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Pipestone Pass: Highway 2, Continental Divide, Montana
Photo: Mike Cline · CC BY-SA 4.0

Drives Montana Missoula, the Bitterroot and Western Montana

Pipestone Pass: Highway 2

MT 2 · Butte → Whitehall

Leisurely23 mi35 min1,200 ft climbHigh point ≈ 6,500 ftOne way
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The drive

Montana Highway 2 was once part of US 10. The drive runs east from Butte, where MT 2 leaves Continental Drive, and climbs to Pipestone Pass at 6,500 feet before dropping down the Pipestone Creek valley to Whitehall.

The road crosses the pass through forest and open hills, with one twisty stretch near the start, at miles 3 to 4. I-90 carries the through traffic to the north, so the highway is quiet. It's 22.8 miles and about 35 minutes.

Along the way

  1. Butte (Continental Drive)
  2. Pipestone Pass
  3. Whitehall
Elevation
1,200 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 6,500 ft
ButteWhitehall
Curves
Mostly gentle, with one twisty stretch
ButteWhitehall
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • Expect a climbing, curving two-lane with little traffic.
  • Highway 2 isn't on Montana's seasonally closed list; check 511 in winter.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check Montana 511 Travel Information.

Questions about this drive

How long does Pipestone Pass on Highway 2 take?

Butte to Whitehall on Highway 2 is 22.8 miles and takes about 35 minutes.

Is Highway 2 over Pipestone Pass open in winter?

Montana doesn't list it among its seasonally closed roads, but check 511 before a winter drive.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Pipestone Pass: Highway 2, from Butte to Whitehall