Why is it called Bannock Pass?
Usa, north-america
76.92 km
2,342 m
easy
Year-round
Okay, road trip fans, let's talk Bannock Pass! This beauty straddles the Montana/Idaho border, clocking in at a lofty 7,684 feet above sea level.
So, "Bannock"? That's a nod to the Bannock Native American tribe who used this route way back when, connecting Montana's buffalo lands to the Snake and Salmon River fishing havens. Think of it as the original cross-state shortcut between the Lemhi River Valley and Horse Prairie!
You'll find this pass nestled high in the Beaverhead Mountains, part of the stunning Bitterroot Range in the Rockies. The southern side is known as Idaho State Highway 29 (ID-29), morphing into Montana Secondary Highway 324 (MT-324) as you head north.
The good news? It's mostly paved and pretty wide, with a manageable max gradient of 7.0%. The slight catch? Expect about 10 miles of gravel connecting those smooth sections.
Bannock Pass runs for 47.8 glorious miles, stretching west to east from Leadore, Idaho, all the way to the I-15, north of Red Rock, Montana. It sits right on the Continental Divide, so expect some seriously epic views.
Road Details
- Country
- Usa
- Continent
- north-america
- Length
- 76.92 km
- Max Elevation
- 2,342 m
- Difficulty
- easy
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