ID - Bitterroot Range Section

The Bitterroot Range Section of the CDT follows one of the most historically significant mountain corridors in North America, tracing the route near Lolo Pass used by the Lewis and Clark Expedition during their arduous 1805 crossing of the Continental Divide. This point-to-point route along the Idaho-Montana border traverses a rugged landscape of dense conifer forest, rocky ridgelines, and high saddles that give way to sweeping views of the Clearwater and Bitterroot river drainages.

The terrain is demanding and the trail sees relatively light traffic compared to more famous CDT sections, lending it a genuine sense of solitude and discovery. The forests here are ecologically important, sheltering populations of gray wolf, black bear, moose, and elk that have benefited from decades of wilderness protection. The crossing near Lolo Pass connects Idaho and Montana along a route where explorers once struggled through deep September snow. Interpretive markers along the highway corridor near the pass tell the story of the Corps of Discovery journey. This section rewards hikers with historical resonance alongside exceptional wilderness scenery.