RED LODGE — The Beartooth Highway is open for the season, welcoming skiers, sightseers, and holiday travelers just in time for Memorial Day weekend, though drivers may notice the snow walls lining the road are shorter than usual after a milder winter.
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The highway, which climbs to nearly 11,000 feet and winds through the Beartooth Mountains along the Montana-Wyoming border, first opened to the state line before fully opening Friday afternoon. A late-season storm had delayed snowplow crews, leaving the timeline uncertain as the holiday weekend approached.
Hundreds of people turned out for opening weekend, including skiers, retirees, and first-time visitors drawn by the highway's reputation as one of America's most scenic drives.
“It’s beautiful. You go to the top of the world. It’s awesome,” said skier Nick McGough, who joined friends on the mountain on Sunday. “People are great. Everyone’s kind. You meet people every time you come out here.”
"Everyone's in a great mood," added Alissa Charland. "It's a good way to kick off the end of winter, early, beginning of summer."
For Heidi Robison, who skied both Saturday and Sunday, the trip is a yearly tradition.
“We’ve been coming up here for a really long time,” said Robison, who lives in Bozeman. "Everybody wants to make the ski season last a little longer. There's something just really special about skiing in this place."
Others traveled from across the country to experience it. Karen Johnson and Cheryl Somers, friends visiting from North Carolina, said the Beartooth Highway had long been on their bucket list.
"We're sightseeing and living our retirement years on the run," Somers said.
"We've heard it's like one of the most beautiful drives in the country," Johnson said. "We just want to see the scenery because we're here and see it on Yellowstone and other TV shows."
The reopening also signals the start of the busy tourism season for Red Lodge businesses that rely heavily on summer visitors. Shops, restaurants, and lodging businesses often see a sharp increase in traffic over Memorial Day weekend.
“This is when we start our busy season,” said Lyn Roy, an employee at Potions and Lotions in downtown Red Lodge. “We’re getting a huge influx of people who are staying the weekend.”
Roy said higher prices nationwide have affected customer spending habits, with more people browsing and fewer making purchases, but increased tourism still provides a welcome boost.
“I know a lot of people are looking, but not a lot of people buying,” Roy said. “I think the popularity that Red Lodge is getting is going to bring in a lot of people.”
Out on the highway, skiers gathered along Rock Creek, waiting for rides to the top of ski runs and taking in the scene. While spirits were high, some noticed the snowpack was visibly lower than in past years.
"When you're driving up the road, usually like the wall of snow is huge. It's a lot lower this year," said Alex Moore, a skier from Bozeman. "There's certain lines that in years past that we've skied that we can't ski this year because it's like grass."
Despite the lighter snowpack, visitors said they were grateful for the opportunity to spend another season in the mountains.
“It’s a little lower, but not as low as we thought it was going to be,” Moore said. "In my opinion, nothing dramatic."
With America's 250th birthday approaching, many visitors said they hope the highway and the public lands surrounding it continue to draw crowds.
"I hope that this encourages people to use places like wilderness and public space and the parks," Robison said.
"Hard to complain when you're skiing in almost June, so it's a good way to live," McGough said.
