in the Rocky Mountain national park to spread my Mom's ashes. I went there in 15 and took care of my father and now I'm going to take care of Mom. Planning on heading north afterwards to ride Beartooth Pass but was wondering if some of you that have traveled the area have any suggestions of anything else to see while up there. Will only have a couple days to ride before we have to head back to Texas.
The town of Red Lodge in MT is nice! Stayed at the Pollard Hotel and had a great meal and live music at the Carbon County Steak House....
Here are a couple online resources for you to checkout: https://glaciermt.com/motorcycle https://glacierstogeysers.com/motorcycling http://greatrideswest.com/?page_id=48 I'll be heading for Montana myself in about 7 days and plan to ride Beartooth, Chief Joseph, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons as well as Glacier National Park or at least the part of the Park that is open. Start a conversation with me and I'll send you some tank bags maps that may give you some ideas of roads to ride.
Took my wifes mothers ashes out west in 2012 to white sands for similar duty. You are a good son. old earthquake road is nice up to the pass in rocky mtn. beartooth is amazing, one of my favorites. Must drop into yellowstone and checkout some of the river roads. Be safe, take pics. Must remember where you left them.
A couple of days from RMNP to Beartooth and back or you mean a couple of days around Beartooth? I'll second taking Chief Joseph Hwy as you approach (or leave) Beartooth from the SE. But, if you have never been to Yellowstone, you owe it to yourself to at least ride through it and take some of the scenery in. If you have time, there are several loops you can do around the park. It's all slow speed limits and (in a typical year) a lot of tourists, but you ride it for the scenery, stop often, if you are up for it, walk a little to some of the view points. Then go out on the south side through the Grand Tetons. Having said that, no idea what this September will be like if we don't get this covid-19 under control. For all I know they may close stuff up again, so that may be the biggest factor that will determine where you can go. That and the weather. Keep an eye on the weather as your travel date gets closer, it's not unheard of to have a snow storm at those elevations in September Gustavo
Some posts before and after this Beartooth post have information about some other things in the area including Cody, WY. Hope your trip goes well!
UncleC, hit RMNP as early as you can in the morning. Traffic builds late AM and it gets real slow. And watch your speed, the speed limit in the park is low and the enforcement is tough. Safe travels, tough tour to do with ashes.
Come back through Thermopolis, WY. It is the world's largest hot spring. Free bath house. Take you picture at the "outflow Pipe/formation". It is bigger everytime I visit. First photo 1995, second 2016.
Coming from the east, I plan on hitting Beartooth Highway via Chief Joseph on a Cody-to-Cooke City/Silver Gate leg, then on to Tower Junction next month, with Seattle the final destination (until I turn around and come back). I've ridden the area in years past and forget: Is there a way to do this without having to enter Yellowstone and pay the $30? Last time, I hit the park at sundown and wasn't charged, but dodging buffalo/antelope/deer in the dark isn't my idea of a great time and I want to be fresher this time.
Just turn right from the chief Joseph onto the beartooth, then hed to redlodge, that is the part of the road you want to ride. no sense heading to cooke city if your not doing yellowstone. out of redlodge, take 78 north to 90, then west to where ever ya want. A little longer, but beats dodging jellystone traffic. I swear I will never return there, unless it's winter.
+1. Definitely want to go north towards Red Lodge on Beartooth and then continue NW as @bikerfish suggested. Awesome going over the pass and the area north as well. Dispersed camping available south of Red Lodge and just north of the pass off 421 in Custer Gallatin NF (ride/drive by the campgrounds). Does look like the Northeast Entrance Station is just to the west of Cooke City-Silver Gate.
Knew there was a way. Thanks. Now, I have to figure out how to get the Bitterroot Valley into equation, as well as an overnight in Lewiston, where I owe a visit to a friend. That can be on the way there or back. Love the Bitterroot--would dig going the whole way from Lolo to Idaho Falls, so it'll probably be on the way back.
