Montana Highway 200

State highway in Montana, United States

Montana Highway 200

MT 200 highlighted in red

Route information
Maintained by MDT
Length| 706.584 mi[1] (1,137.137 km)
Existed| October 1967[2]–present
Tourist
routes|  Lewis and Clark Trail
Major junctions
West end|  SH-200 at the Idaho state line
Major intersections|  US 93 from Ravalli to Missoula
I-90 from Wye to Bonner
US 12 from Missoula to Bonner
US 287 near Milford Colony
US 89 from Sun River to Armington
I-15 from Vaughn to Great Falls
US 87 from Great Falls to Grass Range
US 191 from near Hobson to Lewistown
East end|  ND 200 at the North Dakota state line
Location
Country| United States
State| Montana
Counties| Sanders, Lake, Missoula, Powell, Lewis and Clark, Cascade, Judith Basin, Fergus, Petroleum, Garfield, McCone, Dawson, Richland
Highway system

* Montana Highway System

* Interstate
* US
* State
* Secondary

| ←  US 191| | →  US 212

|
|

Montana Highway 200 (MT 200) in the U.S. state of Montana is a route running east–west, across the entire state of Montana. From the starting point at ID 200, near Heron, the highway runs east to ND 200 near Fairview. It is part of a chain of state highways numbered 200 that extend from Idaho across Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota, totaling approximately 1,356 miles (2,182 km) long. At 706.272 mi (1,136.635 km),[1] Montana Highway 200 is also the longest route signed as a state highway in the United States. Highway 200 helps to connect many small towns located in central Montana and the vast plains area of eastern Montana, to larger western Montana cities such as Great Falls and Missoula.

## Route description

[edit]

Highway 200 and US 93 southbound

At its western end at the Idaho state line, MT 200 follows the Clark Fork River at the feet of the Cabinet Mountains eastward for 85 miles (137 km) until it meets the Flathead River at MT 135. It then follows the Flathead River east for 25 miles (40 km) to Dixon where the Flathead River turns north. MT 200 continues east following the Jocko River for 6 miles (10 km) and borders the CSKT Bison Range until it intersects with US 93 at Ravalli. The two highways share a 27-mile (43 km) concurrency and travel south I-90, where they head east into Missoula. MT 200 follows I-90 through Missoula for 14 miles (23 km), with US 93 departing and US 12 joining the route along the way, leaving the interstate near Milltown. The highway runs parallel to the Blackfoot River and is subject to hazardous driving conditions in the winter, particularly due to black ice. From I-90, the road travels 74 miles (119 km) east to Lincoln, and another 39 miles (63 km) where it crosses Rogers Pass on the Continental Divide. It continues east for 21 miles (34 km) to Bowman's Corner where it intersects US 287, and then another 30 miles (48 km) to Sun River where it merges with US 89. The two highways travel for 8 miles (13 km) east to I-15 near Vaughn, where they join the interstate and travel south for 12 miles (19 km) to Great Falls.[1][3]

In Great Falls, MT 200 and US 89 leave I-15, where they become concurrent with MT 3, share a brief concurrency with I-315 (I-15 Business), and merge with US 87, following 10th Avenue South eastward through the city. The four routes of US 87, US 89, MT 3, and MT 200 share a 23-mile (37 km) concurrency from Great Falls to Armington Junction (near Belt), where US 89 heads south and the three remaining routes continue east for 65 miles (105 km). At Eddie's Corner (near Moore), the routes meet US 191 where MT 3 and US 191 share a common alignment to Harlowton. US 87, US 191, and MT 200 share a 14-mile (23 km) concurrency to Lewistown, where US 191 heads north, and US 87/MT 200 continue another 34 miles (55 km) to Grass Range. At Grass Range, MT 200 and US 87 end their 135-mile-long (217 km) concurrency and MT 200 continues east for 98 miles (158 km) to MT 59 in Jordan. MT 200 continues 68 miles (109 km) east to Circle where it intersects MT 13 and MT 200S (an auxiliary route that connects MT 200 with Glendive). It continues 71 miles (114 km) east until it intersects MT 16 and MT 23, where MT 16 and MT 200 head north into Sydney and share a 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km) concurrency. MT 200 leaves Sydney and travels northeast for 11 miles (18 km) to Fairview, where it turns east and crosses into North Dakota.[1][3]

MT 200 follows the following MDT corridors:

