Glacier Lake Road to Beartooth Plateau — Clarks Fork Trailhead to Island Lake via Top of the World
High arctic tundra on the Beartooth — earned, not driven.
Most people drive the Beartooth Highway, take the pullouts, and move on. The ones who actually earn this country peel off onto the signed spur roads that climb onto the plateau proper — Glacier Lake Road off US-212 near Cooke City being the best of them. From the turnoff above the Clarks Fork Canyon, the road pitches upward through krummholz timber before breaking out onto open tundra at roughly 9,800 feet. Island Lake sits at 9,518 feet, cold and wind-hammered, with the Beartooth Plateau spreading out in every direction — snowfields in July, granite domes above timberline, and on clear days a view all the way to the Absaroka spine. The road itself is rocky, narrow, and unmaintained; ledge rock and embedded boulders are the norm rather than the exception.
A genuine high-clearance 4WD is required — this is not a paved-highway experience and low range gets used on the descent. Skid plates are worth having. Snow can fall any month of the year at this elevation and the road is typically open only from mid-July through mid-September; check with the Custer Gallatin National Forest Beartooth Ranger District before committing. No permit required. Dispersed camping on the plateau is outstanding but exposed — wind and cold hit hard even in August. Cell service is nonexistent. Fuel up in Cooke City. The reward is standing on one of the highest road-accessible plateaus in the lower 48 with virtually no one else around.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Difficult |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Backcountry, Technical 4x4 |
| Surface | Dirt, Mixed, Rock |
| Features | Camping, High Altitude, Remote, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 14 mi / 22.5 km |
| Duration | 1 day |
| Max elevation (ft) | 10200 ft |
| Best season | Mid-July to Mid-September |
| Minimum vehicle | High-clearance 4WD with low range |
| Nearest town | Cooke City, Montana |
| Land manager | USDA Forest Service — Custer Gallatin National Forest, Beartooth Ranger District |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | USFS Beartooth Ranger District Custer Gallatin NF main page |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
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Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock Tacoma or 4Runner handle this trail, or does it need to be lifted?
Stock high-clearance 4WD with low range can make it, but rock sections and rutted dirt approaches will punish anything with low ground clearance. A mild lift (2-3 inches) adds meaningful margin. Skid plates are worth having up here.
When does the road to the Beartooth Plateau actually open each year?
Mid-July is the realistic open window — snowpack at 10,200 feet lingers well into summer. By mid-September, early fall storms can close access fast. Check current conditions with the Beartooth Ranger District before you drive up.
Do you need a permit or pay any fees to run this trail?
No permit required and no trail fee as of current USFS guidance for this area. Dispersed camping on Custer Gallatin NF land follows standard Leave No Trace rules — no campfire permits needed unless a fire restriction is active, which is common late summer.
What's the hardest section, and what makes it genuinely difficult?
The rocky spur roads climbing onto the plateau are the crux — loose rock, shelf road exposure, and steep grades with limited room to maneuver. At altitude, overheating and mechanical stress compound fast. This isn't a trail where you want to discover your recovery gear is buried under gear.
Is there any place to get gas or water between Cooke City and Island Lake?
Cooke City is your last gas stop — fill up there, full tank, no exceptions. Water on the plateau needs filtering; snowmelt streams are available but Giardia is present. There is zero cell service on this entire route, so your communication plan needs to be sorted before you leave pavement.
Trail track
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