Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway

State: Montana
National Forest: Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
Length: 49.0 mi / 78.9 km
Time to Allow: 1.5 hours

On the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, you can travel the length of the Pioneer Mountain Range. Granite peaks topping 10,000 feet in elevation are to the east, and gentler, forested terrain stretches out to the west. You'll see mountain meadows, lodgepole pine forests and broad "willow bottoms." The road gently ascends a 7,800 foot divide between Wise River, flowing north, and Grasshopper Creek, flowing south. Interpretive sites along the byway tell travelers about the natural scene and some of the interesting history of the Pioneer Mountains. You may also visit the ghost town of Coolidge and the abandoned Elkhorn silver mine.

Stories

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  Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway Overview Story

  Aug 30, 2006

  The rugged ridge of the Pioneer Mountains cuts the big sky of Montana over the beautiful Pioneer Valley, where little has changed since the days of the westward exploration. The Pioneer Valley Scenic Bwyay will take you back through the homesteading history of Montana.