Duluth to Glacer

Hwy 2 is a shorter route, but it is all 2 lane road. If you are comfortable with that, then that is the way I would go. Sorry cannot help you with campground locations. Just plan to go from Glasgow, MT to Havre, MT in one stretch, that area in between is notorious for mosquitoes. We lived in Malta, MT for 5 years and never could get used to the swarms of them little buggers. Driving at night can seem like driving in a rain storm.

Take highway two, unless you're a speeder - I drive slow when trailering, so 2 lane highway doesn't much matter - folks get stuck behind me, not the other way around ;)

I avoided North Dakota completely instead of trying to find a place to camp - in my opinion the entire state is overrun by the oil boom - maybe that's dried up some, last time I was through there was a year ago. I have only driven 2 from Michigan to Minot, and then went North into Canada, that was on my last epic adventure.

If you end up taking 94, Great Falls Montana was another mad house, same oil boom. I had driven into GF from the South, out of the Black Hills, so no idea what 94 is like itself.

Highway 89 out of Great Falls was a nice drive - road was pretty empty when I drove it in August, but it was hotter than heck, 100+ degrees the entire time I was in the great plains. it was such a relief to get nestled into the hills of Glacier, temperature dropped nearly 40 degrees. As I recall, there were no services between Great Falls and Browning, just mile after mile of grazing land.

When you get into the reservation along 89, watch out for beef and horses standing in the road and on the shoulder.

colliehauler wrote:
Would you take hwy 2 or take I-94? Will be going of a summer time. Any campground recommendations as well?

Highway 2 no question, it is our favorite route east, much of it is 2 lane but there is some 4 lane too. the 18 wheelers run it, but nothing like 90. and remember you still must transit from 90- back to 2 to get into the park, 2 takes you thru Browning direct East Glacier.

#2 is a good road and not much traffic, lots of boring wheat fields on the way.

pawatt wrote:
#2 is a good road and not much traffic, lots of boring wheat fields on the way.

Hey I'm from Kansas I know about miles of wheat fields.;)

It sounds like route 2 it is.

I want to thank everyone that replied.

I realize it appears you have already decided on routing via US 2, but there is so much WRONG information here, I just gotta clear some of it up.

First: US 2 is NOT all 2 lane road. Fact is, starting from the east at about Bemidji, Minnesota, it IS four lane all the way west to the Montana border. So 1/2 of Minnesota, all of North Dakota is four lane.

Second, neither I-94 or US 2 goes into Great Falls, Montana. I-15 does go into Great Falls. You can cut off from US 2 west of Havre and take US 87 through Fort Benton and down to Great Falls. There is just a superb Lewis & Clark museum in Great Falls which I would highly recommend. The falls of the Missouri River in and around Great Falls are somewhat a disappointment cause most are covered in water below the smalls dams built in the area. I did not go east of town to see the big falls, and understand this is the one that is still the very best to see.

Campgrounds? Well there is just an excellent Corp of Engineers campground below Ft. Peck Dam in eastern Montana. Easiest access for you going westbound is to turn off US 2 onto Montana 117 at Nashua, Montana and follow 117 right on to the campground. One has to follow off 117 right below the dam to find the campground though, but an easy road to drive. Just look for the huge dam and head towards it once you get close. You can then route up onto the dam itself and take Montana 24 back towards Glasgow and rejoin US 2 again.

One neat tidbit about Ft. Peck Dam I never knew until staying there was that one part of it collapsed during construction. Looking at that huge mound of dirt one would never expect that to have happened, but I guess the east end of it did collapse. Since fixed and structurally sound now though.

I'd surely make use of any/all state parks to camp in once into the North Dakota area as from Minot and west, ALL the commercial campgrounds are just packed to the seams with Bakken oil field workers living there full time. Turtle River State Park is some 20 odd miles west of Grand Forks right alongside US 2 and is a nice facility. Google ND State Parks and one can get contact/reservation info. Lewis and Clark State Park is 20 miles east of Williston off from Highway 1804 and is another nice facility.

There is I believe a KOA campground just south of the US 2/I-29 intersection in Grand Forks. West side of I-29 via the frontage road about 3 1/2 mile south. One would turn off I-29 at exit 138 I believe, towards a Flying J on the west side then continue south on the frontage road to the campground.

There may or may not be camping available behind the Cenex station located on US 2 at Berthhold ND, west of Minot. Just drove through there few weeks back now and looked like space available. It is just a few sites, 5 or 6 if I recall correctly.

I'd also recommend the Cenex stations you will run into along this route for fueling. They've always had top notch fuels, and I buy my diesel there whenever possible.

There is a small campground right in Havre, Montana, again alongside US 2, next door to the Emporium Food and Fuel Stop. North (right) side of highway. Havre RV Park. You'll see a big red railroad caboose sitting there. I got my 35 foot fifth wheel in there relatively problem free.

We camped in West Glacier once we got out that way, and there were several to choose from. East Glacier does not have much in the way of services.

Thanks Mad Norsk.

You are going to stop at Roosevelt NP, right?
Don't let your gas gauge drop too low on Route 2...

For Glacier, we like Glacier Meadow RV Park in Essex MT. Easy drive to both East and West Glacier entrances. Don't miss the Isaak Walton Inn in Essex.

Dick_B wrote:
You are going to stop at Roosevelt NP, right?
Don't let your gas gauge drop too low on Route 2...

More mis-information.

First, Roosevelt is not within 50 miles of US 2. The north unit is closest, and that is 50-60 miles south of Williston/US 2.

Second, I can think of good fuel stops in Grand Forks, Devils Lake, Rugby, Towner, Minot, Berthhold, Stanley, Ray, Williston just across North Dakota on US 2. And stations in some small towns in between.

Then add Culbertson, Wolf Point, Glasgow, Malta, Havre, and Shelby Montana.

I tell you, if your vehicle cannot get from one of those points to the next one, then your fuel mileage is horrible and you should think of driving something else.

None of these towns is more than 100 miles or so from one spot to the next.