Corridor  | Length
(mi)  | Length
(km)  | West end  | East end  | Notes

|
|
|
|
|

P-6 (C000006)[4] | 115.787  | 186.341  | Idaho state line  | Ravalli |
N-5 (C000005)[5] | 27.215  | 43.798  | Ravalli  | Wye | US 93 concurrency
I-90 (C000090)[6] | 13.881  | 22.339  | Wye  | Bonner | I-90 concurrency
N-24 (C000024)[7] | 140.184  | 225.604  | Bonner  | Sun River |
N-3 (C000003)[8] | 7.763  | 12.493  | Sun River  | Vaughn | US 89 concurrency
I-15 (C000015)[9] | 11.604  | 18.675  | Vaughn  | Great Falls | I-15 concurrency
I-315 (C000315)[10] | 0.828  | 1.333  | Great Falls  | I-315 concurrency
N-60 (C000060)[11] | 24.726  | 39.793  | Great Falls  | Armington | US 87 / US 89 / MT 3 concurrency
N-57(C000057)[12] | 279.109  | 449.182  | Armington  | Circle | Includes US 87 / US 191 / MT 3 concurrencies
P-51 (C000051)[13] | 71.047  | 114.339  | Circle  | Jct. MT 16 / MT 23 south of Sidney |
N-20 (C000020)[14] | 14.128  | 22.737  | Jct. MT 16 / MT 23 south of Sydney  | North Dakota state line  | Includes MT 16 concurrency

## History

[edit]

Today's Highway 200 is part of a four-state chain of such routes, but it did not begin that way. It was assembled from other state and federal routes over the years.

The status of the routes and route segments that became Highway 200 in 1937.[15]

* The section from the Idaho line to Ravalli was the original MT 3.
* No concurrency from Ravalli to Missoula on US 93 or US 10.
* The section from Bonner to Sun River was then MT 20, and much was yet to be constructed. The route even followed segments of today's MT 21 to Augusta and future US 287 (then MT 33).
* No concurrency from Sun River to Grass Range along US 87.
* The section from Grass Range to Circle was part of the original MT 18.
* The remainder of MT 18 ran from Circle to Glendive, today's MT 200S.
* The section from Circle to Sidney was Montana 23, ending at then MT 14.
* MT 14 ran the rest of the way to Fairview.

By 1941, US 10 Alternate (US 10A) had replaced MT 3 as part of an alternate route from Wye to Spokane via Sandpoint and was now concurrent with US 93 to US 10.

Between 1948 and 1959, many construction projects and route redesignations with concurrencies made MT 20 from Bonner to Sidney the baseline for today's MT 200. MT 23N replaced MT 14 from Sidney to Fairview and MT 20S replaced MT 18 from Circle to Glendive.

In 1960, MT 20 picked up the Sidney to Fairview segment.

By 1969, the entire MT 20 had become MT 200 and included the former US 10A from Idaho to Wye, and following US 10/93 through Missoula. MT 20S became 200S.

## Major junctions

[edit]

County| Location| mi[1]| km| Exit| Destinations| Notes

|
|
|
|
|
|

Sanders| ​| 0.000| 0.000| |
SH-200 west – Sandpoint| Continuation into Idaho
10.418| 16.766|

MT 56 north to US 2 – Troy| Southern terminus of MT 56
27.959| 44.996|
S-472 south (Blue Slide Road)|
49.102| 79.022|
S-471 west (Prospect Creek Road)| Forest Highway 7, seasonal access to Thompson Pass (S-471) and Cooper Pass (FR-7623, Prospect Creek Road)
Thompson Falls| 49.544| 79.733|
S-472 north (Blue Slide Road)|
​| 56.013| 90.144|
S-556 north (Thompson River Road)|
Plains| 76.706| 123.446|
MT 28 east – Hot Springs, Kalispell, Glacier Park| Western terminus of MT 28
​| 85.030| 136.843|

MT 135 south to I-90 – St. Regis| Northern terminus of MT 135
Perma| 95.617| 153.881|
S-382 north – Hot Springs|
Dixon| 109.750| 176.626|
S-212 north – CSKT Bison Range, Moiese, Charlo|
Lake| Ravalli| 115.787| 186.341|
US 93 north – Kalispell| Western end of US 93 concurrency
​| 126.674| 203.862|
S-559 east (Jocko Road)|
Missoula| Wye| 142.057| 228.619|
S-574 west (Frenchtown Frontage Road)|
143.002| 230.139| 96|
I-90 west – Coeur d'Alene| Western end of I-90 concurrency; exit numbers follow I-90
​| 146.610| 235.946| 99| Airway Boulevard|
Missoula| 148.386| 238.804| 101|

I-90 BL east / US 93 south (Reserve Street) – Hamilton| Eastern end of US 93 concurrency
151.449| 243.734| 104| Orange Street|
152.313| 245.124| 105|

