US Highway 2

US Highway 2, a two lane highway, stretches across the entire north part of the lower 48 States. I've always enjoyed driving sections of it because it's off the beaten path. Today I drove a section of it across a small part of northeastern Washington. Hardly saw another vehicle, beautiful scenery.

I got to thinking that quite a few trappers probably drive parts of this highway. I'd like to see views from other States of this highway. I've often thought it would be a great road trip to do the whole thing.

Please post your pictures.

The red on the map is highway.



If you look really close in the last picture you will see the top edge of the cliff about two feet in front of me, Drops about 200 feet; maybe more.

I've driven it across the UP of MI through WI, through MN, to Grand Forks, ND, to Minot, ND and to Glasgow, MT. When I was at KI Sawyer AFB we were responsible for coverage of all the northern tier AFB bases. We had to visit them once a year to give a commander's briefing. So, I got to see a lot of that road. Nice scenery for sure. I wish I had pics to share.

It’s only 10 miles from me so way too close to home to take pictures.

Snap a couple pictures and post them. I think it would be really interesting to see the variety of fur country along this route.

Used to trap some of it in MN, but I don't have any pictures either. It too was too close to home.

I have driven that road a time or two from northern Wisconsin to Troy Montana back in the late 70"s early 80"s.
I do not have any pictures but there is a lot see out there, many small towns to stop, gas up and shoot the breeze with the local folks.
It is also a great place to find Jesus if you happen to travel it thru North Dakota and Montana much in the winter time.
Being young and from Wisconsin with a slightly used 72 Chevy Blazer with good tires I realized that I had never been in a
ground blizzard and 4wd is no good when you can not see 10 feet in front of you.
All the crosses along the road by Browning and Cut Bank were a tribute to bad judgement I suppose.
I would like to take that route again one of these days.

Zim

The best coyotes in Montana are taken east of the Rocky Mountains and north of...HWY 2.
I live about 100 mile south of HWY 2, but have driven all that runs through Montana except from Whitefish to the Idaho border.

I think we have met. I may have passed you at 80 and made snide comments about the Wisconsin guy driving at the speed of smell like he had never seen a little snow before.

Waggler, 2 is a beauty of a road that I drive often enough. The route from N Idaho over the border into NW Montana is a wonderful drive. All the way to the divide , right between Glacier Park and the Bob wilderness areas.

Some of the most breathtaking mountains are enjoyed from Idaho border on through Montana. There are some very isolated , out of the way places from that route.

If I had pics from there now I would gladly post. A gorgeous drive with large flocks of turkeys to be seen in the sloping meadows and hay pastures , to deer , elk , and bighorn sheep in select areas , along the tree lines , the Rockies towering in framing grace along much of the route. At times ruffed grouse can be seen as well as the occasional bear crossing the roads at a run.

From Bonner's Ferry to Cutbank ! Several times . Some of the nicest country in the world

Could have been Rob, my old Blazer had a 250 six engine and top speed was 70 mph down hill. Probably a little faster down hill if the road was icey.

Zim

I lived on US 2 in UP for number years.

For nearly 30 years I commuted 70 miles each day(round trip) on US 2 in Northern Wisconsin. Made hundreds of trips west to Duluth Mn or Devils Lake ND and east to upper Mich. Never figured how many hundred thousand miles that was but I wore out a couple rigs and dodged lots of deer for sure. Moved away and cannot take pics now.

Yes, at 70 I was still trying to figure out how to get the Super Bee out of 2nd gear.

I know why...you were suc... my dust from my Mustang, at least that was what I saw in my rear view mirror.

LOL, dust was the least of my worries on some of those winter adventures.
Now that I recall I do remember a handsome feller in a mopar of some sort
with his high beams in my eyes.
Zim

Well Paul I still lived in Wolf Point while you are at the base in Glasgow I was a kid back then who along with my grandparents and my mom we drove to either a aunt's house or a uncle's house in the other direction most weekends we had more than a few times driven back to Wolf Point when if we were fortunate we could see the reflectors on top of the posts along the road, some white out conditions were such that we could hear the windmill turning but couldn't see it and it wasn't far from the house.
We also had a length of bailing twine stretched from the handrail at the house to the corral gate to the barn door in case a white out condition came up while we were milking the cows or gathering eggs at the hen house or feeding the livestock.
Sorry no pictures of any of these events other than what's playing in my mind's eye.
So yes growing up along highway 2 back in the 1960's was a great time !
Proud to be a highliner !
Allan

Its pretty much all four lane interstate across ND now. Its six miles north of my house. With the oil its a zoo driving it.

Picture looks like dry falls. In grant county about 30 miles from my house.

