US 12 · USA
Lolo Pass
US 12 from Lolo Pass, on the Montana–Idaho line, west down into Idaho along Crooked Fork and the Lochsa River.
Counts are from Turini’s pace-note engine on this route. Heights come from terrain data and can differ from signposted figures by a few tens of metres.
Where is the Lolo Pass?
The Lolo Pass is in the USA, on US 12. Also known as Lewis and Clark Highway. The route on this page: Lolo Pass down US 12 along the Lochsa River, Idaho, 30.7 miles.
Why the Lolo Pass is famous
Lewis and Clark crossed the Bitterroot Mountains here in 1805, and US 12 follows their route. Heading west, the road is signed “Winding road next 99 miles” as it follows the Lochsa through the Clearwater National Forest. This page is the first 31 miles of that.
Lolo Pass corners
Over 49.5 km Turini calls 114 corners graded 1 to 6, plus 1 dip. That is 118 calls in all, one every 419 metres on average. Grade 1 is the tightest, 6 is nearly straight (how to read pace notes). On Turini’s ranking of the twistiest famous roads it comes 55th of 61.
Lolo Pass elevation profile
From 1,593 m at the start to 872 m at the finish, with a highest point of about 1,590 m.
Lolo Pass pace notes, first few miles
The first 25 calls, exactly as Turini reads them, with the distance from the start.
Right 5 long tightensLeft 6Left 4Right 3 long opensLeft 5 longRight 3Left 6Left 4 longRight 3 longRight 5 long tightensLeft 4 longRight 5Right 6Left 4 very longRight 3 long opensRight 5Left 3 very longRight 3 very longLeft 5 longRight 3Right 4 longLeft 4 very longBridgeRight 4 longRight 6That takes you to 7.74 km. 93 more calls follow over the remaining 41.7 km.
Before you drive the Lolo Pass
Open all year, but winter brings snow and ice at the top.
Services are few: the Lolo Pass visitor centre at the top and Lochsa Lodge near Powell. Phone signal is poor along the river. Watch for log trucks and wildlife.
How to drive the Lolo Pass with Turini
Set the route before you leave and Turini saves its notes on the phone, so it works with the screen off and no signal. On the road it reads each call about 4.5 seconds before the corner, timed to your speed, and you never touch the phone. It plays through the phone or the car speakers. If pace notes are new to you, start in Simple mode (Easy, Medium, Hard) and switch to the 1–6 scale once it feels natural.
Always drive within the law, the conditions and what you can see. Turini tells you what the map says; the road is what counts.
The Lolo Pass: questions
Is the Lolo Pass open all year?
Open all year, but winter brings snow and ice at the top.
Where is the Lolo Pass?
The Lolo Pass is in the USA, on US 12. Also known as Lewis and Clark Highway. The route on this page: Lolo Pass down US 12 along the Lochsa River, Idaho, 30.7 miles.
How long is the Lolo Pass?
The route on this page, Lolo Pass down US 12 along the Lochsa River, Idaho, is 30.7 miles (49.5 km) long, with about 70 ft (20 m) of climbing.
How many corners does the Lolo Pass have?
On this route Turini calls 114 corners graded 1 to 6: 118 pace-note calls in all, about 3.7 corners a mile.
How high does the Lolo Pass go?
The highest point on this route is about 5,220 ft (1,590 m), from terrain data, so it can differ from the signposted height by a few tens of metres. It starts at 5,230 ft and finishes at 2,860 ft.
More roads like the Lolo Pass
Best driving roads in the USA · The twistiest famous roads, ranked · All famous roads · How to read pace notes · Best driving apps for twisty roads
Sources: Wikipedia: U.S. Route 12 in Idaho.
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