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Dead Indian Pass
Dead Indian Pass runs in an east westerly direction, not far from
Beartooth Pass. The proximity makes the difference between these
two passes even more amazing. While Beartooth Pass crosses the
"hard rock" Beartooth Plateau, Dead Indian Pass crosses
the colorful, volcanic Absaroka mountains, containing spires and
interesting erosional features. You rarely see the name "Dead
Indian Pass" anymore. Instead the more refined name
"Chief Joseph Highway" is used on road signs.
Regardless, both names commemorate not the same Indian, but the
same set of events, the time when Chief Joseph and his Nez Perce
Indians were hunted halfways across the continent because they
could not live in the reservation, deemed suitable by the
government. A detailed set of signs on the summit inform about the
battles fought and a dead Indian left behind by the Nez Perce.
Approaches From West. Chief Joseph highway begins where either Colter Pass or Beartooth Pass ends. Following the valley of Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone south, Pilot Peak (11708ft) is the scenic background to a pastoral foreground for many miles. Pilot Peak is true to its name. It is the outstanding visual feature of all three pass approaches that converge here. This side of the approach contains ample rolling hills before the pass proper even begins to start. It does so only after crossing Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone and climbing high above the deep canyon. From East. The pass starts to climb steeply right in the
beginning. Far flung switchbacks lead through colorful sedimentary
rocks to ever vaster views of the bleak Bighorn Basin below.  Tours Dayrides. A ride over Chief Joseph Highway from its junction with the Beartooth Pass road to its junction with Wy120, and back by the same route, measured 68 miles (no altitude data available). Two or Three Day road Tour. The pass can be cycled in
a circle combined with the bigger Beartooth
Pass, completing the circle over Wy120 between Cody and Red Lodge.
In order to sleep somewhere halfways civilized on a three day tour it
is necessary to add on an out and back section to Cody. The other
overnight stop is Red Lodge. An additional out and back section to
Cooke City or West Yellowstone over Colter
Pass is also worthwhile. A two day version of this ride, starting
in Silver Gate ( located between Cooke City and West Yellowstone ) and
skipping the detour to Cody, measured 112 miles over Colter Pass, Dead
Indian Pass and Wy120, 70 miles between the same endpoints over
Beartooth Pass and Colter Pass again (no measured altitude data
available). It is described further on this
page, under the heading "my first Rocky Mountain
Pass". back to a roster of bicycling passes 
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