Major Access Points
Gallatin National Forest
Total Miles: 40
Targhee Pass: From Idaho Falls, ID- travel North 57 miles on US Hwy 20. Hwy 20 is then marked as Hwy 20 or Hwy 18. Continue on Hwy 20/18 north 47 miles to Targhee Pass.
Raynolds Pass at the junction of Hwy 20/18 and Hwy 87, travel north on Hwy 87, 11 miles to Raynolds Pass.
BLM Dillon Field Office – The Centennial Mountains
Total Miles: 30 miles
Access Points
Red Rocks Pass: From Macks Inn, take US 20 north approximately 5.5 miles and turn left on to Bootjack Pass Road. Follow Bootjack Pass Road approximately 7 miles to Red Rock Pass Road. Trailhead is at the top of Red Rock Pass.
Caribou-Targhee National Forest
Total Miles: 61
Aldous Lake: From Kilgore, go north past the general store to the T intersection. Turn left for .3 mile then straight north. Bear right at first intersection. Go 3.8 miles and watch for an intersection on right onto forest road 027. You will reach the Ching creek trailhead after another 6 miles of the graveled but well maintained road. This trailhead serves Aldous and Hancock lakes and is part of the Continental Divide Trail. The east bound CDT leaves from the parking area and the trail to Aldous Lake is part of the westbound CDT.
BLM Salmon Field Office
Total CDT Miles: 21
Access Points
Lemhi Pass: From Salmon, Idaho travel South 21 miles on Hwy 28 to the town of Tendoy. From Tendoy, travel west 11 miles on the Lewis & Clark National Backcountry Byway towards the Sacajawea Memorial and Lemhi Pass.
Bannock Pass. From Salmon, ID travel South 47 miles on Hwy 28 to the town of Leadore. From Leadore travel East 11 miles on Hwy 29 to Bannock Pass.
Salmon-Challis National Forest
Total Miles: 78
Chief Joseph Pass: Beaverhead Mtns. From Dillon, MT travel north 40 miles on Hwy 15 to the town of Divide and intersection of Hwy 43. Travel West on Hwy 43, 75 miles to Chief Joseph Pass.
Lemhi Pass: From Salmon, ID travel South 21 miles on Hwy 28 to the town of Tendoy. From Tendoy travel west 11 miles on the Lewis & Clark National Backcountry Byway towards the Sacajawea Memorial and Lemhi Pass.
Bitterroot National Forest
Total Miles: 25
Access Points
Chief Joseph Pass: Beaverhead Mtns. From Dillon, MT travel north 40 miles on Hwy 15 to the town of Divide and intersection of Hwy 43. Travel West on Hwy 43, 75 miles to Chief Joseph Pass.
Gibbons Pass: From Wisdom, follow MT43 west toward Chief Joseph Pass for approximately 19 miles. Turn right on to FR 106 and follow FR 106 for approximately 8 miles to the top of Gibbons Pass.
Schultz Saddle: From Wisdom, follow MT 43 west toward Chief Joseph Pass for approximately 13 miles. Turn right on to FR 1203 and follow for approximately 10 miles. FR 1203 becomes Forest Road 1137. Follow 1137 for approximately 8 more miles to the saddle.
Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest
Total Miles: 303
Access Points:
Pipestone Pass: From Butte travel south on Continental Drive to the intersection with MT Highway 2. Turn left onto the highway and travel approximately 6 miles to the top of the pass. There is a trailhead on the right that accesses the CDT to the north and south.
Homestake Pass: From Butte, MT travel East on Interstate 90 7.2 miles to Homestake Pass; there is a trailhead to the right that accesses the CDT to the south. Travel north on FS road 222 for 12 miles to Halfway Park road; then north the Nez Perce Trail 92.
Lower Seymour Lake TH: Travel 11 miles west of Wise River on Highway 43, then take Anaconda Road 274 north for 4 miles, then take Seymour Creek 934 northwest for 8 miles.
Rocky Ridge TH: From Butte, follow I-15 south for apprxomately 15 miles. Get off at the Feeley Hill exit. Take the road from Feeley Hill west approximately 2.5 miles to the well signed Rocky Ridge Trailhead.
Helena National Forest
Total Miles: 169
Elevation Gain: 12077 feet
Access Points:
Stemple Pass: From US Hwy 287/MT 15 Helena travel north 22 miles on MT 279 to Wilborn. From Wilborn travel west 8.5 miles following Virginia Creek to Stemple Pass.
Dana Spring: From Avon, MT located 30 miles west of Helena on MT 12, travel north 3 miles on Hwy 141 to Forest Road 136. From Forest Road 136 travel 10 miles East to Dana Springs.
MacDonald Pass: From Hwy 12 in Helena, travel west 15.5 miles to MacDonald Pass.
Roger Pass: Located on US Hwy 200, 64 miles west of Great Falls, MT.
Flesher Pass: From Helena, take Lincoln Road northwest approximately 30 miles to Flesher Pass.
Lewis and Clark National Forest
Total Miles: 115 Miles
Elevation Gain: 21217.00 feet
Access Points:
Marias Pass: Located on US Hwy 2, travel to the Summit Campground near the Roosevelt Memorial to access the CDT. North-bound hikers will be entering the southern portion of Glacier National Park at this point and are required to get multi-day use permits from the Two Medicine Ranger Station off located on US Hwy 25.
Badger Pass: Benchmark/South Fork T.H. From Augusta, MT located on US Hwy 287, travel 17 miles west towards Nilan Reservoir on Ranger Station Road. At the intersection of Road 235, travel southwest 18 miles on Road 235 to South Fork Trailhead.
Glacier National Park
Total Miles: 141
Elevation Gain: 18975.00 feet
Access Points:
Swiftcurrent Pass TH: From Babb, MT located 11 miles south of the Canadian border on US Hwy 89. From Babb travel West on Glacier Route Three 12 miles to Swiftcurrent Campground. From Swiftcurrent hikers can access the western route of the CDT heading North towards Waterton Lake and the Canadian Border. Hikers that would like to take the alternate route, traveling east of the Divide and the Canadian Border at Chief Mountain, can access the Apikuni Trailhead located 11 miles from Babb on Glacier Route Three near Swiftcurrent Falls.
St. Mary Falls: From St. Mary, MT located 32 miles north of Browning on US Hwy 89, travel west on Glacier Route One/Going-to-the Sun Road 11.5 miles to signs for the St. Mary Falls. Hikers can access the CDT here by hiking south on Many Falls Trail to link with Piegan Pass Trail to the North and St. Mary Lake Trail to the South.
East Glacier Park: From East Glacier, MT- located at the intersection of US Hwy 2 & US Hwy 49, from US 49 travel west on Midvale Creek Road to Clark Drive. Clark Drive will lead to Park boundary and access to the CDT.
Significant Features:
Mount Henry Fire Tower
Triple Divide Pass
“The Garden Wall”
Bishop’s Cap Glacier
Feather Plume Falls
Highline Trail
Belly River