Montana Passes

Montana has a lot of mountain ranges and it has a lot of miles of continental divide. These physical features provide a great many scenic locations and there are consequently a large number of passes to allow travel by train or automobile across and through these often formidable barriers. In addition some challenging highway climbs are known as a “hill” rather than being designated a pass. We will arrange our photos by starting at the Montana, Wyoming, Idaho boundary and going northward up the Montana-Idaho border. We will then return to the continental divide near Sula and follow it northward to Glacier Park. Finally, we will visit the more isolated passes and hills that are not located on these well defined continuous elevations.

Targhee Pass el. is 7072 ft on US-20 It is 15mi. west of West Yellowstone.

Raynolds Pass el. is 6760 ft on US-87 It is on the border above Henry’s Lake. A great view of the Teton’s far ahead looking southbound.

Red Rock Pass el. 7120 ft on MT-509 It is one of many passes that are very gentle, leaving the traveler unknowing as to the exact place of crossing.

Monida Pass el. 6823 ft on I-15 just south of Monida, population <5

Bannock Pass el. 7681 ft on MT-324 The Gilmore and Pittsburgh RR had service on the pass from 1912 – 1930

Lemhi Pass el. 7373 ft. Lewis and Clark entered Idaho in August of 1805, through Lemhi Pass.

Chief Joseph and his band of Native Americans fled across Chief Joseph Pass in 1877.

Chief Joseph Pass el. 7264 ft on MT-43 is the most northerly pass over the continental divide and on the Montana-Idaho border.

The next pass on the Montana-Idaho border is Lost Trail Pass el. 7014 ft on US-93 and it is about 1 mile north of Chief Joseph Pass.

Horse Creek Pass el. 7305 ft and neighboring Nez Perce Pass el. 6587ft are in truly remote places that go out into forested recreation country in Montana and Idaho. Neither leads one to any city or connecting route.

Lolo Pass el. 5233 ft on US-12 is on the road to the Lochsa River in Idaho. It is the pass that Lewis and Clark used both going west in 1805 and returning in 1806

Lookout Pass el. 4700 ft on I-90 This is the major highway through Montana on the way to Seattle. It follows along the basic path of the Mullan Road built in the 1860’s from Ft. Benton to Mullan Idaho.

Thompsons Pass el. 4860 is just north of Lookout Pass in rugged mountains.

Back to Continental Divide Passes (within Montana)

Deer Lodge Pass (Champion Pass) el. 5902 ft first used in 1881 by the Union Pacific RR, now I-15 also uses this low pass.

Pipestone Pass el. 6453 ft a major obstacle on the Yellowstone Trail in 1915. It became US-10, now it is MT-2.

Homestake Pass el. 6385 ft on I-90 It was used for railroads starting 1889. It is surrounded by the Boulder Batholith.

Elk Park Pass el. 6388 ft is on I-15 about 10 miles north of Butte. The Great- Northern RR crossed this pass in 1888, one of 31 original crossings of the continental divide for that RR, not all in Montana, only 10 of which are still in use.

MacDonald Pass el. 6299 ft just 15 miles west of Helena. Named after Alexander MacDonald who built first road across in 1870, now US-12.

Stemple Pass el. 6376 ft a dirt road kept open all year for mail delivery.

Flesher Pass el. 6131 ft is on MT – 279, a very scenic drive over the continental divide.

The Rogers Pass road in 1920.

Rogers Pass is only 5 miles from Lewis and Clark Pass used by Meriwether Lewis on his return trip in 1806.

Rogers Pass el. 5610 ft on MT-200 as it appears today, note tree growth.

Rogers Pass area is the site where the coldest temperature in the US (outside Alaska) was recorded at -70^o in 1954.

Lewis and Clark Pass el. 6000 ft was also known as Indian Fort Pass.

There is no road over the Lewis and Clark Pass, but the sign above marks highways which closely follow the Lewis and Clark Trail within Montana.

The photo above is an aerial view of Lewis & Clark Pass. Look at the view toward the northeast in the photo above, – think Buffalo on the prairie.

The Teddy Roosevelt Monument at Marias Pass el. 5213 ft on highway US – 2, originally Theodore Roosevelt Highway.

Logan Pass el. 6646 ft is in Glacier National Park on Going to the Sun Highway.

General Passes/Hills within Montana follow.

We will start with the southwest part of Montana and move northward and eastward.

Norris Hill el. 5400 ft is on US – 287 between Norris and Ennis. At least 3 former roadbeds are visible from the present highway.

Cardwell Hill el. 5000 ft is on I – 90 between Three Forks and Whitehall.

A very gentle and long smooth climb westbound from Three Forks, but a steep climb eastbound with curves from Whitehall.

Bozeman Pass el. 5819 ft was on the Yellowstone Trail, then US – 10, now I-90. My great-aunt crossed it 3 times in the1800’s, twice in a wagon, once in a Model T, it was always muddy.

Kings Hill Pass el. 7393 ft is on US – 89 right at the Kings Hill Ski Area. The remains of the Kings Hill Silver mine also called the Neihart Star mine are shown above.

Seiben Hill el. 4040 ft north of Helena about 25 miles on I – 15