Nice shot of Banks lake too. Excellent walleye fishing there

I traveled a bit of it in Maine, from Bethel to Houlton. Also, I covered all of it from St. Ignace, Mi. to Browning, Montana, but the part west of Michigan was way back in 1981. It was still 2 lane then.

I am only a couple of miles from it and travel the ND portion frequently. Lots of wetlands and crops along it. I prefer the portion of native prairie by Blaisdell.

Living north of hiway 2 in ND and having family along the h-line in Montana, I've driving a fair stretch of it, from Kalispell Mt to just shy of Duluth. Not what you might call the most scenic of places, but it has its own beauty. From Harlem to Culbertson can feel like the most desolate road ever made.

No pictures here but I hit it quite often.


Just a bunch of trees.

I lived my first 18 years in a house along US 2 in the UP. That was 50 years ago, and much of it is still two lane, and a peaceful drive.

Spent a lot of time on HWY 2 sense 1984....I have never been one for taking pictures, I did find this on youtube...try not to blink

I was raised and still live about a mile off 2 in north Idaho. I have driven it from its start in Washington into North Dakota. It is a much tamer highway these days, there used to be a curve between Sandpoint and Priest River known as dead mans curve that lived up to its name every year. I have never seen a part of it that wasn't a joy to the eyes to look at.

Used to drive hwy 2 from the macinac bridge to Wisconsin pretty regular across the U.P. I always enjoyed it. Have driven part of it in MN. Have driven several interstates from one end to the other. 95 75 35 and 5. 10, 20, 70 , 80 and 90. Never Hwy 2 though. Just to far north. Never ran east to west or vice versa clear up there for any distance.

That video is very interesting. Eastern Montana and North Dakota go on forever! Across Northern Wisconsin from Duluth MN to Ironwood Mich just flicks by as it is only 90 miles!!

I trapped a good section of It In ND.

The old highway(early 1900's) ran through my parents property. It was a one lane mountain road. In the late 60's they rebuilt the new highway and rerouted traffic onto the old highway. It was quite interesting to watch the big trucks come through and imagine what the truck drivers thought of the detour. At one spot there is a sheer drop for about a quarter mile and the road is about 20 feet wide. The road is still U.S. Highway as it would take an act of congress to vacate it. It is only used now by locals for hunting access.

What a nice topic...the beauties of certain drives .

Billy, that video is a good one in FAST summery but so much is lost until one slows down ....

Here are some shots , taken by other locals in the area , from the Montana/Idaho border to the divide.

What a diverse , unique northern road , crossing the US ! So neat to see other's experiences in different states , too.

These portions of 2 are my " backyaad ", traversed by truck, on foot, and horseback for years.

Saw my hometown in the video!

Great pictures Sharon, thanks.
I finally found a picture in my files that I was looking for. Mount Index in western Washington about 20 miles east from where Hwy 2 starts.
I'll bet there have been a lot of marten trapped just off of Hwy 2; nice cats also.

Waggler, thats a great shot ! The Cascades are an amazing range unto themselves. Lots of colour phase black bear in those "hills" , too

I wish I knew that range better . Every time I have traveled through there , I am transfixed at the jagged peaks all along the route.

Makes me want to take a good speed horse for a loop ride in there , for a day, and see the sights .

I’ve driven ever bit of highway 2 from Wisconsin to the Washington coast. I live just a short drive south of where it crosses the mt/Nd border and drive it nearly every day for work for the last ten years. If you’re ever driving through the area on 2 and see an oil well anywhere from Ray Nd to Culbertson Montana chances are I’ve worked on it, might even have built it. I got in my first bad wreck on highway 2 just west of Williston.

Hwy 2 west of Minot ND to Williston ND Is a good place to get in a wreck. Plenty of stupid people driving in that area. I love it when a semi with a set of joints pulls out across traffic and stops to wait for on coming traffic and you have to lock up the breaks to keep from T boning him. I drove from the house to Williston during the winter at least once a week for the last five years. You have to stay awake on that road. I hate driving across there. Too many stupid people that think they are in a rush.

Can't tell you how many times I've driven it, but I've slept at all the rest areas East of Duluth, and most of them west to Idaho. Most times heading to or coming from a trappers convention. My van gets better mileage east of Duluth, it doesn't like wind or ethanol gas.

Too bad we don't have someone to chime in on the New England stretch. Nice thread, Waggler

Took this today in Concord, VT.

Thanks, the beaver guy.

Neil Olsen's place is right there in Maine, He gives a great convention......jk

Cool, I would love to go to Maine.

I've driven the entire thing from the bridge to seattle, but only a small part of it in maine.