If I were you, and had never been to the western mountains before I wouldn't worry to much about the Black Hills area too much. I'm not going to tell you that the Black Hills are not beautiful but a few miles to the west there are amazing things.
I'd do a ride by thru the Black Hills Needles Hwy. and Iron Mtn. Hwy are very good roads. Short but very good if the traffic is low. I'd head west and cross the Big Horn Mtns. on Rt. 14 to Burgess Junction, take 14A from there. Try to do this as early in the day as you can to avoid the sun in your eyes as you reach the high point of the road and start down on the western slope the road and the view is amazing. Stay on 16 to Cody Wyoming, take 120 north to Chief Joseph Hwy. This is an amazing road, stop at the overlook at Dead Indian Pass and take a look at what is ahead of you. Chief Joseph Hwy will take you to the Beartooth Hwy. just east of Cooke City Montana. take a right and head toward Red Lodge, Mt. The Beartooth is 67 miles of what you head to the west for, it could be the finest stretch of road in the US. Red Lodge is a great place to spend a night and has some good restaurants and bars.
You can ride the Beartooth back to Cooke City and on into Yellowstone ride as much of the loop as you have time for and then take the eastern exit towards Cody. You can then take Hwy 16 east and cross the Big Horn Mtns. heading back east to whatever route you prefer heading home.
I hope you have a great ride and enjoy every mile of it. You can do a search for Beartooth Pass photos and you can see what an amazing road and place it is
We are poor flat-landers who have never had a chance to get into the Rockies,You are in for a real treat IMO!
Suggestions?
Feel free to email me also at 800mxz@gmail.com
You are in for a real treat IMO!
Curious, are all of you experienced riders?
Safe trip to ya.
If I were you, and had never been to the western mountains before I wouldn't worry to much about the Black Hills area too much. I'm not going to tell you that the Black Hills are not beautiful but a few miles to the west there are amazing things.
I'd do a ride by thru the Black Hills Needles Hwy. and Iron Mtn. Hwy are very good roads. Short but very good if the traffic is low. I'd head west and cross the Big Horn Mtns. on Rt. 14 to Burgess Junction, take 14A from there. Try to do this as early in the day as you can to avoid the sun in your eyes as you reach the high point of the road and start down on the western slope the road and the view is amazing. Stay on 16 to Cody Wyoming, take 120 north to Chief Joseph Hwy. This is an amazing road, stop at the overlook at Dead Indian Pass and take a look at what is ahead of you. Chief Joseph Hwy will take you to the Beartooth Hwy. just east of Cooke City Montana. take a right and head toward Red Lodge, Mt. The Beartooth is 67 miles of what you head to the west for, it could be the finest stretch of road in the US. Red Lodge is a great place to spend a night and has some good restaurants and bars.
You can ride the Beartooth back to Cooke City and on into Yellowstone ride as much of the loop as you have time for and then take the eastern exit towards Cody. You can then take Hwy 16 east and cross the Big Horn Mtns. heading back east to whatever route you prefer heading home.
I hope you have a great ride and enjoy every mile of it. You can do a search for Beartooth Pass photos and you can see what an amazing road and place it is
The Beartooth is 67 miles of what you head to the west for, it could be the finest stretch of road in the US.Copy that.
Looking like we are going to shoot for Yellowstone and Glacier. Plans are to arrive in Bozeman late on July 1st, with options to ride till July 6th.Sounds like a real adventure shaping-up. Is the anticipation for departure building?
Plans are to arrive in Bozeman late on July 1st, with options to ride till July 6th.Here's hoping ya'll have reservations. OTOH, there are plenty of camping opportunities in the area.
Awesome! Keep the suggestions coming! I'm going to going through Glacier and and Yellowstone as I am planning a trip to British Columbia the 14th through the 28th of July.State of origin?
I have no definite plans as to which routes I want to take yet. Probably north to Black Hills then West on I 90 to GlacierHave you got a rough idea of your route north thru Montana?
I might stop for a day in the Big Horns. Cross them on HWY 16 and then cross them again on 14.Nice. Wish I were there right now!
Looks like quiet a ride! If you don’t mind my asking, was just wondering why you are skipping the Beartooth Hwy?
Nice. Wish I were there right now!
IIRC, Last summer, there was a bit of rough roadwork on Hwy 16 a few miles out of Ten Sleep on the way to Worland.
Looks like you’re going to skip Hwy 31 between Ten Sleep and Manderson. Was just going to say, IIRC, I had the “Tee in the road” on 31 kinda sneak up on me once.
BTW, here’s hoping the heat-wave tapers off.
Have you been on the west 212 and used hwy 89 to Livingston? It looks like it goes through a bunch of foothills then 89 flattens out into a valley.Yes, I have been on 212 and 89. Was in Cooke City (on 212) this past summer. My first trip on 89 between Yellowstone NP and Livingston was way back in 1980 IIRC. I lived in Montana back then. The last time I was on that stretch of road was in 03 or 04. I’ve been on 89 between Great Falls and I 90 many times. If you do take 89 between YNP and Livingston I think you will get to see what some folks used to call “the devil’s slide".
Although Hwy 31 looks interesting.That’s a nice little bit of some rural Wyoming countryside that I enjoy seeing. It’s quiet a contrast from my local area.