HELLROARING PLATEAU ROAD

After two years of construction the road up to Hellroaring Plateau is open again.  This is classed as a G/S with mountain experience road and is not to be missed if you are a G/S rider.

The road is accessed by turning west off Hwy. 212 11.4 miles from the junction of Hwy. 212 and MT Hwy. 308 (which is near the south city limits of Red Lodge).  This is about 1.4 miles south of the turnoff to the Lions Camp rally site.

After turning off Hwy. 212 keep right on the unpaved road past Parkside Campground.  The Hellroaring Road is about .8 miles from the turnoff.  The road climbs the west side of the canyon and ends at the Hellroaring trailhead.  A short hike from the trailhead will take you to the first of a series of lakes. Please note, this ride is for experienced off-road riders only.

SWOOPING THE BEARTOOTH AND CHIEF JOSEPH HIGHWAYS

Southwest of Billings and North of Yellowstone Park lie the Beartooth mountains and the massive Beartooth Wilderness. Like a lot of Montana's mountainous areas there are few roads of any kind in this area, but there are two notable exceptions for any motorcyclist venturing into beautiful south central Montana. This article will be of special interest to anyone who wants to include Yellowstone Park and it's surrounding area in their trip to the 6th Annual Beartooth Rendezvous this summer. We will also branch out a bit further to the East to include information about the Big Horn Mountains in northern Wyoming.

I'm going to begin by talking about the Beartooth pass (Photos of Beartooth Highway). Being an obsessive BMW rider since 1962, and having spent most of my life in Colorado, I've seen a lot of mountain passes. The Beartooth Highway ranks up there with the most impressive of them. As those of you who are acquainted with mountain riding know, most mountain pass roads go up one side of the mountain to a summit and then immediately down the other side. One notable exception to this pattern is Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, and another is the Beartooth, which takes you to nearly 11,000 feet above sea level and stays there for about 18 miles. The vistas are absolutely heart stopping. Emerald green and sky blue mountain lakes with crystal clear water; perpetual snow fields and glistening glaciers sitting in gigantic "pockets" called circs; range upon range of snow capped peaks as far as you can see; hundreds of meadows with wildflowers of endless variety; beaver dams; and lichen covered rocks in colors of orange and lime which might best be described as psychedelic in their brilliance. And then there's the road itself. This is truly a "swoopers" paradise. The road has fairly fast sections at both the Cooke City end near Yellowstone and at the northern end as you drop out of the mountains into beautiful Red Lodge, Montana. This is a highway that can be enjoyed at a variety of levels. For the rider who has never experienced the sensory overload that virgin alpine country has to offer, the Beartooth highway has it all. It can be savored for a whole day on a casual ride, stopping frequently to take it in in all of its multifaceted glory, or it can satisfy the most experienced " mountain swoopers" need for a good adrenaline fix on a less casual ride.. Many sections of this road give clear, tactile definition to the word switchback. Novice riders should not be intimidated by the description of this wonderful ride, just know your abilities, ride your own ride at your own pace and enjoy the heady delights of these beautiful mountains.

The Beartooth Highway is accessible from three different areas. For those of you who might be coming north through Yellowstone Park, check your maps for the northeast entrance to the park at Silver Gate. As you exit the park at this point you will be on Highway 212 which is the Beartooth Highway. It's about 62 miles from the northeast gate of Yellowstone over the Beartooth Mountains to Red Lodge, Montana. More about Red Lodge later.

To approach the Beartooth Highway from the north, for instance from Billings which is in south central Montana along Interstate 90, proceed about 15 miles west of Billings on the interstate to the second exit to Laurel (exit 434). Take a left at the bottom of the off ramp which will put you on Highway 212 and continue south to Red Lodge and on over the Beartooth Highway.

