Absaroka–Beartooth Wilderness was created from existing National Forest lands in 1978 and is located in Montana and Wyoming , United States . The wilderness encompasses two distinct mountain ranges: the Beartooth and Absaroka ranges. These ranges are completely distinct geologically speaking, with the Absaroka composed primarily of volcanic (or extrusive ) and metamorphic rock , while the Beartooth is made up almost entirely of granitic rocks. The Absaroka are noted for their dark and craggy appearance, lush and heavily forested valleys, and abundant wildlife. The highest peak in the range, in Wyoming, is Francs Peak at 13,153 feet (4,009 m). The Beartooth is more alpine , with huge treeless plateaus and the highest peak of Montana ( Granite Peak 12,799 feet (3,901 m)). The wilderness has more than 120 peaks over 10,000 feet (3,000 m) and 28 peaks over 12,000 feet (3,700 m), including Montana's highest, Granite Peak at 12,799 feet (3,901 m). The wilderness is integral to the 20-million-acre (81,000 km ) Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and borders Yellowstone National Park .
20-576: Beartooth may refer to: Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness , in Montana and Wyoming, United States Beartooth (band) , American hardcore punk band from Columbus, Ohio Beartooth Butte Formation , geologic formation in Wyoming Beartooth EP , album released by the Long Beach, California band, Boris Smile Beartooth (film) , a 1978 film about surviving
40-802: A winter in the Beartooth Mountains Beartooth Glacier , located in the U.S. state of Montana Beartooth Highway , the section of U.S. Highway 212 between Red Lodge, Montana and Cooke City, Montana Beartooth Mountain (British Columbia) , in the Coast Mountains Beartooth Mountains , in south central Montana and northwest Wyoming, U.S Beartooth Mountain , 3,766 m peak in the Beartooth Mountains Beartooth National Forest , established in Montana, United States Beartooth NBC or KTVH-DT, TV station serving Helena, Montana and
60-722: Is at the Beartooth Plateau, located high in the Beartooth Mountains. In a study of reaction of learning how large carnivores would react to the big-game hunting season in Yellowstone National Park , a group of scientists found out that grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) usually stay inside the Yellowstone National Park and start moving north (into the Absaroka - Beartooth Wilderness) when the hunting starts. At
80-443: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness Wilderness areas do not allow motorized or mechanical equipment, including bicycles , hang-gliders, wagons, chainsaws, and game carts. Although camping and fishing are allowed with proper permits, no roads or buildings are constructed, and no logging or mining allowed, in compliance with
100-520: The Beartooth Highway US 212 from Red Lodge, Montana . There are also some forest access roads from the west off of US 89 south of Livingston, Montana . The wilderness spans the Montana-Wyoming border on Gallatin , Custer and Shoshone National Forests and is composed of 944,000 acres (3,820 km ). The elevation ranges from 0 to 11,000 feet (3,400 m); the maximum elevation
120-659: The National Park Service , despite not being part of the park (like the Foothills Parkway or Skyline Drive ) or being its own unit (like the Blue Ridge Parkway and Natchez Trace Parkway ). The Montana Department of Transportation does maintain its portions in Custer and Gallatin national forests at the east and west ends of the highway, respectively. Neither MDT nor NPS perform snow removal except for once in
140-466: The 1964 Wilderness Act . Wilderness areas within National Forests and Bureau of Land Management areas also allow hunting in season. There are 700 miles (1,100 km) of trails in the wilderness, hundreds of lakes , a few dozen streams, and a similar number of small glaciers can be found in the wilderness. The forests are dominated by various species of spruce , fir , and pine , while in
160-399: The Beartooth Mountains, due to the altitude, tundra conditions often prevail. The Beartooth has the largest unbroken area of land over 10,000 feet (3,000 m) in altitude in the U.S. outside of Alaska. Animals found in the wilderness include bald eagles, Yellowstone cutthroat trout, threatened grizzly bears, lynx, and the gray wolf. Access to the wilderness is difficult but can be achieved via
180-459: The Montana side of the Beartooth Highway in a dozen places between mile markers 39 and 51. The road was closed for reconstruction, and a $ 20.4 million construction contract issued which stipulated an October 2005 completion date. Construction was completed ahead of schedule; however, the highway did not reopen for a year. An estimated 100,000 cubic yards (76,500 m ) of rock was removed from
