Continental Divide Trail
Description: In this area, the Trail traverses a landscape of mountain meadows, granite peaks, and high-desert surroundings in elevations ranging from approximately 7,500 feet to over 9,000 feet. It is characterized by breath-taking vistas occurring along a series of sharp and flat ridgelines that roll from one “saddle” to the next. The slopes near the trail are vegetated with sagebrush, grass, and intermittent stands of pine and Douglas-fir. Although not yet completed, the goal of the Continental Divide Trail is to establish a nearly continuous trail across the peaks and desert plateaus of the Rocky Mountains from Canada to Mexico, covering a distance of over 3,000 miles.
Caution:
This segment of the Trail is very remote. Bring water, food, and emergency supplies. Be aware of this area’s high elevations, rugged terrain, low nighttime temperatures, and the possibility of severe and unpredictable weather. Bring a coat because it can snow any day of the year on the Divide.
Directions: Two segments of the trail pass through public lands within the Salmon Field Office. The first segment begins just south of Lemhi Pass and moves south approximately 13 miles toward Bannock Pass. The second segment begins just south of Bannock Pass, and continues south approximately 5 miles to head of Dead Horse Canyon.
Details:
- Peak Use Period: June-August
- Moderate-difficulty hikes
- Primitive two-track that is open to motorized vehicles with seasonal restrictions.
![Continental Divide Map](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090508202247im_/http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/id/special_areas/continental_divide.Par.58018.Image.-1.-1.1.gif)