Enthusiast II
I am overwhelmed with info and other routes to take and it seems to be the majority of people saying to stay off of 90 so thanks fir the info and i am currently planning other routes
I am planning a trip from Michigan to Seattle along i90, Tips?
- Thread starter Bluewater Overland
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Advocate III
- 5,584
- First Name
- Michael
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- Rose
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20990
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- US ARMY Retired
Not necessarily stay off of 90, once you get out of the plains I would look at other routs to enjoy the scenery... through the plains it doesn’t matter how far north or south you go, it all looks the same for hours upon hours.
Advocate III
- 5,584
- First Name
- Michael
- Last Name
- Rose
- Member #
-
20990
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- W7FSB
- Service Branch
- US ARMY Retired
I just took I-90 from Yakima to Seattle and there is plenty to see just from the interstate... if the snow was lower, it would be even better... but for your timeline looks like the I is going to be your best bet.
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Enthusiast II
Advocate III
- 5,584
- First Name
- Michael
- Last Name
- Rose
- Member #
-
20990
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- W7FSB
- Service Branch
- US ARMY Retired
I wish I would have gotten pictures of Snoqualimie Pass... the Lake up on top was gorgeous with the frozen tundra surrounding it... well worth the drive imho
Enthusiast II
O believe me if I could just leave now and head that way i would, like i said before im going to have a hard time coming home one i get out there i might just say f it and find a job out that way
USStrongman
Rank V
Influencer II
I'd hop off I-90 and head into yakima and then to the NE side of Mount Rainier through the White Pass Scenic Byway to Buckley and Puyallup (pronounced Pew-al-up) then out to I-5 north into the city or stay on the east side of Lake Washington and head up Hwy-167 to I-405 back to I-90 and 10 minutes west across the floating bridge. The north side of Mount Rainier is gorgeous. Waterfalls, old growth forest, boulders the size of city blocks. Its stunning.
www.whitepassbyway.com
Used to ride one of my bikes from Seattle and go clockwise around the mountain and climb to Paradise. Its worth the trip up. Ran out of gas and didn't realize that there was no fuel up there. I coasted, in neutral all the way down the south and west side of the mountain to a little gas station... only to find they only took cash. I had maybe $2 and it got me past the Whittaker brothers compound into a proper gas station. Lesson learned.
Mt. Rainier Loop - White Pass Scenic Byway
www.whitepassbyway.com
Used to ride one of my bikes from Seattle and go clockwise around the mountain and climb to Paradise. Its worth the trip up. Ran out of gas and didn't realize that there was no fuel up there. I coasted, in neutral all the way down the south and west side of the mountain to a little gas station... only to find they only took cash. I had maybe $2 and it got me past the Whittaker brothers compound into a proper gas station. Lesson learned.
USStrongman
Rank V
Influencer II
Simple. Chilly and wet. Summer doesnt start until July 5th. Its always cold and raining on July 4th!
Nothing wrong with rain with the right gear. A good heater or furnace, big awning, space to dry gear, visit the coin laundry more often, look for hot springs, think Manhattans, not Miller time.
Tenting can be miserable tho.
PAINT, You have my attention. I plan to drive out to a place near Bozeman Montana from Boston in October. Never been past the Mississippi, though I have been to Chicago. I will follow this thread for sure, since a lot of the advice here may inform me as well, inasmuch as it relates east of the big mountains. I plan to take 90 from Boston to Chi-town, and then further west I'm going to take "a bead on the northern plains and just roll that power on" 94 west. Since I'll be out near 191 for a few days, I may head south through Yellowstone while I'm so close. Then hit 90 back. Or vice versa.
Might not mind taking an overland trail while I'm out that way.
Have to admit I'm surprised nobody mentioned Devil's Tower to you. If you take 90 into Wyoming, break right onto route 14 (?) at Sundance. Then 24 (?) to Devil's Tower. I plan to see it on the way back.
Might not mind taking an overland trail while I'm out that way.
Have to admit I'm surprised nobody mentioned Devil's Tower to you. If you take 90 into Wyoming, break right onto route 14 (?) at Sundance. Then 24 (?) to Devil's Tower. I plan to see it on the way back.
Influencer II
As you clear the Parries of SD the fun really starts at the Badlands National Park. Come in on the West Side and just before the entrance to the park you'll see a radio tower on your left. Free paces to camp along the 'Wall'.
At least drive through Deadwood SD (you won't have time to go in Custer State park, real shame..) and head to Devils Tower to overnight (paid site in the Park). If you have never I would say Yellowstone over Glacier (yet you could do the other on your way back). Camp in the Park or NF outside, either way a must stop!
You'll catch back up to Rt 90 and through Coeur d'Alene. I agree with the other that mention this, worth seeing! Believe that was the Loho National Forest with again plenty of areas to camp in.
