You're standing in Billings, looking south. Most folks just punch "Cody" into their GPS and mindlessly follow the blue line. It’s about 105 miles. Two hours, maybe less if you aren’t stuck behind a tractor near Bridger. But if you do that, honestly, you’re missing the entire point of being in the Mountain West. The drive from Billings MT to Cody WY is a tale of two very different worlds: the "I need to get there for dinner" route and the "I want to remember why I moved/traveled here" route.
Look, I get it. Sometimes you just need to get to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West before it closes. But if you have even a shred of adventure in you, there is a way to do this drive that will make your jaw physically drop. We’re talking about choosing between a flat highway through sugar beet fields or climbing to nearly 11,000 feet on a road that Charles Kuralt famously called the most beautiful drive in America.
The Standard Burn: Highway 310 and 120
Let’s talk reality first. If you take the standard path for Billings MT to Cody WY, you’re heading west on I-90 out of Billings toward Laurel. From there, you hang a left onto Highway 310. This is the Bighorn Basin route. It’s high-desert country. You’ll pass through towns like Bridger and Frannie. It’s pretty, sure. The red coulees and the wide-open sky have a certain rugged charm.
It’s fast. That’s the selling point.
You’ll see the Pryor Mountains off to your left, where the wild horses live. Most people don't realize that those mountains hold some of the most diverse plant life in Montana because they sit at this weird intersection of three different climate zones. But from the window of a car doing 70 mph? It just looks like big, dry hills.
The "Wild" Alternative: The Beartooth and Chief Joseph
If you have an extra three hours—and you really should—you need to veer off the path. Instead of sticking to 310, head toward Red Lodge. This is where the Billings MT to Cody WY trip becomes legendary. Red Lodge is a classic mountain town, but the real prize is US-212: The Beartooth Highway.
You’re going to climb. Fast.
The switchbacks are legendary. You’ll go from lodgepole pines to alpine tundra where trees can't even grow. Even in July, you’ll likely see people skiing at Beartooth Basin. It’s surreal. You’re at 10,947 feet at the summit. You’ll see Pilot and Index Peaks—two jagged spires that look like they belong in the Alps, not Wyoming.
But wait. Don't go all the way to Cooke City unless you're actually entering Yellowstone. To get to Cody, you take the "short cut" that isn't actually short: The Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (Highway 296).
This road is steeped in a sort of heavy, beautiful history. This is where Chief Joseph led the Nez Perce in 1877, trying to outrun the U.S. Cavalry. You’ll cross the Sunlight Bridge—Wyoming’s highest bridge—hanging 284 feet above the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River. The views of the Sunlight Basin from the top of Dead Indian Pass are, frankly, better than anything you’ll see inside the actual National Park.
What Nobody Tells You About the Timing
Here is a factual reality check: The Beartooth Highway is not a year-round thing. It’s a summer-only privilege.
Typically, the road opens the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. But "open" is a loose term in the Rockies. I’ve seen it close in the middle of August because of a freak blizzard. By mid-October, the gates are usually locked for the season, and it becomes a playground for snowmobiles.
If you’re traveling between November and May, you’re stuck with the lowland route through Bridger and Belfry. It’s still a nice drive, but it’s a different beast entirely.
Hidden Gems You’ll Actually Pass
Most travel blogs just list the big spots. Let’s look at the weird, cool stuff between Billings MT to Cody WY that you might actually miss.
- The Smith Mine Site: Just outside of Bearcreek (near Red Lodge), there’s a somber memorial for the 1943 coal mine disaster. It’s a haunting place to stop for ten minutes and realize how hard life used to be out here.
- The Meeteetse Chocolatier: Okay, this is technically a bit south of Cody, but if you’re making a loop, it’s mandatory. A former rodeo bronc rider turned world-class chocolatier? You can't make that up.
- The Clark’s Fork Canyon: If you take Highway 120 (the "fast" way) but want a tiny detour, head west on County Road 1AB. It dead-ends into a massive canyon wall where the river screams out of the mountains. It’s a local secret for a reason.
The Logistics of the Drive
If you're driving a massive RV, think twice about the Beartooth. Those switchbacks are tight. I’ve seen people lose their brakes or just get paralyzed with fear halfway up. If you're hauling a 40-foot trailer, stick to the 310/120 route. It’s much kinder to your transmission.
Gas up in Laurel or Red Lodge. Once you start climbing the pass or heading into the basin, gas stations become a "hope you have a half-tank" kind of situation. Cell service? Forget it. You’ll lose it somewhere around Belfry and won't get a solid signal back until you’re practically seeing the Cody rodeo grounds.
Why This Stretch Matters
People often ask why Cody is so popular. It’s not just the Buffalo Bill stuff. It’s the fact that it sits at the mouth of the Shoshone Canyon. But the journey from Billings MT to Cody WY sets the stage. You’re moving from the plains and the rimrocks of Billings into the heart of the Absaroka Range.
The transition is visceral. You feel the air get thinner and the temperature drop.
Honestly, the "wrong" route is the one where you don't look out the window. Whether you take the high road over the Beartooths or the low road through the Bighorn Basin, you’re crossing territory that hasn't changed much in a hundred years.
Actionable Next Steps
If you are planning this trip right now, here is what you should actually do:
- Check the MDT (Montana Department of Transportation) website. Do not trust Google Maps to know if the Beartooth Highway is open. They have a specific "Beartooth Status" page that is updated by the guys actually plowing the snow.
- Download your maps offline. Use the "Offline Maps" feature in Google or Apple Maps for the entire region between Billings and Cody. You will have zero bars for at least 60 miles of this trip.
- Time your arrival in Cody. If you’re coming in during the summer, aim to hit town by 6:00 PM. This gives you time to check in and get to the Cody Night Rodeo, which starts at 8:00 PM every single night.
- Pack layers. I don't care if it’s 95°F in Billings. It can be 45°F and windy at the top of the pass. I’ve seen tourists in flip-flops shivering at the Beartooth summit, and they look miserable. Don't be that person.
- Choose your route based on the clock. If you leave Billings at 4:00 PM, take the fast way (Hwy 310). You do not want to be on the Chief Joseph or Beartooth Highway after dark. The deer and elk are everywhere, and the curves are unforgiving.
The drive from Billings MT to Cody WY is more than just a connector between an airport and a national park gateway. It's the prologue to your Yellowstone experience. Treat it that way, and you'll realize the drive was half the fun.