Sight · Beartooth Highway
Summer skiing on a steep high-alpine headwall.
Overview
Beartooth Basin is a high-alpine summer ski area on the Twin Lakes Headwall beside US-212, near the Montana-Wyoming line. It is a stripped-back setup: two platter lifts serve an operator-described 600 acres, with terrain from 15 to 50 degrees, around 10,900 feet. The operator asks for advanced-intermediate or expert ability, so this is a rare summer ski day for strong skiers and riders, not a casual first-timer stop. If that isn't your level, you can still spot the lift on the highway climb without planning to ski.
Parkwolf’s verdictA specialist summer ski dayMap
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Beartooth Highway Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Beartooth Highway. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Beartooth Highway audio tourRecorded for this place
Beartooth Basin Summer Ski Area“You're coming up on Beartooth Basin, a summer ski area on the steep Twin Lakes Headwall. Two platter lifts serve the snowfield, with terrain for advanced-intermediate and expert skiers and snowboarders.”
Plays as you drive up to Beartooth Basin Summer Ski Area in the Parkwolf Beartooth Highway Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
The hill is a steep snowfield shaped by wind into rolls, cornices and boulder features. The operator also describes jumps and rails in selected zones, but the setup depends on snow and the current operation. Nearby backcountry terrain is separate and reached by shuttle or hike; don't assume it is part of the lift-served hill.
The lift is visible from US-212 as the road climbs, but no safe roadside pullout for a photo was confirmed. The lift cables and towers against the headwall are the defining view; use a proper stopping area rather than treating the shoulder as a viewpoint.
The area's roots go back to a summer ski-racing training ground established in the mid-1960s by Austrian ski figures Pepi Gramshammer, Eric Sailer and Anderl Molterer. It was formerly known as the Red Lodge International Ski and Snowboard Camp and was once used mainly by private teams. The operator also gives 1986 as the Basin's opening date but does not explain how that relates to the earlier training camp, so there isn't one clear public-opening year to repeat.
This is a summer-only operation on a high snowfield, so the season depends on snow and mountain conditions. The operator says it does not run in poor visibility or during electrical storms, and highway access can also affect a ski day. Check both the operator and the highway before making the drive.
There is no lodge or warming hut. Details for public restrooms, water and food service weren't confirmed, so check before expecting resort-base amenities.
Wildlife
42 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
22 sightingsGray WolfMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
49 sightingsBisonMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
122 sightingsMooseMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
260 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
16 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Beartooth Highway. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ChallengingDeep Lake Trail15 mi · 10 hr · 0.6 mi awayA hard 15-mile descent and climb to a cliff-ringed alpine lake.
ModerateGardner Lake Trail1.6 mi · 1.3 hr · 0.9 mi awayA short lake walk with a steep climb back out.ChallengingBeartooth Loop National Recreation Trail10.9 mi · 5.5 hr · 0.9 mi awayA high-country loop joining Gardner Lake and the steep Beartooth headwall.
ModerateTwin Lakes Trail1.7 mi · 1.5 hr · 2 mi awayA high-country descent to Twin Lakes, then a steep climb back.
ChallengingLine Creek Plateau Trail7.9 mi · 5 hr · 2.6 mi awayA long, exposed crossing over open alpine tundra.
ModerateHauser, Stockade and Losekamp Lakes Trail6.7 mi · 3.5 hr · 3.6 mi awayThree high-country lakes make the extra walking count.
ChallengingGlacier Lake Trail4.4 mi · 3.3 hr · 4.4 mi awayA steep climb to an alpine lake tucked into the Beartooths.
ModerateHellroaring Plateau Trail5.8 mi · 4 hr · 4.4 mi awayFollow an old road to a talus overlook above Shelf Lake.
Scenic pullout · 0.9 mi awayGardner Lake OverlookA broad roadside lake view; the shore means a steep climb back.
Scenic pullout · 1 mi awayTwin Lakes OverlookTwo alpine lakes, seen from above without a hike.
Sight · 2 mi awayBeartooth Pass VistaA high-alpine summit stop for open views, lingering snow and wildflowers.
Sight · 2.4 mi awayMontana-Wyoming State Line SignA quick state-line sign stop on the seasonal Beartooth Highway.
Scenic pullout · 3.9 mi awayQuad Creek Scenic OverlookThe highway curls below you across a wide mountain valley.
Campground · 4.3 mi awayM-K CampgroundA free creekside campground near Beartooth Highway hikes.
Sight · 4.9 mi awayRock Creek Vista PointA short paved path opens onto a huge glacial valley.Parkwolf’s Beartooth Highway ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
