A rare June snowstorm brought up to 14 inches of snow and drifts exceeding three feet to the high country along U.S. 212 over Beartooth Pass this past weekend, forcing a temporary closure of the scenic highway and sending Yellowstone National Park crews scrambling to clear roads. Despite the calendar reading late June, winter conditions persisted, with whiteout visibility and strong winds.
The Wyoming Department of Transportation announced the reopening of Beartooth Pass on June 23, urging drivers to exercise caution and secure their seatbelts while navigating the roadway.
Yellowstone National Park workers, accustomed to heavy snow removal in spring, found themselves plowing roads in June—an unusual but not unprecedented task for crews who routinely clear up to 10 feet of snow in some areas each winter. This year, the late-season storm left roads packed with dense snow and deep drifts, requiring large V plows, rotary snowblowers, and heavy equipment to restore access.
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Park officials warn that weather in Yellowstone and surrounding regions can change rapidly, especially at high elevations, and advise travelers to check for updates before embarking on journeys through mountain passes. The storm’s timing, coinciding with the start of peak tourist season, highlights the importance of preparedness for winter driving conditions, even in summer.
Elsewhere in the Northern Rockies, Glacier National Park’s iconic Going-to-the-Sun Road saw a similar late-June disruption, as heavy snow and rain forced the temporary closure of the alpine section from Avalanche to Jackson Glacier Overlook. The storm, which brought up to a foot of snow above 6,000 feet and wind gusts of 40 mph, prompted park officials to close Logan Pass and the high country just days after the road had opened for the summer season. The road reopened on June 23 after crews assessed conditions and cleared the route.
The Beartooth Highway is an All-American Road on a section of U.S. Route 212 in Montana and Wyoming between Red Lodge and the Northeast entrance of Yellowstone National Park, passing over the Beartooth Pass in Wyoming at 10,947 feet (3,337 m) above sea level. It has been called “the most beautiful drive in America” by late CBS correspondent Charles Kuralt. Because of heavy snowfall at the top, the pass is usually open yearly from mid-May through mid-October, weather permitting.
Beartooth Basin Ski Area is a cash-only ski area located at Beartooth Pass in the Shoshone National Forest on the Montana-Wyoming border in the United States. It is the only ski area in North America that is open only in the summer, typically from late May to early July, as U.S. 212 is closed in winter. It opened in 1962 and spans 600 acres at an elevation of 10,900 feet. The area is served by two platter lifts.
