What Are the Highest Elevation Interstate Passes in Montana?

You'll climb thousands of feet in elevation crossing Montana.

We got bored today and started checking out the Montana Department of Transportation webcams. These close-to-real-time cameras are such a useful tool for Montana drivers. Many are perched atop the highest highway mountain passes in the Treasure State.

Can you guess some of the highest interstate highway passes in Montana?

Before we get to the highest passes in Montana, the lowest Interstate highway elevation into Montana is near the Montana/North Dakota border on Interstate 94, fondly known as Beaver Hill. Don't let these flatlands and lack of mountains fool you. Winter storms here are not fun.

What's the elevation at the Montana/Wyoming border?

If you're coming through Montana and Wyoming, you'll likely cross states on Interstate 90 near Sheridan, crossing over Aberdeen Hill, elevation 4,101. Again, technically not a pass. But in Montana, a hill often means rapidly changing road conditions. This area experiences frequent road closures when winter storms get bad.

Lookout Pass.

On the opposite side of Montana near the Montana/Idaho border, Lookout Pass isn't particularly high at 4,540 feet, but it's certainly one of the more treacherous Montana mountain passes in the winter.

Bozeman Pass

Okay, now we're picking up some elevation. On sunny, dry, winter days, it's a beautiful drive. If you're here in a snowstorm, not so much.

Homestake Pass

Homestake Pass on I-90 between Three Forks and Butte can be a wheel-gripper on the nicest summer day, with its tight curves, somewhat steep grade, and warning signs every 2 miles about truckers to slow down or horrible things could happen. Taking this drive in a whiteout snowstorm with a sheet of ice on the highway is no walk in the park.

Monida Pass

The highest pass on an interstate highway in Montana is Monida Pass near the Montana/Idaho border. I've made this trip many times, frequently in the winter. When it's dry, it's fine. When conditions are bad, it can be quite unpleasant.

Honorable Mention

Bighole Pass is on MT State Highway 278 in the far corner of southwest Montana. Most tourists probably won't pass (hehe) through here, but the scenery in the summer is gorgeous. Winter travel here can be brutal.

The highest-elevation paved road in Montana is Beartooth Pass which climbs to 10,947 feet after you cross into Wyoming. It typically opens for the season in late May.

Get really high, off-road.

The highest non-paved pass in Montana could be Daisy Pass, also located in the rugged Beartooths near Fischer Mountain. For this "road" (it's essentially an old mining trail), you'll need a high clearance 4x4 or UTV and it's only passable in the summer months.