Bannack Ghost Town to Lemhi Pass

This 45-mile backcountry route connects two pieces of American frontier history — Bannack’s 1860s gold rush ghost town and Lemhi Pass, where Lewis and Clark first crossed the Continental Divide in 1805. You’ll climb from the Beaverhead Valley through rolling sagebrush hills and over Agency Creek Summit before dropping into the Lemhi Valley. The technical highlight comes at Lemhi Pass itself, where a rough 4×4 track climbs 2,200 feet in 8 miles to the 7,373-foot divide marker.

Moderate difficulty overall with one difficult section at the pass approach — stock 4WD with good tires handles it, but low-range helps on the steep grades. Best run May through October when snow clears the high country. No permits needed, decent dispersed camping along Agency Creek. Cell service is nonexistent once you leave Bannack. You’re driving through the exact country that shaped western expansion, with sweeping views of the Beaverhead Mountains and the satisfaction of standing where the Corps of Discovery stood.