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Old 04-05-2015, 05:58 PM   #1
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US Highway #2

We are planning a trip out West later this Summer or in the early Fall thus my question
How is the drive from Duluth Mn to Washington State via US Highway #2 ?
I know I 90/94 is probably faster but we are retired and find no need to drive 70 MPH to get somewhere fast.

Thanks
Steve D
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Old 04-05-2015, 06:16 PM   #2
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Hi Steve, I've driven of 2 over the years.
Don't remember much of it out on the flat land though.
From the beginning of the Rockies to Spokane is AAwesome!!
Make sure you side trip up the "Highway to the Sun" in Montana
West of Spokane is flat for a while but gets beauty towards the Cascades.
Enjoy the drive!!
Fred
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Old 04-05-2015, 06:26 PM   #3
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We have done the drive to Montana several times enroute to Alberta.. It's not as nice as before because of all the fracking traffic.. There are better ways to go

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Old 04-05-2015, 06:56 PM   #4
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The "Going to the Sun" highway in Glacier National Park, while an incredible drive, also has some RV length restrictions. Be sure to check on-line before routing yourself that way through the park,



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Old 04-05-2015, 07:00 PM   #5
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From Minot to 50 miles west of Williston you will be in the fracking traffic, but they have improved the roads massively in the past couple of years. It's busy but decent. Hwy 2 IS the way to go if you have the time though. You see America by 2 lane, not interstate roads.

Enjoy,

Perry
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Old 04-05-2015, 07:03 PM   #6
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http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/gttsrfaq.htm link for Road to the Sun opening dates this year

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Old 04-05-2015, 07:13 PM   #7
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We have driven the MN part of Hwy 2 a few times. Its certainly more scenic than the interstate and you can stop at places like Bemidji and see Paul Bunyan and his ox. Much of it in the western part in MN is 4 lane with 65 limit.

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Old 04-05-2015, 07:21 PM   #8
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We've driven all the way to Seattle. The only caution I recall is the road into the Columbia River valley just before Wenatchee heading west. A steep, curvey down hill section with a stop sign at the bottom of the hill and virtually no where to pull over on the downhill run. Be sure to downshift on this hill.
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Old 04-05-2015, 07:27 PM   #9
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We took US-2 west last summer from Michigan to Glacier and beyond and the drive through the Williston area has not gotten any better. There's so much traffic that the roads there can't handle the volume. We're headed back to Glacier and then Alaska this summer and we're going to use a more southern route, even though it means going out of our way just to avoid the Williston area.
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Old 04-05-2015, 07:40 PM   #10
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Like Adrian, we have driven the section from Duluth to Bemidji in Minnesota. If I am looking for a "blue highway" this would be on top of my list. There is a neat city owned campground in Proctor, probably my favorite commercial campground is downtown Duluth - Lakehead Boat Basin, at Norway Beach you can camp with the Minnesota state bird, though you will find them common to northern Minnesota.

I also had an opportunity to bicycle on sections of US 2 in the UP of Michigan. We were on an 1100 mile circle of Lake Michigan covering the distance in 11 days. In the UP, US 2 was the only route. Again, those stretches we road were exceptional. Multi-lane with quality surface. You will go through villages and cities but that is what makes it good.

In Montana I have also cycled stretches of US 2 between Kalispell and Bonners Ferry. The Going to the Sun Highway is exceptional. To really enjoy it take a shuttle to the top, one of the old, but rebuilt, Ford "jammers". Then the driver can also enjoy the trip.

It is interesting that the highway is used by cyclists, that tells you much about what you can expect to find.
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Old 04-05-2015, 07:49 PM   #11
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Not to worry about that Hiway 2/97 intersection, I've driven through it about 4 times in the past month. If you can't stop, all you will do is wind up in the Columbia River. LOL.


But as long as you are there, turn right on 97 and come up to Lake Chelan for a visit, it's only about 30 minutes north and you will remember the visit forever. If you turn left and stay on Hiway 2/97you will wind up in Wenatchee, a most forgettable location.


