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Ride to Great Falls

Thanks! I will check it out. I was actually hoping to take highway 61 out if Ogallala up to Hyannis and on to Spearfish Canyon Lodge. BUT ... my wife has a niece in Armour, SD (quite the metropolis) that is on the NE end of SD which would make your suggestion easy to do. Thanks for the suggestion.


HA .... just checked and 18 is spitting distance to Armour, SD.

If you do go through Nebraska, NE 2 out of Grand Island is a superb ride through the sandhills. I have not ridden 61, looks pretty good, too.

This is wide open country riding... I love it!
 
If you do go through Nebraska, NE 2 out of Grand Island is a superb ride through the sandhills. I have not ridden 61, looks pretty good, too.

This is wide open country riding... I love it!

Highway 2 looks nice but if I did that I'd probably miss 61. So many choices! I love the wide open country once you get out west.
 
If you do go through Nebraska, NE 2 out of Grand Island is a superb ride through the sandhills. I have not ridden 61, looks pretty good, too.

This is wide open country riding... I love it!
Hwy 2 is a fantastic road. Hills, long sweepers,not much traffic and you get to see a lot of trains too.
 
I know, BTDT way too many times, the route is impossible to see at that scale, but I would be using either 224 to 30 or 18 to 20 in Akron. I thought about going across Ontario and up round Huron and Superior then down to Duluth or cross Sault St Marie into the UP, not sure I want to spend any time in Canada this trip.

If you go to Glacier NP, you'll most likely want to see the Canadian Park to the North. It's just a comment.
 
Hwy 2 is a fantastic road. Hills, long sweepers,not much traffic and you get to see a lot of trains too.

OK ... so I just modified my route and nixed "61" out of Ogallala and now pick up "2" out of Grand Island NE to Hyannis :thumb

There better be trains :D
 
If you go to Glacier NP, you'll most likely want to see the Canadian Park to the North. It's just a comment.

Is there a road that allows one to travel directly from Waterman Natonal Park into Glacier? As far as I can tell, it does not seem possible, but I hope that I mistaken.
 
Waterton Park to Glacier Park

There is no direct route via Google Maps in winter and because a couple of passes are closed due to high snow depth and routing is even less direct. Fairly direct in summer: Starting at Waterton AB (the town inside the park), take highway 5 northeast to highway 6, then south east to USA border and highway 17. Join highway 89 south to St Mary. Turn west to the 'Going to the Sun' highway to the town of West Glacier MT. Reverse if going the other way.

Highway 6/17 and 'Going to Sun' in Montana are closed at time of this writing (January).

Screen Shot 2020-01-14 at 16.56.12.png
 
Going to Sun Road

I saw a news blurb about major construction on going to sun road this year plus another article on shuttle service for park shutting down causing even heavier traffic

D3A1BA40-28CF-499B-A5F5-D24F7F6DC649.jpeg

Above warning was easy to find but you get the idea
 
I've got a day trip out of Great Falls to Road to the Sun planned, hoping to leave early enough in the am to avoid traffic, hoping to hit the road east side by 9:30am. I was also looking to do day trip West of Missoula across US12 through Lolo and Clearwater national parks, anyone ridden that way? Worth the trip?
 
I've got a day trip out of Great Falls to Road to the Sun planned, hoping to leave early enough in the am to avoid traffic, hoping to hit the road east side by 9:30am. I was also looking to do day trip West of Missoula across US12 through Lolo and Clearwater national parks, anyone ridden that way? Worth the trip?

Enjoyed that route during the 1998 Missoula Rally.
 
OK ... so I just modified my route and nixed "61" out of Ogallala and now pick up "2" out of Grand Island NE to Hyannis :thumb

There better be trains :D
I guarantee you will see trains from Grand Island to Hyannis. Good size yard in Grand Island. BNSF Coal train/freight stuff. BNSF has huge locomotive shop in Alliance. Union Pacific has the world’s largest rail yard in North Platte Neb. off of I80. You can tour it.
 
I've got a day trip out of Great Falls to Road to the Sun planned, hoping to leave early enough in the am to avoid traffic, hoping to hit the road east side by 9:30am. I was also looking to do day trip West of Missoula across US12 through Lolo and Clearwater national parks, anyone ridden that way? Worth the trip?

Traveling east to west on the Going to the Sun Road generally means less traffic, and being early in the day helps too. Most people start on the west, Columbia Falls side, and many turn around at the Logan Pass visitors center. Coming from the east that means less traffic getting to Logan Pass but heavy traffic going down the west side, and that is where much of the great scenery is located. The list below shows opening dates for a 17 year period and as you can see the road may not be open. When it does open it may not mean the entire road is open (they sometimes open it on the west side to Logan Pass while the east side is still being plowed), and when it does first open it will probably be swamped with people. Bring patience.

Riding HWY 12 west of Lolo from Great Falls will be a long day ride from Great Falls; 220 miles to Lochsa Lodge at Powell and that is only 45 miles west of Lolo, MT. Once you cross into Idaho the speed limit is 50 MPH and they are pretty tough on speeding. Avoid the road on the weekend as it may be packed with large groups of cruisers and road racer wannabes. There is fuel at Lolo and at Lochsa Lodge (only 2 pumps at Lochsa so there may be a line). You may see on your GPS that there is fuel at Lowell (65 miles west of Lochsa Lodge) but the station has been closed the last three times we were there. The first fuel west of Lochsa Lodge will be near Kooskia which is 87 miles from Lochsa Lodge and 310 miles from Great Falls. Good food at Lochsa Lodge and at the the Wilderness Cafe in Lowell.

