Top Mountains in Montana

Montana's mountains are among the most dramatic in the continental United States — ranges that dwarf anything in the Rockies east of them. The Beartooth Range, the Cabinet Mountains, the Mission Mountains, and the Bob Marshall Wilderness complex all hold terrain rarely accessed outside dedicated expeditions.

Granite Peak (12,807 ft)
The highest point in Montana and the most technically challenging state high point in the lower 48. Located in the Beartooth Range south of Billings near the Wyoming border, Granite Peak requires Class 4 rock climbing skill and experience with route-finding on exposed ridges. The standard approach via the East Rosebud Creek is 22+ miles round-trip with 7,000+ feet of vertical gain. Many experienced climbers use two camps. Do not attempt without proper mountaineering skills and equipment.

Mount Cleveland (10,466 ft)
The highest peak in Glacier National Park, located in the northernmost section near the Canadian border. Mount Cleveland is remote and technical — the summit requires scrambling over loose shale. The 1969 winter attempt that killed five young climbers remains the deadliest accident in Glacier's history.

Mount Jackson (10,052 ft)
One of the most accessible high peaks in Glacier National Park, reached via the Gunsight Pass trail from Jackson Glacier Overlook. The route passes through pristine alpine meadows and an active glacier. Jackson Glacier (visible from the Going-to-the-Sun Road) has retreated dramatically since Glacier National Park was established in 1910 — shrinking from 250+ glaciers to fewer than 25 by 2024.

Trapper Peak (10,157 ft)
The highest peak in the Bitterroot Range and the highest point in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. Reached by a 10-mile round-trip hike from the West Fork Bitterroot trailhead. The summit views across the Bitterroot Valley and into Idaho are outstanding.

Whitetail Peak (12,551 ft) and the Beartooth Plateau
The Beartooth Range south of Red Lodge, Montana contains dozens of peaks over 12,000 feet — the largest concentration of high terrain in the northern Rockies. The Beartooth Highway (US-212) from Red Lodge to Cooke City climbs to 10,947 feet — the highest paved road in Montana and one of the most dramatic highway drives in the US.