Chief Joseph Scenic Highway
Chief Joseph Scenic Highway is a State Scenic Byway in Wyoming. Within Wyoming it covers roughly 45 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Chief Joseph Scenic Highway with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
Wyoming Route 296 crosses Dead Indian Pass at nearly 8,000 feet between Cody and the Beartooth country, with a high overlook into the Clarks Fork Canyon and Sunlight Basin. It is named for the Nez Perce leader Chief Joseph, who led his people through this rugged terrain during their 1877 flight toward Canada. The dramatic switchbacks off Dead Indian Pass are the highlight.
- Dead Indian Pass
- Clarks Fork Canyon
- Sunlight Basin
- Nez Perce history
- WY-296
Plan a drive on Chief Joseph Scenic Highway →
What is a State Scenic Byway?
State Scenic Byways are roads a state has formally recognized for their scenic, natural, historic or cultural value — each state's own curated collection of drives worth taking slowly.