Beartooth Pass to Clay Butte

Forest Service Road 142 branches off the famous Beartooth Highway near the Wyoming-Montana border, climbing relentlessly toward Clay Butte’s fire lookout tower perched at 9,811 feet. The rocky, narrow track switchbacks through stunted whitebark pine and alpine meadows that explode with wildflowers in July, offering views across the Beartooth Plateau that’ll make your head spin. The final approach to Clay Butte requires careful navigation around loose talus and exposed granite shelves where a wrong turn means backing down a cliff face.

Expert-level difficulty with extreme exposure and no room for error on the final mile. Approach only in a well-prepared 4WD with skid plates, recovery gear, and experienced drivers. Open roughly July through September, weather permitting, and conditions change fast above treeline. No services, cell coverage, or water sources—carry everything. The reward is standing atop one of the highest driveable peaks in the Northern Rockies with panoramic views across three states and the knowledge that few rigs make this climb successfully.