US 12 · Idaho and Montana
Lolo Pass, US 12 motorcycle ride
US 12 follows the Lochsa River up through the Clearwater National Forest from Kooskia, Idaho, and crosses Lolo Pass into Montana. A sign at the Idaho end warns of a winding road for the next 99 miles, and the river curves go on just as promised.
Distance
135 mi
Riding time
3 h 20 min
Lowest
1,240 ft
Highest
5,280 ft
Opens Kooskia to Lolo in the MotoCurve planner on the Curvy style. Change the start to your home or hotel, then send it to the app for voice navigation.
Highlights
- The famous winding road sign, a favourite photo stop.
- Mile after mile of river curves along the Lochsa.
- The Lolo Pass visitor center on the Idaho and Montana line.
Before you ride
- Services are very limited along the river. Fill up before you start.
- There is no cell signal for long stretches.
When to ride
Open all year, but the pass sees snow from fall to spring. Summer is the season.
Questions
- How long is the Lolo Pass, US 12?
- As MotoCurve routes it, Kooskia to Lolo is about 135 miles, roughly 3 h 20 min of riding without stops.
- When can you ride the Lolo Pass, US 12?
- Open all year, but the pass sees snow from fall to spring. Summer is the season.
- How high does the Lolo Pass, US 12 go?
- The route runs between about 1,240 and 5,280 feet above sea level.
- Can I get turn-by-turn directions for the Lolo Pass, US 12?
- Yes. Open it in the free MotoCurve planner, change the start to your home or hotel, and send it to the MotoCurve app for voice navigation on Android or iPhone. You can also download the GPX for a Garmin or another GPS.
Put this road on your site
Riding club, blog or ride report? Paste this and your readers get a card of the Lolo Pass, US 12 that opens its map, GPX and directions. Free to use.
Ride these next
Beartooth Highway
US 212 over Beartooth Pass, nearly 11,000 feet, from Red Lodge to the northeast gate of Yellowstone.
Montana and Wyoming · 66 mi
Going-to-the-Sun Road
Across Glacier National Park and over Logan Pass on the Continental Divide.
Montana · 59 mi
Chief Joseph Scenic Byway
WY 296 over Dead Indian Pass, linking Cody to the Beartooth Highway.
Wyoming · 53 mi
More roads in Idaho and Montana
Ride it from
Distance, time and elevation are measured on MotoCurve's own routing. See every road.