Beartooth Pass to Clay Butte
Montana's highest technical 4x4 challenge
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.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Expert |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Technical 4x4 |
| Surface | Rock |
| Features | High Altitude, Remote, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 8 mi / 12.9 km |
| Duration | Half day |
| Max elevation (ft) | 9811 ft |
| Best season | July-September |
| Minimum vehicle | Modified 4WD with skid plates |
| Nearest town | Red Lodge, Montana |
| Land manager | US Forest Service - Custer Gallatin National Forest |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | No |
| Official sources | fs.usda.gov |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
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Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock Jeep Wrangler or 4Runner run this trail, or does it need to be built?
A stock Wrangler will struggle — this trail needs at minimum a modified 4WD with skid plates, a lift, and all-terrain tires. Lockers or a locker-ready rig are strongly advised. Rock crawling sections will punish unprotected underbodies.
When does Beartooth Pass to Clay Butte actually open each year, and is snow a real concern?
July through September is the reliable window — the high alpine terrain sits near 10,000 feet and holds snow well into June, sometimes July. Early or late season runs risk snowpack, ice, and zero visibility from fast-moving storms even in August.
Do you need a permit or pay any fees to run this trail?
No permit is required and there's no trail fee. The trail runs through Custer Gallatin National Forest under USFS jurisdiction — standard public land rules apply, including pack-it-in/pack-it-out and Leave No Trace.
What's the hardest section on this trail and what makes it technical at the expert level?
The exposed rocky climbs near the upper elevation gain are where it gets serious — loose rock, shelf road exposure, and ledge obstacles that require precise line selection. At 2,400 feet of gain over 8 miles on rock surface, one bad line can mean a stuck rig with no easy recovery at altitude.
Is there any cell service on the trail, and how far is the nearest gas and services from the trailhead?
There is zero cell service on this trail — plan accordingly with offline maps and a communication device like a satellite messenger. Red Lodge is the nearest town with fuel and services, roughly 60 miles from the Beartooth Highway corridor, so top off your tank before you head up.
Trail track
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