US 2 from Seattle to Glacier NP

donn0128 wrote:
2 is way up north. While it is a beautiful drive it is not the fastest or best of roads. Close to grand coulee is dry falls. One an extremely large water fall long ago before the Columbia changes its course.

Speaking of the dry falls, Google Lake Missoula. There are several sites that explain the ancient floods that created the dry falls and other features of that area.

Pulled our 30 foot fiver that route, scenic & no problems.

WA20 from I5 through Burlington and Sedro-Woolley is also slow. If we are worrying about traffic, how about the shopping district in Monroe? There are good reasons for taking WA20, but avoiding Spokane traffic is way down my list.

How about taking WA231 north from US2 to Fort Spokane. Camp there and explore the fort/boarding school. Then continue north and east to Loon Lake, followed by some county road over to US2? I've taken Flowery Trail Rd (FS2902) from Chewelah to Usk (WA20). It is FS road, but nicely paved since it is the access road to 49-something ski area.

My favorite Spokane-bypass is crossing over Lake Roosevelt twice by ferry (new Keller ferry and Inchilium-Gilford). But that requires some lesser roads (still paved).

Could miss Spokane by going a little farther east on I-90 and taking US 95 north to pick up US 2 at Sandpoint.
Yes, Spokane's congestion can be slow. I have gone through mid-weekdays and on sunday mornings that haven't been too bad.

As n7bsn noted above, driving thru Spokane on US 2 is a problem....lots of stoplights and traffic for several miles. Maybe you should consider driving on WA 20 starting in Burlington and going east over the North Cascades on to Newport where you will join up with US 2. Then continue on US 2 all the way to Glacier NP. An option is to take US 2 from Everett east to Davenport or Rearden and work your way north on state highways up to WA 20; then take WA 20 to Newport where you'll intersect US 2. This are longer routes than you had planned, but easier than driving thru Spokane. Going thru Spokane will be okay if you can time your passage thru the city before 7am or after 8pm.

The only thing I don't like about the route is driving through Spokane, on surface streets

Plan to spend a couple hours in Leavenworth.
Just before Banks Lake, go south on SR 17 to Dry Falls overlook. Bigger then Niagra.
Swing North after crossing Banks Lake on dam, go north to Grand Coulee Dam. Great laser light show on face of dam during the summer. There is a second loop back to US 2 near Davenport.
US 2 is a great scenic highway across WA and even farther east. We took US 2 all the way to Michigan a few years back.

Starting from the west US2:

- is busy as it passes through far-suburb towns like Monroe, Gold Bar, Sultan, Startup
- follows a river past the Deception Falls rest stop (nice stop and walk)
- climbs up the side of a mountain to Stevens Pass (4 lanes). Probably the steepest part, but grades are within major US highway standards
- gradual drop
- turn off to Lake Wennatchee - state park and forest service campgrounds
- curvy part through Tumwater Canyon
- Leavenworth - Bavarian themed tourist town
- orchard country to the Columbia River
- along east side of Columbia River
- climb to plateau level (the 2nd major grade)
- slight dip at Mosses Coulee
- flat wheat country to Spokane
- side trip to the dam along Banks Lake. Flat, scenic. But there is grade through the town down to the dam.
- There aren't any significant grades east of Spokane; it manages to stay in major river valleys.

WA20 is an alternative way across Washington. Its route across the Cascades is somewhat more scenic than US2 (not that there's anything wrong with 2's). Further east WA20 has some ups and downs, including the highest highway pass in the state (Sherman), but isn't difficult.

It's a beautiful highway and fine for most RVs. Lots of twists and turns and some fairly steep grades. Personally, I would not take a 46' fiver on this route but, then, I've never pulled one.

2 is way up north. While it is a beautiful drive it is not the fastest or best of roads. Close to grand coulee is dry falls. One an extremely large water fall long ago before the Columbia changes its course.