Best riding weather for ID, WY, and MT

[art miller]

My riding pal and I are hoping to get out and ride up to Idaho and Wyoming and perhaps some of Montana this summer. For those of you who reside in those areas when is the best time to tour that area with minimal risk of rain?  I've done it in early September and do not recall ever having to deal with rain. We would like to do it in June before the heat of summer and perhaps a lot of touristos and RV's clogging the roads. Appreciate any guidance you can offer. 

 

[Cyclepath]

I live north of Montana (about 6 ride north up in Edmonton), but back in August 2018 buddies and I invested about 12 days on a bucketlist trip down through:

• Montana (Great Falls - then over to Red Lodge & Bear Tooth Pass)
  
• Wyoming, including Chief Joseph highway
  
• Colorado - basically the entire north half
  
• Utah - just the north tip
  
• Idaho - back through Sawtooth mountains, west to Boise, then north through Couer d'Alene
  

Overall, our temps were relatively nice; up at higher elevations its often cooler. However, that year there was significant north California forest fire smoke drifting east - and our timing while passing south through Wyoming had us breathing in that stinging, almost smog-like cloud of smoke for much of WY and CO over 3 days.

Good luck in your trip planning / timing.

 

[tnjallen]

I've made a few trips through that area in early September and the weather has always been nice - a bit cool in the mornings, but usually dry. My experience in late May and early June has been that the weather can be more active, and the higher elevations can still see snow occasionally. If I was planning a flower-sniffing enjoyment ride, I would tend towards late August and early September. It will be a blast no matter what. I love those areas!

 

[art miller]

Well folks or plans have changed. We originally planned a late summer ride to the PNW. We scrapped out southwest ride in may due to COVID having most area shut down. We now plan to depart Truckee, CA  June 14 and hope to transit Bear Tooth on the 19th. Having read the report of construction on the pass we are curious how the weather is up there in mid June. I recall a few years ago we rode up the Chief Joseph to US 212 . We stopped at the junction to get a cup and were told the pass was closed due to snow the night before. That was in early September. I have never ridden in the PNW in early summer....hopefully no rain!!  ! :bike:

 

[mjs5761]

July will be your driest and hottest month, but Wyoming cools down at night due to the elevation. I live in the Denver area, and some years there is monsoon rain in July and August, other years it's dry. September is dry, but in Wyoming it could snow even early in the month. The biggest thing about Wyoming is the wind, nothing like it anywhere else, so be prepared to lean into things as it will be there.

 

[biknflyfisher]

I was in Montana last year in mid-July for a week to fly fish, and we had rain every afternoon (on and off) starting at about 2:00pm.

We were generally south of Dillon.

I think if you are in the mountains in the summer you just have to plan for rain.....

Biknflyfisher

 

[art miller]

Thanks for the input. If any of you folks have been in the Red Lodge/Bear Tooth/Bozeman areas in mid June what was the weather like at that time. I realize what was then does not necessarily translate to June this year. Also, are any of you are closely familiar with the riding :bike: conditions on the Bear Tooth construction zone?  An update would be great. Many thanks.

Art 

 

[bigjohnsd]

PM Thundershowers are de riguer.

 

[Cyclepath]

Expect to see snow at least up close on the side of the road in the Bear Tooth region in June.

 

[Dan S]

I've always planned my trips to and thru the rocky Mountains in late July early August.  Today, as in right now, 9:15 AM June 10, 2020 my weather app says it is 33 degrees in Cody Wy,  and the feels like temp is 24.   Late August 2006 it snowed on us on Mt. Evans and the morning that my brothers and I split up to head home from Cheyenne WY it was 32 degrees.  Yes, warmed up to about 75 by the time I got to Helena MT but getting thru the first few hours was a bit painful. 

I've done Beartooth a few times, in mid to late July and it was pretty cold.  And IIRC an IBR rider got stuck in snow on the Bear Tooth in last years Iron butt Rally.

 

[FJReady]

I've ridden up that way only twice and both were in September.  (2009 and 2018)  Weather was perfect.   Still snow visible on Bear Tooth.

Some of my personal favorites in that area:

Chief Joseph

Into Yellowstone from Cody

Into Yellowstone from Cooke City

Route 93 north of Salmon ID

And Lolo Pass heading west from Lolo (maybe the best 100 miles of m/c road I've been on) 

Have fun!

 

[art miller]

We completed the trip on Monday. We had good weather not hot from starting point Truckee, CA to Baker, NV 413 miles. Day two toVernal, UT was also very good temps. 330 miles. Day three to Thermopolis, WY also very good weather 310 miles. Day four to Bozeman, MT was cold 37F and heavy fog and drizzle on hwy 120 but cleared up before we got to Cody. Due to heavy dark clouds in the direction of Chief Joseph Highway we took US20 into Yellowstone and the weather was perfect. From there up to Bozeman was great. 352 miles. Day five Bozeman to Ketchum, ID was cool in the early morning 40F but warmed up quickly and great riding conditions to Ketchum. 438 miles. Day 6 to Burns, OR ideal weather and wide open roads. 320 miles. Day six to Jacksonville, OR was clear skies and in the 70's. 300 miles. Day 7 to San Ramon, CA clear skies and damn hot from Redding to San Ramon 94F. 362 miles.

Only regret was not being able to do the Bear Tooth due to snow and freezing temps. I have done it three times in the past but my riding buddy has never made the run. I have confirmed in my mind, the PNW is best riding conditions in late August and first week on September. That is what I have experienced.