Old Washington State highway maps

If by "BIA2" we're talking about the road that runs just about due north from the Keller Ferry to Republic, I can attest that it's just like 95% of the 2-lane roads in Eastern Washington: chip sealed,straight as a stick and punctuated with the occasional hamlet/dog sleeping on the center line.

And it's the only place EVER that I've actually seen a moose...took me a few seconds to register that the tall animal standing there completely indifferent to my approach was actually one of those critters that I'd only ever seen on TV before that moment...!

BIA2 is 2 lane paved (chip sealed). It climbs 2000' (lower than Sherman). There aren't any difficult curves or narrow spots. It would be trivial for a SUV or pickup camper, but anything larger would depend a lot on the driver. Google Maps streetview drove it.

I have a state map,the Gazeteer and the Backroads of Washington book. I also have the Oregon book which is more heavily marked than the Washington one,for some reason.
oopss,I meant BIA2. That must be the one that runs from 21 east to Gifford abd thenAddy or Bluecreek,

21 is a state highway, though not a major one. I haven't driven its full length, just as far north as BIA2. But from the terrain map it looks like it stays in a level river valley as far north as Republic (WA20). WA20 to the east of Republic crosses Sherman Pass. To the west it crosses lower uplands to US97.

The Benchmark Atlas is a good travel tool in this area. Supplement it with Tholanders Backroads book.

Ooooooo,I see some possible road trips coming up in the next couple of months. Dw doesn't like the heat that you usually find in eastern and NE washington in the summer,so mebbee I can try to get her over there soon. But the SIL is trying to work up another trip to Pullman this year for a Cougar game and that'll come first.
Paulj,how is that BIA21 for a 40'MH and toad?

It's interesting to pair the Keller Ferry with the Inchilium-Gifford ferry. However BIA 2 (Bridge Creek Rd) (between WA21 and Inchilium) is more like a paved 2 lane forest service road than a state highway.

Speaking of tiny ferries:

There are still three operating on the Willamette River in Oregon. I think they're all electric-cable...two are in Marion County and then there's the Canby Ferry in Clackamas County which my Mother is family-famous for having tried to drive off the end of back in the seventies. Thanks heavens for the cable across the far end!

I do remember our family traveling all over the state and using some of those old ferries in the mid fifties. Have also been on the Scholls ferry in Portland and the one over to the Puget island in the Columbia and the Astoria-Megler ferry several times. Dad was the minister of the United Churches of Olympia and had four weeks vacation and mom did the planning.We were usually on the road for the whole four weeks and the seven of us traveled all over the western U.S. A lot of it was in Wa and northern Id. I remember my little brother riding on the shelf in the back window of the '55 DeSoto.

I recognize that railway viaduct. The highway north passes by the Palouse Falls turnoff.

The still are several current driven ferries on British Columbia rivers (at least 3).


BC cable ferry north of Kamloops

I remember crossing the Snake River on the Lyons Ferry at Starbuck to get to Washtucna.


It was a current driven ferry and operated for 108 years until 1982.