The third approach is from the Cody, Wyoming area. Cody can be approached in several ways also. One of these, the one from the east, includes riding over another spectacular mountain range, the Big Horn Mountains. Those of you coming to Montana on Interstate 90 or on Interstate 25 might want to consider this route. Interstates 90 and 25 converge at Buffalo, Wyoming. Continue north to a few miles north of Sheridan and take the exit for Highways 14 and Alt.14. This will take you west over the Big Horn mountains. The highway eventually divides. Highway Alt.14 goes thru Bear Lodge and the Medicine Wheel Historical Area to the Big Horn recreation area and Lovell, Wyoming. The main highway, Highway 14 drops out of the Big Horns through Shell Canyon and on to Greybull. Both highways eventually go to Cody. Either branch of Highway 14 is interesting but my personal preference is the Shell Canyon route. Worthy of note at this point is the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, a truly interesting stop for anyone with the time.

Proceed north out of Cody on Highway 120. About 10 or 15 miles out you will come to Highway 296 going west, this is the Chief Joseph Highway. Please note, if the map you are using is more than a couple of years old this highway will be shown as a dirt road. Trust me, it's a beautiful paved highway, this will be only the fifth summer since it was paved. The Chief Joseph is a "gentler" piece of pavement than the Beartooth in that the curves are generally higher speed with fewer switchbacks, but there are switchbacks (Photos of Chief  Joseph ).The vistas of the Beartooth Range and the mountains surrounding Yellowstone are gorgeous. As you proceed west you will cross a spectacular bridge over the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River. The highway then generally follows the Clarks Fork until a few miles east of where you intersect the Beartooth Highway east of Cooke City. Cooke City is a great place to stop for lunch before turning back to the east and heading over the Beartooth to Red Lodge.

Red Lodge, Montana is an interesting, energetic little town of about 2000 set at the foot of the Beartooth Pass. Red Lodge is a very worthwhile stop. The fact that the town has a ski area probably has a lot to do with how such a small town can have so many good restaurants, motels, a beautiful historic hotel (the Pollard), and at least its share of "Montana style" watering holes and night life.

Another scenic day ride out of Red Lodge is Highway 78 to Columbus and interstate 90. There a few spots along this 50 mile ride which are also definitely worth the time. About 20 miles west is a tiny town called Roscoe (don't blink). Roscoe boasts one of the best bar/steakhouses in the area, The Grizzly Bar. A few more miles down hwy 78 is the road to Fishtail and Dean, Hwy 419. This road is incredibly beautiful, winding its way through lush green ranchland and more spectacular mountain views. The road is little traveled and provides some of Montana's finest scenery along the 20 miles to Dean. A stop at the Cowboy bar/restaurant in Fishtail, or Montana Hanna's in Dean can further enhance this sweet side trip.

A few words in general about traveling in Montana. There is a speed limit. At night the speed limit is 55, that's so you won't over-ride your headlights. Generally speaking, during the day if you are under 75 they won't mess with you. I would strongly encourage the use of deer whistles on all bikes. The deer are thick, and a moose is definitely an immoveable object. They are also easily irritated.

Lastly, as with riding in the mountains anywhere, be prepared for any kind of weather. I have encountered snow in the high country every month of the year. It can happen. However, what is more likely on a regular basis is that a 70 degree afternoon can become a 40 degree afternoon after a mountain thunderstorm. Thunderstorms generally occur in the afternoon after the sun has warmed the ground and the thermals begin to pop. I like to plan most of my mountain riding between mid morning and mid afternoon. There are of course no set rules for mountain weather. Another note for people who like to camp. Montana has a generous share of rivers and streams. You will see frequent "fishing access" signs along the highways. These fishing accesses have outdoor toilets and picnic tables and make good overnight camp sites.

For more information on this area of Montana feel free to contact me at 91 Blanchard Butte Road, Roberts, Montana 59070. My phone # is 406-445-2044. Or Email bmwmontana@aol.com.

Speaking for the Beartooth Beemers, we're looking forward to meeting all of you folks. Ride smart and smile........you're coming to the Big Sky Country........

MONTANA!