There’s nothing quite like a scenic drive in Montana. With an area of 147,040 square miles, Montana is the fourth largest state in the United States, offering a near-endless expanse of open roads and scenic panoramas. While Montana is home to some truly beautiful highways and byways, our state also has its share of scary and all-out dangerous drives. Even the best drivers in the Last Best Place should proceed with caution around the steep corners and sharp curves found on the following drives. These six roads have been ranked as some the most dangerous drives in Montana:

1. MacDonald Pass
Cromely / Flickr
This historic mountain pass is located west of Helena, crossing over the Continental Divide. And while it's a beautiful drive, it's not without its sharp corners and steep cliffs. In the wintertime, the pass can get pretty icy.
2. Going-to-the-Sun Road
Loco Steve / Flickr
Going-to-the-Sun Road is one of Montana's most breathtaking drives, but it can be pretty harrowing. It's windy, elevated, and often misty at the top. If you're scared of heights, leave the driving to someone else.
3. Highway 93
Wikipedia
Highway 93 stretches from the Canadian border straight through Missoula, and it certainly doesn't seem scary. But between the 3,000 annual wildlife related crashes reported every year and the motorists who drive entirely too fast, it's one of our state's deadliest highways. Pay careful attention to the 20-mile stretch between the 90 and 110 mileposts, which studies have shown to have the highest concentration of deer, elk, and bears.

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4. Sheep Mountain Road
Wikimedia
Located in Park County, this is one of the highest roads in Montana. And since it's a gravel road, it's rocky and bumpy, often impassable during the winter. While dangerous, Sheep Mountain Road is also one of the state's most scenic routes!
5. Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway
Nick B. / TripAdvisor
If you're scared of heights or unpaved mountain roads aren't your strong suit, you may want to avoid this scenic byway, especially in the winter. Traveling the length of the Pioneer Mountain Range is wonderfully scenic, but conditions can be dangerous at times -- so proceed with caution!
6. Highway 191
Bergind / TripAdvisor
In the summer months, taking 191 from Bozeman down to West Yellowstone (or vice versa) is breathtaking. But during the winter, it has been called an icy gauntlet of death and a lethal poster child for growth in the West. Hundreds of people have been injured (or worse) in car accidents here.

Have you tackled any of these most dangerous drives in Montana before? The Treasure State may have some winding, treacherous roads, but it also has plenty of peaceful and beautiful drives, like these scenic byways.

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most dangerous drives in Montana

Sarah | July 19, 2021

What are some of the most beautiful drives in Montana?

Ironically enough, some of the routes listed in the above roundup of the most dangerous drives in Montana actually are some of the state's most scenic and beautiful! Going-to-the-Sun Road is a trans-mountain highway that's 50 miles of pure Montana majesty, carved out of the earth and mountains of Glacier National Park. And while Glacier is certainly one of the most wondrous national parks in the country, Going-to-the-Sun Road takes the experience to another level entirely. Designed to blend in seamlessly with its striking surroundings, all of the road's bridges, retaining walls, and guardrails were constructed using native materials. Going-to-the-Sun Road was - and still is - considered to be a triumph of modern engineering. Read all about this beautiful drive in Montana in this article.

What are the most dangerous places in Montana?

In similar response to the question above, Montana's Glacier National Park is a place of breathtaking beauty -- and danger. Within the park, there's a trail that is considered to be the single most dangerous hike in all of Montana. Called either Apgar Trail or Huckleberry Trail, many rate this advanced hikers’ destination as one the most dangerous in the United States. Located in Montana’s Glacier National Park, the steep and rocky path is sometimes riddled with grizzlies, ice, or even fire, but the flip side of this is, of course, that the trail does feature some truly splendid vistas.

Is Montana a dangerous place to live?

By and large, Montana is a wonderful and safe place to call home. However, it's not immune to the problems of the world. While this state is still considered a very safe place to live, as far as crime statistics go, some cities are safer than others. Recently, an article was released after studying three years’ worth of FBI crime data. Based on that, these cities and towns (all with populations of over 1,000) were ranked as some of the most dangerous places in Montana.

Related Articles

Featured Addresses
MacDonald Pass, Montana 59601, USA
Going-to-the-Sun Road, Going-to-the-Sun Rd, Montana, USA
U.S. 93, US-93, Missoula, MT, USA
Sheep Mountain Road, Sheep Mountain Rd, Clancy, MT 59634, USA
Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway, Polaris, MT, USA
U.S. 191, US-191, Montana, USA