I-90 BL west / US 12 west (Van Buren Street) / Lewis and Clark Trail| Western end of US 12 concurrency
East Missoula| 153.938| 247.739| 107| East Missoula|
West Riverside| 156.883| 252.479| 109|

I-90 east / US 12 east – Butte| Eastern end of I-90/US 12 concurrency
Bonner| 157.962| 254.215| |
S-210 east|
Clearwater Junction| 189.463| 304.911|
MT 83 north – Seeley Lake, Kalispell, Glacier National Park|
Powell| ​| 210.306| 338.455|
MT 141 south – Avon, Helmville|
Lewis and Clark| ​| 240.582| 387.179|
S-279 south – Helena|
Rogers Pass| 245.283| 394.745| Continental Divide (elevation 5,610 ft or 1,710 m)
​| 258.021| 415.245|
S-434 south – Wolf Creek, Bean Lake|
Bowman's Corner| 266.653| 429.136|  US 287 – Augusta, Wolf Creek|
Cascade| Simms| 284.907| 458.513|
MT 21 west – Augusta|
285.105| 458.832|
S-565 north|
Sun River| 297.067| 478.083|
US 89 north – Fairfield, Choteau, Glacier National Park| Western end of US 89 concurrency
Vaughn| 305.042| 490.918| 290|
I-15 north / Lewis and Clark Trail – Shelby| Western end of I-15 concurrency; exit numbers follow I-15
​| 309.140| 497.513| 286| Manchester|
313.018| 503.754| 282|

To US 87 north / Northwest Bypass| Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
Great Falls| 314.997| 506.939| 280|

I-15 BL south (Central Avenue West) to US 87 north| I-15 BL northern terminus
316.586| 509.496| 278

* * *

I-15 south / Lewis and Clark Trail – Helena

* * *

I-15 BL begins / I-315 begins / MT 3 begins (10th Avenue South)| Eastern end of I-15 concurrency; western end of I-15 BL / I-315 / MT 3 concurrency; I-315 is unsigned; I-15 BL southern terminus; I-315 / MT 3 western terminus
316.921| 510.035| 0| 14th Street Southwest| Exit number follows I-15 Bus. (I-315)
317.414| 510.828| | I-315 ends / Fox Farm Road, 6th Street Southwest| Eastern terminus of I-315 and concurrency
318.842–
318.927| 513.126–
513.263| |
I-15 BL north (5th Street South / 6th Street South)| Eastern end of I-15 Bus. concurrency; one-way pair
319.580–
319.660| 514.314–
514.443| |
US 87 north (14th Street South / 15th Street South) / Lewis and Clark Trail – Black Eagle, Havre| Western end of US 87 concurrency; one-way pair
322.760| 519.432| |

US 87 Byp. north (57th Street South) – Malmstrom AFB|
​| 315.779| 508.197|

S-228 north / S-227 south – Highwood, Sand Coulee|
338.597| 544.919|
S-331 north – Belt|
Armington Junction| 342.200| 550.718|
US 89 south – Monarch, White Sulphur Springs| Eastern end of US 89 concurrency
Judith Basin| ​| 352.727| 567.659|
S-427 south – White Sulphur Springs|
Geyser| 363.607| 585.169|
S-551 north – Geyser|
​| 378.899| 609.779|
MT 80 north – Stanford, Fort Benton|
385.004| 619.604|
S-541 south|
391.951| 630.784|
S-207 north – Benchland|
Moccasin| 396.968| 638.858|
S-426 north|
​| 400.744| 644.935|
S-239 west – Hobson, Utica|
Fergus| Eddies Corner| 406.897| 654.837|

US 191 south / MT 3 south / Nez Perce Trail – Harlowton| Eastern end of MT 3 concurrency; western end of US 191 concurrency
​| 421.232| 677.907|
US 191 north / US 87 Byp. south (Truck Bypass) / Nez Perce Trail| Eastern end of US 191 concurrency
Lewistown| 421.232| 677.907|

US 87 Byp. (1st Avenue North; Truck Bypass) to US 191 / S-238 south – Great Falls|
​| 454.758| 731.862|

