Mount Jefferson (Bitterroot Range)

{{short description|Mountain in Idaho and Montana, United States}}

{{for|other mountains named Mount Jefferson|List of peaks named Mount Jefferson}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox mountain

| name = Mount Jefferson

| photo = JeffersonFlowers.jpg

| photo_caption = Mount Jefferson and Flowers (Indian Paintbrush)

| elevation_ft = 10216

| elevation_ref = {{navd88}}{{cite ngs |id=PY1196 |name=Sawelle |accessdate=2008-04-08}}

| prominence_ft = 3363

| prominence_ref = {{cite peakbagger |pid=5002 |name=Mount Jefferson, Idaho/Montana |access-date=2008-04-08}}

| range = Centennial Mountains, Bitterroot Range

| parent_peak =

| listing =

| location = Fremont County, Idaho and Beaverhead County, Montana. U.S.

| map = USA Montana

| range_coordinates =

| map_caption = Location on Montana / Idaho border

| coordinates = {{coord|44.561983|N|111.504899|W|type:mountain_region:US_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| coordinates_ref =

| topo = USGS Mount Jefferson

| type =

| age =

| first_ascent =

| easiest_route = scramble from Sawtell Peak

}}

Mount Jefferson is a mountain located on the Continental Divide between Fremont County of northeastern Idaho and Beaverhead County of southwestern Montana. Mount Jefferson is the highest point of the Centennial Mountains, whose crest runs along the Continental Divide and can be climbed using a class 2 route (scramble) from the access road to neighboring Sawtell Peak.

The south and west slopes of Mount Jefferson drain into Hell Roaring Creek, thence into Red Rock Creek, the Red Rock River, the Beaverhead River, the Jefferson River, the Missouri River, the Mississippi River, and into the Gulf of Mexico.

Brower's Spring, the source of Hell Roaring Creek, on the mountain's east flank in Montana, is considered the absolute headwaters of the Missouri River.

{{cite journal

| last1 = Nell | first1= Donald F.

| last2 = Demetriades | first2=Anthony

| url = http://fwp.mt.gov/mtoutdoors/HTML/articles/2005/MissouriSource.htm

| title = The True Utmost Reaches of the Missouri

| journal = Montana Outdoors

| publisher = Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

| issue = July–August, 2205

| year = 2005

| access-date = 2008-04-08 }}

The northeast slope of Mount Jefferson drains into the South Fork of Duck Creek, thence into Henrys Lake, the Henrys Fork of the Snake River, the Columbia River, and into the Pacific Ocean.

The mountain is named for United States Founding Father and third president, Thomas Jefferson.