Established by Congress in 1968, the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail will connect nearly 3,200 miles of trails from the US border with Canada to the border with Mexico.  Of the proposed mileage, 980 are in Montana and Idaho.  The trail snakes through Glacier National Park, the Bob Marshall Wilderness, and even finds itself wondering through ghost towns on its way to the Pintlers. Along with the sublime beauty of the trail, historic sites dot the trail including portions of the Corps of Discovery’s route and high flanks of the Big Hole National Battlefield.  The high elevation of the trail, maxing out at 10,200 feet at Horse Prairie Peak in the Beaverhead Mountains, allow hikers to opportunity to see snow even in the summer months.      

UM Geography Department