Clay Butte Fire Lookout
Clay Butte Lookout
A forest fire lookout tower from the 1940s at about 3,000 m, with 360-degree views of the Beartooth Mountains, the Absaroka Range and the direction of Yellowstone.
The Clay Butte Lookout Tower is on the west side of Beartooth Lake. From the Beartooth Highway, a gravel mountain road about 4.8 km long leads right up to the tower. The road is in fair condition, and ordinary cars can reach it if they drive slowly. Built in the 1940s to watch for forest fires, the tower now serves as a viewpoint and small exhibit room. Volunteers staff it in summer, and you can climb up to learn about the surrounding peaks, the traces of the 1988 Yellowstone fires and the alpine vegetation. From the top you can see the granite plateau of the Beartooth Mountains, the Absaroka Range and the direction of Yellowstone in the distance, with the best views around sunset. The opening hours are short and depend on the weather, and you should not go up during thunderstorms.
Opening hours
Approx. July–August, daytime only (per Forest Service announcements)
Nearby sights
- Beartooth Lake & Beartooth Butte
- 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