Continental Divide Trail – Lemhi Pass

The rocky switchbacks up to Lemhi Pass mark where Lewis and Clark first crossed the Continental Divide in 1805, and the views into Idaho’s Lemhi Valley haven’t changed much since. This high-clearance route follows primitive forest roads from Highway 324 near Tendoy, Montana, climbing through lodgepole pine and alpine meadows to the 7,373-foot pass marked by a simple monument. The descent into Agency Creek drops steeply through loose rock and tight turns that’ll test your line choice.

Stock 4WD with good tires handles it fine in dry conditions, but avoid during snowmelt when the clay sections turn greasy. Best run July through September when the high country opens up. No permits required, but fuel up in Salmon, Idaho, before heading out – it’s remote country with zero cell service. The payoff is camping under massive skies where you can literally stand on the Continental Divide and piss into two different watersheds.