Montana Highway 38
{{Short description|State highway in Montana, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox road
|state=MT
|type=MT
|route=38
|map={{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=290|frame-height=240|type=line|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Montana Highway 38}}}}
|map_custom=yes
|map_notes=MT 38 highlighted in red
|length_mi=53.835
|length_notes=
|established=1924
|decommissioned=
|direction_a=West
|terminus_a={{Jct|state=MT|US|93}} in Grantsdale
|junction=
|direction_b=East
|terminus_b={{Jct|state=MT|MT|1}} at Porters Corner
|previous_type=MT
|previous_route=37
|next_type=MT
|next_route=39
}}
Montana Highway 38 (MT 38), also known as Skalkaho Road or Skalkaho Highway is a state highway in the US state of Montana approximately {{convert|53.8|mi|km}} long. It provides seasonal direct land connections between the communities of Hamilton on the west and Philipsburg and Anaconda on the east via Skalkaho Pass.
The highway and the {{convert|7258|ft|m|adj=mid|-high}} pass take their name from the Salish word Sq̓x̣q̓x̣ó, "many trails".{{Cite web |title = Salish Audio Files |publisher = Salish-Pend d'Oreille Culture Committee |accessdate = June 28, 2014 |date = 2014 |url = http://www.salishaudio.org/SalishLC/SalishLC.html }}
Route description
MT 38 begins {{convert|3|mi|km|spell=in}} south of Hamilton, at an intersection with U.S. Highway 93 (US 93). Initially, the highway heads south along a former section of US 93. The road takes an abrupt turn eastward as it passes through Grantsdale, begins its meandering climb southeast along Skalkaho Creek and northeast along Daly Creek through the Sapphire Mountains, turning southeast again before it crosses Skalkaho Pass. From the pass, MT 38 descends along the West Fork Rock Creek, past the Gem Mountain sapphire mine and crosses Rock Creek near its headwaters, going into Eagle Canyon before making a northeasterly run to its terminus at MT 1, {{convert|6|mi|km|spell=in}} south of Philipsburg and {{convert|23|mi|km}} west of Anaconda.
Except for its westernmost and easternmost segments, MT 38 is mostly gravel.
=Winter closure=
Due to heavy snowfall on the narrow winding road, MT 38 is closed from {{convert|14|mi|km}} east of Daly Creek to {{convert|16|mi|km}} west of Gem Mountain, usually from late November until Memorial Day weekend.
=Scenic routes=
Skalkaho Highway is part of, or links to, these scenic routes:
- The Skalkaho Highway Scenic Byway
- Philipsburg Scenic Loop (MT 38, Rock Creek Road, Montana Secondary Highway 348 and MT 1)
- Rock Creek Road Back Country Byway (connects to Interstate 90 east of Clinton at exit 126)
- Pintler Scenic Route (MT 1)
Major intersections
{{jcttop|length_ref={{cite web |author = Montana Department of Transportation |title = Montana Off System Routes |url = http://gis-mdt.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/118aa75ded8841d9a2267b35d53e6546_1 |publisher = Montana Department of Transportation |accessdate = April 29, 2017 |format = GIS data }}}}
{{MTint
|county=Ravalli
|location=Grantsdale
|mile=0.000
|road={{jct|state=MT|US|93|city1=Darby|city2=Hamilton}}
|notes=Western terminus
}}
{{MTint
|county=Granite
|location=Porter's Corner
|mile=53.835
|road={{jct|state=MT|MT|1|city1=Phillipsburg|city2=Anaconda}}
|notes=Eastern terminus
}}
{{jctbtm}}
See also
- {{portal-inline|U.S. roads}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Attached KML|display=title,inline}}
- [http://www.dangerousroads.org/north-america/usa/349-skalkaho-highway-usa.html Skalkaho Highway from dangerousroads.org]
- {{Cite web |title = The Skalkaho Highway Scenic Byway in Southwest Montana : Information, Photos and Maps |url = http://www.bigskyfishing.com/scenic-drives/skalkaho-highway.php }}