Monida Pass

{{Short description|Mountain pass in United States}}

{{Infobox mountain pass

| name = Monida Pass

| photo = Beaver Canyon.jpg

| photo_caption = Beaver Canyon

| photo_width = 260px

| elevation_ft = 6870

| elevation_ref =

| traversed = {{jct|country=USA|I|15}}

| map = United States##Idaho

| map_caption = Location in the United States##Location on Idaho-Montana border

| map_size = 260

| label = Monida Pass

| location = Beaverhead County, Montana /
Clark County, Idaho, U.S.

| range = Bitterroot Range,
Rocky Mountains

| coords = {{coord|44.55861|N|112.30556|W|type:pass|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| coordinates_ref =

| topo =

}}

Monida Pass is a high mountain pass in the northern Rocky Mountains of the western United States, at an elevation of {{convert|6870|ft|0}} above sea level on Interstate 15, and {{convert|6820|ft|0}} on the Union Pacific Railroad.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}

On the Continental Divide in the Bitterroot Range, it marks the transition between the Beaverhead Mountains and the Centennial Mountains. Its name is derived from the states that it separates, "Mon" from Montana and "-ida" from Idaho.[http://www.ultimatemontana.com/sectionpages/Section6/monida.html UltimateMontana.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516034052/http://www.ultimatemontana.com/sectionpages/Section6/monida.html |date=2008-05-16 }}. retrieved 2008-04-24.

The pass forms part of the border between eastern Idaho and southwestern Montana, and is between the towns of Spencer in Clark County and Lima in Beaverhead County. On the Idaho side is Beaver Creek running through Beaver Canyon, which was the route of the Utah and Northern Railway in 1880 and is still used by Union Pacific.[http://imnh.isu.edu/ Idaho Museum of Natural History] - [http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/ Digital Atlas of Idaho] - [http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/geog/rrt/rrtzoom.htm Rocks, Rails & Trails] - [http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/geog/rrt/part3/35.htm Part 3, History of Eastern Idaho] - "[http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/geog/rrt/part3/chp7/50.htm The Gold Road & the Coming of the Railroads]," [http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/geog/rrt/part3/chp7/54.htm Page 54]. Retrieved 4 March 2007.

Image:Monida pass 2.jpg

Image:Humphreys Idaho.jpg

Image:Monida, Montana.jpg]]

Union Pacific once had an icemaking plant at Humphrey, Idaho, which is now a ghost town; Monida, Montana, which is near the top of the pass, is also almost a ghost town, as only seven people now live there at {{convert|6780|ft|0}}, {{convert|90|ft|0|spell=in}} below the pass {{nowrap|on I-15.}}

File:Monida Stage coach garage.jpg

In the late 19th century, stagecoaches ferried tourists from the railroad at Monida Pass to Yellowstone National Park, until UP built a branch line to the park over Reas Pass. Interstate 15, the "Veterans Memorial Highway," runs through the pass and north to the international boundary with Canada at Sweetgrass.[http://data.opi.state.mt.us/bills/mca_toc/index.htm Montana Code Annotated 2005] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070216144007/http://data.opi.state.mt.us/bills/mca_toc/index.htm |date=2007-02-16 }} - [http://data.opi.state.mt.us/bills/mca_toc/60.htm 60] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070409173102/http://data.opi.state.mt.us/bills/mca_toc/60.htm |date=2007-04-09 }}-[http://data.opi.state.mt.us/bills/mca_toc/60_1.htm 1] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070410003048/http://data.opi.state.mt.us/bills/mca_toc/60_1.htm |date=2007-04-10 }}-[http://data.opi.state.mt.us/bills/mca/60/1/60-1-203.htm 203. Veterans memorial highway] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109230407/http://data.opi.state.mt.us/bills/mca/60/1/60-1-203.htm |date=2007-11-09 }}. Retrieved 4 March 2007.