Looking for some info on the pass in late Sept. We'll be in the Black Hills (Spearfish) Sept 22-25. Will be in my F150. I was planning on returning to Nevada via Beartooth Pass. I've been there on a motor but wife hasn't ever seen it. We wouldn't hit the pass until the 26th. Understand it could close as early as mid Sept. if it snows it gets shut down for the season.
If we took a chance and it closed, our hotel reservations would really get screwed up.
Should we wait for another time when we could make the trip earlier in the year?
Thanks,
Steve

 

It's a roll of the dice that late anywhere in the NW mountains.
I live in SW WA and my birthday is Oct 1st. I've seen 80 degrees some years and cold rain others with snow in the mountains above.
Bottom line is you won't know until the time comes,it could be a beautiful drive it could be a mess.
Not sure where your reservations are but maybe cancel them and opt for finding a room as you go,with school back in play less people booking rooms being peak season has passed so depending on where you want to stay calling early only a day ahead you can probably get a room if not same day.
Otherwise I'd error on the side of caution,it's sure nice here right now but looking at Mt St Helens from my place I see a little fresh snow up there,yesterday we got a little rain down here so a little snow up there.
The pics are one day apart,we just got over an unusually late heatwave here that left the mountain almost bare.

 

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, part of the problem is that we need a pet friendly hotel/motel so that could become an issue winging it. If I knew that we could cancel within the policy I go ahead and make reservations. Some places are 3 days. Not sure how much snow shuts the pass down for the season.
Thanks again.

 

Always a crapshoot in the mountains in the fall when you’re above 5000 feet… Whenever I run in the mountains after October 1, I always have alternative Valley routes planned out.

 

Beartooth goes up over 10,000 ft. so yeah.

 

Well Beartooth goes up over 10,000 ft so it could happen anytime between now and next July.

 

Northeast entrance to Yellowstone is still closed, you’ll have to divert to Cody on Chef Joesph byway to enter Yellowstone via East entrance.

 

If the roads open it’s a beautiful place to be.

like the others have said, just keep an eye on the 10 day forecast and be flexible.

Trees are starting to show a little color here, and yesterday we rode a couple hundred miles in Colorado and a lot of the Buck brush is turning red. Late September in the Black Hills should be pretty.

 

212 was blocked off when we did the Yellowstone grand loop in mid-July, did it never open?

 

I rode it August 10 2022 and coming from Beartooth 212 thru Cooke city and Silver Gate were open but the entrance to the park was closed to vehicle traffic. I spoke with the ranger there and she said the upper part of the park is closed to vehicles because of the flood. She said the east entrance from Cody was open.
I never made it in the park the next day I awoke to strong winds the threat of storms. I packed up and headed back to Sturgis. I lucked out and missed the storms. What a great ride the weather was perfect this time.