And again, the Going to the Sun highway isn't always open. See the link in post #6 for details.


BTW: I never drive 70 MPH for anyone when towing. I drive 55 and stay alive. It's a lot easier to do on the interstates than on 2 lane secondary roads like Highway 2,



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Old 04-05-2015, 09:52 PM   #12
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Ha, I live just off Highway 2 just down from Stevens Pass. Oh don't forget to stop in Leavenworth just west of Wenatchee. And plan your trip so you aren't going west over the pass on a Sunday night. The traffic can be crazy!!
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Old 04-11-2015, 08:48 PM   #13
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I drove from Duluth to Kalispell on hwy 2 nine years ago and enjoyed it. I skipped down from Kalispell to Missoula and got on I-90. I've since driven the Idaho and the rest of the Montana part and really liked that too. I'd like to return to the campground I stayed at between Libby and Kalispell and have my kayak along.


That grade coming down PIne Canyon to Orondo (the one that drops down to the Columbia north of Wenatchee) used to REALLY be interesting. When I was little it was a stretch of switchbacks and was carsick city. There was a water fountain and spigot part way up because so many cars overheated (including ours) on the way up.


I have not been on that part for many years. I wonder if the water fountain is still there?
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Old 04-11-2015, 10:36 PM   #14
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Libby Mt. was mentioned, reminded me of a couple of stops that should be pointed out.
There is beautiful set of falls along highway 2 just west of Libby, Kootenai Falls, short walk to waters edge, has a swinging bridge over the falls.
A few miles west of there is the junction of 2/56, rest stop with rest rooms. About 16 miles down 56 is the turn off to the Ross Creek Cedars.
Old growth cedar stand, google for images, beautiful spot and well worth the windy paved narrow road to get to.
There is also a campground around there back in the forest, Haven't stayed there but drove through once.
God's Country
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Old 04-12-2015, 06:06 AM   #15
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Stay away from US 2 in N Dakota, especially the western part and in the eastern part of Montana. There is so much oil boom activity that you'll never find a place to spend the night. We went through there ignorant of the oil activity. We did spend the night at Camp Walmart in Williston along with several others. I believe Walmart has stopped allowing this due to so many workers "living" in the parking lot because of the lack of any available rv/campground space. Other than that it's an interesting drive that we've taken several times. There are fairly severe length limits on Going to the Sun highway through Glacier. We once were not allowed to go through until we took our 11 1/2 ft pickup camper off our truck. It's possible that trailers might not be allowed at all.
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Old 04-15-2015, 10:51 AM   #16
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I just yesterday returned from a trip on Rt. 2 from Wenatchee to the coast and, overall it's not bad, but there is still a bit of 2 lane on the downhill side from Stevens' Pass. Not bad, but I wouldn't want to tow on it in snow/ice conditions. Unless you want the very nice scenery, I'd still get on I-90 from Spokane to Seattle.


BTW: When in the Seattle area don't miss the Museum of Flight @ Boeing Field and the Lemay "Americas Car Museum" in Tacoma. Both are easy to get to & fantastic.



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Old 04-15-2015, 11:58 AM   #17
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The snow on the passes does not last all year. Summer or early fall will be fine. Our pass on Highway 12 is most likely "bare and wet" today after having some good snowfalls in the past few days.


Plus, the highway crews now use a chemical that keeps the snow and ice melted pretty good.


I don't go to Seattle or drive Stevens Pass but there can be gridlock on the west side of the pass on Sunday afternoons from the Return To Seattle traffic.
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Old 04-15-2015, 02:42 PM   #18
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Live in Saskatchewan and have driven the number 2 east from Minot many times. And drove down to the Black Hills through Dickinson last summer. It was surprisingly very busy with the Bakkan oil field fracking going on. Having said that, with the sudden drop in the price of oil to $50 per barrel, its night and day. Like somebody turned off the switch. I wouldnt expect the traffic to be as bad as it was.
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