Beartooth Lake & Beartooth Butte
Beartooth Lake
Beartooth Butte, with its striped red layers, reflected in the lake. It is one of the most photogenic lake views on the Beartooth Highway, and Beartooth Falls is nearby.
Beartooth Lake lies on the Wyoming section of the Beartooth Highway at about 2,700 m. On the north shore rises Beartooth Butte, a flat-topped hill built of layers of red and gray sedimentary rock, unlike the granite mountains around it. On calm early mornings the reflections on the water are stunning. The lake has a Forest Service campground, picnic areas and a boat launch, and you can fish for trout, paddle a canoe, or start hikes to the high mountain lakes. Just east of the lake, Beartooth Falls is a short distance from the road, and you can pull over to see it. Red Lodge is about 1.5 hours' drive away, and the lake is a common lunch stop on a self-drive along the Beartooth Highway. The campground fills up in summer, so book ahead. The area is grizzly habitat, so follow food storage rules.
Opening hours
Open with Beartooth Highway (approx. June–September)
Nearby sights
- Clay Butte Fire Lookout
- Twin Lakes & Beartooth Basin
- Beartooth Highway & Rock Creek Vista Point
- Cooke City
- Red Lodge Mountain
- Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary
- Red Lodge Historic District
- Smith Mine Historic District