Marias Pass

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Marias Pass (elevation 5213 ft (1588m)) is a mountain pass in the vicinity of Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana in the United States. The pass traverses the continental divide in the Lewis Range, along the boundary between the Lewis and Clark National Forest and the Flathead National Forest.

The pass was discovered by John Frank Stevens, principal engineer of the Great Northern Railway, in December of 1889. The location of the pass had been rumored for several years beforehand, but it took Stevens and a Blackfeet Indian guide named Coonsah to discover it. The pass proved ideal for a railroad, because its approach was broad and open, within a valley ranging from one to six miles wide, and at a gentle grade that would not require extensive excavation or rockwork. Construction of the railroad through the pass started on August 1, 1890, starting from Fort Assinniboine to Marias Pass. The railroad followed the Flathead River west of the continental divide. Guthrie, C.W., (2004), All Aboard for Glacier, Farcountry Press: Helena, MT, 1-56037-276-1

Today, U.S. Route 2 and the BNSF Railway still use the pass. The railway is still active as part of the main BNSF transcontinental line. A statue of John Frank Stevens stands at the summit of Marias Pass.

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