Beartooth Highway Private Tour Montana: Mountain goats, bears, wolves

A ski resort that only opens in summer sits halfway across the Beartooth Highway.

A private Beartooth Highway tour in Montana with a live guide takes you across America's most scenic road, climbing to 10,947 feet to search for grizzly bears, mountain goats, elk and wolves. The route runs the Montana side through Red Lodge, then crosses into Wyoming along glacial lakes and historic glacier-carved canyons, with stops at the Top of the World Store and optional time in Cooke City near Yellowstone. Morning tours include locally baked muffins and doughnuts, coffee, bottled water and binoculars. The guide handles all driving and navigation.

Step-by-step itinerary

Drive and explore Beartooth Highway

• Drive through downtown Red Lodge
• Explore Montana side, watch marmots
• Coffee break at Rock Creek Canyon
• Drive Wyoming side, look for bears
• Drive over summer-only ski resort
• Enjoy panoramic views with mountain goats
• Visit Top of the World Store
• Optional stop at Cooke City
• Return via Nez Perce Indian Tribe path

The experience

The Beartooth Highway climbs steep switchbacks through alpine tundra, and your guide drives while you watch for wildlife in the fields and along the rocky slopes. You'll start in downtown Red Lodge, then head into the Montana stretch where chunky marmots live among the peaks. A coffee break overlooks Rock Creek Canyon and the glaciers that carved it thousands of years ago. The guide points out what you're looking at and why it matters to the landscape you're crossing.

The route crosses into Wyoming and follows glacial lakes where grizzly bears sometimes appear in the open fields. At 10,947 feet, you'll stop at panoramic views where pika and mountain goats live in the thin air. The Top of the World Store near Cody sits at high altitude with souvenirs and views of the surrounding wilderness. If time allows, the route swings through Cooke City, a mountain town just outside Yellowstone's northeastern gate, before returning along the path the Nez Perce Indian Tribe once traveled, with desert mountain views the whole way back.

Binoculars and a scope come with the tour, so you can see distant animals clearly. Bottled water, snacks, and locally baked muffins and doughnuts fuel the morning. Coffee and tea are included. The guide speaks English and handles all the driving, so you stay focused on the road, the peaks and what moves across them.

What’s included

• Private transportation with a live English-speaking guide.
• binoculars and scope for wildlife viewing.
• bottled water and snacks.
• locally baked muffins and doughnuts.
• freshly brewed coffee and tea.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 29 Jul 2027

Book up to12h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 14 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by Beartooth Tours

Is this one for you?The tour runs four to five hours, which leaves the rest of your day open for exploring Red Lodge or heading toward Yellowstone. If you need a full day of driving and stops, this fits. If you're looking for a quick morning activity, the length works for that too.

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Top questions

What animals might I see on the Beartooth Highway?

Grizzly bears, mountain goats, elk and wolves live in the alpine terrain the tour crosses. Chunky marmots appear on the Montana side, and pika live at the highest elevations near 10,947 feet. The guide watches the open fields and rocky slopes where these animals forage and travel.

How high does the Beartooth Highway climb?

The route reaches 10,947 feet elevation at its highest point, where panoramic views open across the surrounding peaks and alpine wilderness. The climb happens gradually along steep switchbacks, and the guide stops at the top for photos and wildlife watching.

What's included in the morning tour?

Locally baked muffins and doughnuts, freshly brewed coffee and tea, bottled water, snacks, binoculars and a scope all come with the tour. The guide and private transportation are included. Gratuity is suggested at 15% if you choose to add it at checkout.

Does the tour stop at any towns or shops?

The Top of the World Store near Cody, Wyoming sits at high altitude along the highway and offers souvenirs and views. Cooke City, Montana, a mountain town near Yellowstone's northeastern entrance, is included if time permits on the route back.

What happens at the coffee break?

The coffee break overlooks Rock Creek Canyon and the glaciers that carved it during the last ice age. The guide explains the geology and the landscape while you drink coffee and take in the views before continuing across the Wyoming stretch.