Homestake Pass, Montana

Homestake Pass, east of Butte, is where Interstate 90, the northernmost transcontinental interstate, crosses over the Continental Divide. The Interstate, which connects Boston to Seattle, was built through here in 1966. The pass was first developed by Northern Pacific Railway in 1889, to connect Butte with its mainline to the east, at Logan. Railways extend westward from Butte, along a corridor now shared with Interstate 90. BNSF ended up owning the line through the pass, and continued passenger service until 1979. The company stopped using the tracks in 1983, as its grades are steep for freight, and the line through the Mullan Tunnel, west of Helena, is more efficient.