US 87 south / MT 19 north – Malta, Billings| Eastern end of US 87 concurrency; southern terminus of MT 19
Petroleum| Winnett| 477.375| 768.261|
S-244 south – Winnett|
​| 499.215| 803.409|
S-500 south|
Garfield| ​| 552.485| 889.138|
MT 59 south – Miles City|
Jordan| 553.355| 890.539|
S-245 west – Hell Creek State Park, Airport| Access to Hell Creek State Park via S-543 (jct 280 ft from MT 200)
​| 558.383| 898.630|
S-341 north|
579.279| 932.259|
S-462 south|
Garfield–McCone
county line| Flowing Well| 588.930| 947.791|
MT 24 north – Fort Peck|
McCone| ​| 607.933| 978.373|
S-253 south – Brockway|
618.423| 995.255|
S-467 east|
Circle| 619.496| 996.982|
S-252 west|
620.265| 998.220|
MT 13 north – Wolf Point|
​| 621.309| 999.900|
MT 200S east – Glendive|
Dawson| Richey| 649.106| 1,044.635|  S-254 – Richey, Glendive|
Richland| ​| 692.356| 1,114.239|

MT 16 south / MT 23 east / Lewis and Clark Trail – Watford City, Glendive| Western end of MT 16 concurrency
Sidney| 694.924| 1,118.372|
MT 16 north – Regina, Culbertson, Airport| Eastern end of MT 16 concurrency
Fairview| 706.223| 1,136.556|
S-201 west|
​| 706.584| 1,137.137|
ND 200 east / Lewis and Clark Trail – Williston| Continuation into North Dakota
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

* Concurrency terminus
* Incomplete access

## Related route

[edit]

Montana Highway 200S

Location| Circle–Glendive
Length| 45.280 mi[1] (72.871 km)
Existed| 1967[16]–present

Montana Highway 200S (MT 200S) is a spur route of MT 200 that branches off the main route near Circle and has an interchange with Interstate 94 shortly before terminating at the I-94 business loop in Glendive. MT 200S was originally part of MT 18, renamed MT 20S when MT 23 from Circle to Sidney was renamed MT 20 and received its current name when MT 20 was renamed MT 200.[16] In the state road log, MT 200S picks up the mileposts from route N-57 (C000057) from mileposts 279.109 to 323.472, for a total of 45.280 miles (72.871 km).

Major intersections

County| Location| mi| km| Destinations| Notes

|
|
|
|
|

McCone| ​| 0.000| 0.000|  MT 200 – Circle, Wolf Point, Sidney| Western terminus; highway continues as MT 200 west
Dawson| Lindsay| 23.178| 37.301|
S-467 west|
23.965| 38.568|
S-470 north|
West Glendive| 44.363| 71.395|
I-94 east – Bismarck| I-94 exit 211; no direct access to I-94 west
45.280| 72.871|

I-94 BL to I-94 west – Glendive, Miles City| Eastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

* Incomplete access

## See also

[edit]

* U.S. Roads portal

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f Data and Statistics Bureau (2019). Montana Road Log (PDF) (Report). Helena: Montana Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
2. ^ "New Map Changes Route 20". The Havre Daily News. October 18, 1967. p. 4. Retrieved June 19, 2018 - via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ a b Montana Department of Transportation (2019). Montana Official Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Helena: Montana Department of Transportation. §§ B-1, C-1, C-2, D-2, E-2, E-3, E-4, D-4, C-5, D-5, D-6, D-7, D-8, D-9, D-10, D-11, C-11, C-12. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
4. ^ MDT 2019, pp. 171–175: MP 0.000–115.787
5. ^ MDT 2019, pp. 57–58: MP 27.215–0.000
6. ^ MDT 2019, pp. 12–13: MP 95.483–109.364
7. ^ MDT 2019, pp. 95–98: MP 0.000–140.184
8. ^ MDT 2019, pp. 52–53: MP 7.975–0.000
9. ^ MDT 2019, p. 8: MP 289.607–278.063
10. ^ MDT 2019, p. 25: MP 0.000–0.828
11. ^ MDT 2019, pp. 119–121: MP 96.145–71.359
12. ^ MDT 2019, pp. 113–118: MP 0.000–279.109
13. ^ MDT 2019, p. 218: MP 0.000–71.047
14. ^ MDT 2019, pp. 89–90: MP 49.605–63.833
15. ^ Texaco; Rand McNally and Company (1937). Road map: Idaho, Mont., Wyo (Map). Chicago: Rand McNally and Company. Retrieved April 28, 2017 - via David Rumsey Map Library.[full citation needed]
16. ^ a b "Highway Route Number Changed". The Billings Gazette. October 2, 1967. p. 27. Retrieved June 19, 2018 - via Newspapers.com.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Montana Highway 200.

KML file (edit • help)

Template:Attached KML/Montana Highway 200

KML is from Wikidata

* Historical Highway Maps from MDT

*[mi]: Miles
*[km]: Kilometers