I assume you mean Clearwater National Forest rather than National Park. The National Forest surrounds Lowell. Lowell, ID, also known as Three Forks, is where the Lochsa and Selway Rivers join to form the Middle Fork of the Clearwater River. Highway 12 runs along the Lochsa River for much of the way from Lochsa Lodge to Lowell. There is a great deal of recreation on the rivers, especially around Lowell. There is not much to Lowell; cafe, small motel, campground and an IDOT facility. There is a former Japanese internment camp located somewhere near Lowell but I have not seen it.




Logan Pass Opening Dates
2000 May 27
2001 June 7
2002 June 28
2003 May 30
2004 May 30
2005 May 22
2006 June 23
2007 July 1
2008 July 2
2009 June 26
2010 June 24
2011 July 13
2012 June 19
2013 June 21
2014 July 2
2015 June 19
2016 June 16
 
Thank you!

Traveling east to west on the Going to the Sun Road generally means less traffic, and being early in the day helps too. Most people start on the west, Columbia Falls side, and many turn around at the Logan Pass visitors center. Coming from the east that means less traffic getting to Logan Pass but heavy traffic going down the west side, and that is where much of the great scenery is located. The list below shows opening dates for a 17 year period and as you can see the road may not be open. When it does open it may not mean the entire road is open (they sometimes open it on the west side to Logan Pass while the east side is still being plowed), and when it does first open it will probably be swamped with people. Bring patience.

Riding HWY 12 west of Lolo from Great Falls will be a long day ride from Great Falls; 220 miles to Lochsa Lodge at Powell and that is only 45 miles west of Lolo, MT. Once you cross into Idaho the speed limit is 50 MPH and they are pretty tough on speeding. Avoid the road on the weekend as it may be packed with large groups of cruisers and road racer wannabes. There is fuel at Lolo and at Lochsa Lodge (only 2 pumps at Lochsa so there may be a line). You may see on your GPS that there is fuel at Lowell (65 miles west of Lochsa Lodge) but the station has been closed the last three times we were there. The first fuel west of Lochsa Lodge will be near Kooskia which is 87 miles from Lochsa Lodge and 310 miles from Great Falls. Good food at Lochsa Lodge and at the the Wilderness Cafe in Lowell.

I assume you mean Clearwater National Forest rather than National Park. The National Forest surrounds Lowell. Lowell, ID, also known as Three Forks, is where the Lochsa and Selway Rivers join to form the Middle Fork of the Clearwater River. Highway 12 runs along the Lochsa River for much of the way from Lochsa Lodge to Lowell. There is a great deal of recreation on the rivers, especially around Lowell. There is not much to Lowell; cafe, small motel, campground and an IDOT facility. There is a former Japanese internment camp located somewhere near Lowell but I have not seen it.




Logan Pass Opening Dates
2000 May 27
2001 June 7
2002 June 28
2003 May 30
2004 May 30
2005 May 22
2006 June 23
2007 July 1
2008 July 2
2009 June 26
2010 June 24
2011 July 13
2012 June 19
2013 June 21
2014 July 2
2015 June 19
2016 June 16

I had the same plan to ride there as well. Thanks for the local information. Also, check out: https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/goingtothesunroad.htm
 
3 miles north of town on 87.

Yep ... already checked it out and have it added to my route.

I hope the Sinclair station and cafe called "That Stop" is still there at the intersection of 61 and 2 in Hyannis! I love that place.
 
Traveling east to west on the Going to the Sun Road generally means less traffic, and being early in the day helps too. Most people start on the west, Columbia Falls side, and many turn around at the Logan Pass visitors center. Coming from the east that means less traffic getting to Logan Pass but heavy traffic going down the west side, and that is where much of the great scenery is located. The list below shows opening dates for a 17 year period and as you can see the road may not be open. When it does open it may not mean the entire road is open (they sometimes open it on the west side to Logan Pass while the east side is still being plowed), and when it does first open it will probably be swamped with people. Bring patience.

Riding HWY 12 west of Lolo from Great Falls will be a long day ride from Great Falls; 220 miles to Lochsa Lodge at Powell and that is only 45 miles west of Lolo, MT. Once you cross into Idaho the speed limit is 50 MPH and they are pretty tough on speeding. Avoid the road on the weekend as it may be packed with large groups of cruisers and road racer wannabes. There is fuel at Lolo and at Lochsa Lodge (only 2 pumps at Lochsa so there may be a line). You may see on your GPS that there is fuel at Lowell (65 miles west of Lochsa Lodge) but the station has been closed the last three times we were there. The first fuel west of Lochsa Lodge will be near Kooskia which is 87 miles from Lochsa Lodge and 310 miles from Great Falls. Good food at Lochsa Lodge and at the the Wilderness Cafe in Lowell.

I assume you mean Clearwater National Forest rather than National Park. The National Forest surrounds Lowell. Lowell, ID, also known as Three Forks, is where the Lochsa and Selway Rivers join to form the Middle Fork of the Clearwater River. Highway 12 runs along the Lochsa River for much of the way from Lochsa Lodge to Lowell. There is a great deal of recreation on the rivers, especially around Lowell. There is not much to Lowell; cafe, small motel, campground and an IDOT facility. There is a former Japanese internment camp located somewhere near Lowell but I have not seen it.

Thanks for the update, any other suggestions for a nice 200-400 mile day around Great Falls?
 
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