Clay Butte Fire Lookout sits off the Beartooth Highway at nearly 9,800 feet, reached by a short gravel side road. The old lookout now serves as a viewpoint and interpretive stop, with wide views over the Beartooth and Absaroka ranges.
The road is part of the experience, and not every vehicle or weather day is suited to it. When it is open and clear, this is one of the best ways to turn the Cooke City side of the Beartooth into more than a windshield view.