| Montana's Auto Trails |
Travellers
in Montana have been looking for a good road for a long time.
Early road booster organizations included the Montana Highway
Improvement Association, Nelson B. Story, Jr, President; J.A.
Harader, Secretary based in Bozeman, MT and the Montana Good Road
Congress, H.W. Brown, President; P.N. Bernard, Secretary, based
in Kalispell, MT.
Description :
Runs from Alberta border at Port of Piegan south along US 89 to
Great Falls, then south along I-15 to Butte, then east on MT-2 to
Jct MT-41, then south on MT-41 to Twin Bridges, then east on MT
287 to Jeffers finally US 287 south to the Idaho border
Major Cities :
St. Mary, Choteau, Great Falls, Helena, Boulder, Butte, Twin
Bridges, Jeffers
History :
Joined two national parks, Canada's Banff and Grand Canyon.
Description :
Ran from Laurel south along US 212 to Wyoming border north of
Beartooth Pass
Major Cities :
Boyd, Red Lodge
History :
Columbia Sportwear named a clothing line after this route.
Description :
Ran south from Billings along US 310 to Wyoming border south of
Warren
Major Cities :
Warren
History :
Possibly also called Billings-Cody Road
Description :
Ran from Red Lodge to Absarokee along MT-78
Major Cities :
Roscoe
History :
Runs along Rock Creek, rebuilt from 1931 to 1936.
Description :
Ran from Mondak (currently Snowden) south, jumping into North
Dakota along ND-58, to Fairview, then south on MT-200 to Sidney,
then MT-16 to Savage
Major Cities :
Fairview, Sidney
History :
Passes thru Dore, ND
Description :
Ran from Glacier National Park to Wyoming border south of Warren
Major Cities :
Choteau, Great Falls, Ryegate, Billings
History :
Future
Description :
Ran from Glendive along MT-200 to Armington?
Major Cities :
Lindsay, Circle, Jordan, Sand Sprs., Mosby, Grassrange, Forest
Gr., Lewiston, Armington
History :
Future
Description :
Ran from Missoula to Idaho border
Major Cities :
?
History :
Future
Custer
Battlefield National HighwayDescription :
from Wyoming Border south of Wyola to Glacier National Park
Major Cities :
Lodgegrass, Hardin, Billings, Roundup, Grassrange, Armington,
Great Falls, Choteau, Browning
History :
1920 President: George J. Weiderman of Lewistown, MT
Description :
Ran from Forsyth west along US 12 to White Sulfur Springs, then
west over MT-360 and MT-284 to Helena, then west on US 12 to
Avon, then northwest along MT-141, then west on MT-200 to
Missoula
Major Cities :
Roundup, Ryegate, Loweth, White Sulfur Springs, Watson, Helena,
Helmville, Clearwater
History :
Future
Description :
Ran from Yellowstone NP to Glacier NP
Major Cities :
Three Forks, Helena, Choteau
History :
1920 Secretary - M.Max Goodsill
Description :
Ran from Bozeman south along US 191 to West Yellowstone
Major Cities :
Salesville, Eldridge
History :
Future
Description :
Ran from Glacier NP to St. Mary
Major Cities :
Future
History :
Future
Description :
Ran from Glacier NP to Wyoming Border south of Warren
Major Cities :
Great Falls, Ryegate, Billings
History :
Extended north to Calgary and south to Brownsville or Galveston
Description :
Ran from North Dakota border near Bainville west along US 2 to
Idaho border near Troy
Major Cities :
Glasgow, Malta, Harlem, Havre, Glacier NP
History :
Route between Glacier Park and Benton was via railroad
Description :
Ran from Havre to ?
Major Cities :
?
History :
Southern Terminus was El Paso
Description :
Ran from ? to ?
Major Cities :
?
History :
Future (US 2?)
National
Park to Park HighwayDescription :
Ran from Wyoming border near Gardiner at Yellowstone NP north
along US 89 to Glacier NP, then west on US 2 to the Idaho border
near Troy
Major Cities :
Livingston, Great Falls, Glacier NP, Kalispell
History :
Future
National Parks
HighwayDescription :
Ran from North Dakota border east of Wibaux west along I-94 to
Billings, then west along I-90 to Three Forks, then north along
US 287 to Helena, then west along US 12 to Missoula, and finally
west on MT-200 to the Idaho border near Heron
Major Cities :
Glendive, Miles City, Billings, Livingston, Helena, Missoula
History :
Future
Description :
Ran from Alberta border at Sweetgrass to Saskatchewan border
north of Loring
Major Cities :
I-15 to Shelby, US 2 to Chester, MT 223 to Fort Benton, US 87 to
Fort Assinniboine (Havre), then MT 233 north
History :
West side connected to Fort Calgary, Fort MacLeod, andFort
Whoop-up in Alberta; East side connected to Fort Walsh and Fort
Battleford in Saskatchewan.
Description :
Ran from the Saskatchewan border at Port of Scobey? south along
MT-13 to Scobey, Wyoming Border south of Moorhead
Major Cities :
Scobey, Waska, Volt, south on MT-250 to Wolf Point, then MT-25 to
MT-13 to Circle, then MT-200 to Brockway, then MT-253 to Terry,
then I-94 to Miles City, then MT-59 to Broadus, then Moorehead RD
to Wyoming border.
History :
Complete trail extended north to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and
south to Colorado Springs
Description :
Ran from Saskatchewan border at Port of Whitetail to Yellowstone
NP
Major Cities :
Flaxville, Poplar, Riverside, Astell, Richey?, Paxton, Circle,
Brockway, Terry
History :
Probably followed Yellowstone Highway to Yellowstone NP
Description :
Ran from Butte west along I-90 to Opprtunity, then west on MT-1
to Porters Corners, then west on MT-38 to Hamilton
Major Cities :
Anaconda
History :
Crossed Skalkaho Pass (elev. 7,280 ft)
Description :
Ran from Alberta border at Sweetgrass south along I-15 to Butte
Major Cities :
Great Falls, Helena, Boulder
History :
Extended north to Edmonton
Description :
Ran from North Dakota border east of Bainville along US 2 to the
Idaho border west of Troy
Major Cities :
Glasgow, Malta, Havre, Glacier NP, Kalispell, Libby
Alternate route:
North from Kalispell to Eureka along US 93, then south along
MT-37 to Libby
History :
Future
Description :
Ran from Idaho border along US 20 to West Yellowstone
Major Cities :
None
History :
Future
Description :
Started in Kalispell, ended in West Yellowstone
Major Cities :
Poison, Ravalli, Missoula, Garrison, Butte, Helena,
History :
Markers showed lynching dates
Description :
Ran from North Dakota border east of Baker along US 12 to Miles
City, then I-94 to Billings, then I-90 to Idaho border at Lookout
Pass
Major Cities :
Fallon, Miles City, Billings, Livingston, Butte, Missoula
Alternate routes:
Spur from Livingston along US 89 to Yellowstone NP
History :
Future
If you enjoy the auto trails of Montana, then you may need help finding a Montana campground. There are lots of wonderful campgrounds in Montana that allow you to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the state!
CREDITS:
Color Auto Trail trailblazers and trail information from Dave Schul
Route information and Trail Table from 1926 Rand McNally Road
Atlas
Route information from 1927 Clason's Road Atlas.