200-523: The Montana–Wyoming border ( 45th parallel ) to the 10,947-foot-high (3,337 m) Beartooth Pass in Wyoming. The approximate elevation rise is from 5,200 ft (1,580 m) to 10,947 ft (3,337 m) in twelve miles (19 km) in the most daring landscapes. When driving east to west, the highest parts of the Beartooth Highway level off into a wide plateau near the top of the pass, then descend to
220-594: The highway. The Beartooth Highway passes through portions of Custer , Shoshone , and Gallatin national forests, and near the Absaroka–Beartooth Wilderness. Despite this, and the U.S. highway number, and also connecting to state highway 296, it is not maintained by the Wyoming Department of Transportation or even the U.S. Forest Service , with WYDOT stating it does not meet standards for Wyoming state highways . It is instead maintained by
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#1732852376591240-485: The junction with Wyoming Highway 296 (Chief Joseph Scenic Byway) near Cooke City, the northeast gateway to Yellowstone National Park . On the way one passes numerous lakes typical of the Absaroka–Beartooth Wilderness which borders the highway along much of its route. The highway officially opened June 14, 1936. At this elevation and latitude, snowstorms can occur even in the middle of the summer, and
260-531: The long detour down the Clarks Fork Yellowstone River to return to Billings , Sheridan took the advice of an old hunter named Shuki Greer, who claimed intimate knowledge of the Beartooth Mountains . When the road was opened in 1936, it essentially followed Sheridan's route over the pass. During the spring of 2005, several large mudslides and rockslides on May 19–20 damaged or destroyed
280-629: The pass is also known for strong winds and severe thunderstorms. Drivers should plan on a driving time of at least two hours for the 69-mile (111 km) trip from Red Lodge to Cooke City, and it is advised to check with the Red Lodge Chamber of Commerce or the Beartooth Ranger District beforehand in case of road closures. Montana Traveler Information and Wyoming Travel Information Service both provide online information on Beartooth Highway travel conditions for their respective portions of
300-540: The same region, cougars (Puma concolor) from outside of the Yellowstone National Park tends to go inside when the hunting starts. However, wolves (Canis lupus) don't change their position as they are already spreading in the Yellowstone Nation Park area. During the hunting season, all of them are found to be hunting elk (Cervus elaphus) on the north of the Park, where Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness is. According to
320-512: The spring, typically in May, but sometimes not until June if there has been heavy snowfall. Once the road opens, Beartooth Basin Ski Area opens near the state line at Beartooth Pass, for a short summer-only season that lasts until July. In August 1872, the pass was crossed by Civil War General Philip Sheridan and 120 men returning from an inspection tour of Yellowstone National Park . Rather than take
340-549: The surrounding area See also [ edit ] Bears Tooth Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Beartooth . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Beartooth&oldid=1128457623 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
360-648: The water source, such as camping and burying human waste within 200 feet (61 m) of lake or stream is prohibited, and waste has to be buried 6 inches (15 cm)-8 inches (20 cm) deep. Beartooth Highway The Beartooth Highway is an All-American Road in the western United States on a section of U.S. Route 212 in Montana and Wyoming between Red Lodge and the Northeast entrance of Yellowstone National Park . It crests at Beartooth Pass in Wyoming at 10,947 feet (3,337 m) above sea level , and
380-452: The wilderness regulation, group size is limited for 15 people and 15 combined pack and saddle stock. The widespread detection of total coliforms, Bacteroides, and E coli in the water sources of the wilderness area is leading to the question of whether it's because of the increasing human visitation. Visitors of the wilderness are encouraged to purify the water carefully before consumption. The wilderness has imposed some regulations to protect
400-479: Was called "the most beautiful drive in America," by late CBS News correspondent Charles Kuralt . Because of heavy snowfall at the top, the pass is usually open for about five months per year, from mid-May to mid-October, weather conditions permitting. The Beartooth Highway is the section of U.S. Route 212 between Red Lodge and Cooke City , Montana. It traces a series of steep zigzags and switchbacks , along
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