We jumped off Rt 90 again as we entered Washington State and stayed outside Mt Rainier National Park. This put us through Olympia (missing Seattle traffic) and entering Olympic National. We headed to South Beach (just north of Queets) on Rt 101. Most seem to go to Kalaloch, but we really liked South Beach.
We return tripped back through Canada and stayed up in Jasper (at the Ice Fields). You probably don't have the time to venture that far, yet coming back through Canada working the Rockies back is an awesome run!
I enjoyed that run we did and really did like PNY, yet the Canadian Rockies stole my heart! That's an area you should plan a exclusive trip to.. much to see and be done.
Enjoy your trip and safe travels!
At least drive through Deadwood SD (you won't have time to go in Custer State park, real shame..) and head to Devils Tower to overnight (paid site in the Park). If you have never I would say Yellowstone over Glacier (yet you could do the other on your way back). Camp in the Park or NF outside, either way a must stop!
You'll catch back up to Rt 90 and through Coeur d'Alene. I agree with the other that mention this, worth seeing! Believe that was the Loho National Forest with again plenty of areas to camp in.
We jumped off Rt 90 again as we entered Washington State and stayed outside Mt Rainier National Park. This put us through Olympia (missing Seattle traffic) and entering Olympic National. We headed to South Beach (just north of Queets) on Rt 101. Most seem to go to Kalaloch, but we really liked South Beach.
We return tripped back through Canada and stayed up in Jasper (at the Ice Fields). You probably don't have the time to venture that far, yet coming back through Canada working the Rockies back is an awesome run!
I enjoyed that run we did and really did like PNY, yet the Canadian Rockies stole my heart! That's an area you should plan a exclusive trip to.. much to see and be done.
Enjoy your trip and safe travels!
Influencer II
Andrew, you should take a look at going north in Vermont and traveling across Canada to Sault St Marie! I do that now and love it. Puts you in the Michigan UP and a few Nationals to drive through. This is my route for this May as I go west again. This is mostly Forest Roads!!
Plan to spend a day in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, etc. Devil's Tower near Sundance, Wyoming.
RJ
Sorry about the long post:
Thanks for the suggestion, RJ, I really hadn't thought to go through Canada but looking at the map without national lines it's as good a route as any. How long in hours is that trip you outlined? As long as it fits into my time frame I listed below, I'll probably do it. Even if it adds an entire day, the time frame works. I've been I-90 Boston to Cleveland time and again. And I've been to Chicago. So a change of scenery could be in order. Like you said, I could get a few more parks, go through parts of Canada I've never been, and still see everything in the US that I intend.
See if this shakes out? My previous route clocked in at about 36 hours non stop, whether by 90 or 94. Then I added time for stops (12 hrs) putting me at 48 hours. Realistically that's still kind of a fast pace, so I added yet another 24 hours to give us breathing room so we can just enjoy the trip, or divert, nap, or take some time to marvel at something and still arrive a full 4 days before the wedding. I was going to drive 94 there (3 days), spend 5 or 6 days out there to see my nephew get married and head down 191 through Yellowstone & The Tetons with him and his bride. Then use 3 days to get home, by hooking up to 90, seeing Devil's Tower and the Badlands on the return trip. Whichever way I drive in, I will drive the other route back. Leaving maybe 2 days to unpack and relax at home before I have to head to work.
That doesnt leave me a lot of time at any one park, but at least I can ride through them and stop for some "wow" factor. But I'm arriving on Tuesday for a Saturday wedding, so I have plenty of wiggle room there especially if I reverse the loop.
I dont know if that will all be possible, but that's the plan, with the addition of the route you mapped through Canada and the Lake Superior State Forest.
The truck cap I just put on will likely come in handy and save us some $ on the ride.
Influencer II
I ran Boston to Bozeman and got 35hrs, the run through Canada came out as 38hrs. Not all that much more time. My plan in the UP is at least two nights in the NF and run the forest roads across. I could lose 2-3 days easy there.
Another is now showing me how much there is on the Canadian side to explore as traveling through. All those green areas are Provincial or Conservation Lands. You zoom in further and more show up in detail. I stayed on the TCH last time out there, this time I will swing down along Georgian Bay.
Enthusiast II
U do want to see devils tower but the more i find non paved routes and overland style camp spots my 2 week trip is turning into a 2 month trip so i am thinking this is going to turn into a once a year thing because there is way to much to see especially places that are off pavement
That's what is happening to me. RJ pointed me through Canada as an alternate route. So I took stock, and started writing down all the places to see along my 3 possible routes. Now I know I wont get to see them all in the two weeks I've got, but at least I have a running list for next time
Enthusiast III
download a lot of movies and audio books for the boring interstate part.... the long boring in between
