Travelling across the good ole USA

[bigdon68]

We live in Maryland and our son just moved to Spokane Valley Washington.
We would like to visit him next year taking a Southern Route one way and the Northern Route the other.

When is the best time to travel. I realize that the Northern route will be difficult anywhere close to winter.

With all of the storms in the midwest --- now you see my concern.

Any help would be appreciated.

Don
Maryland

[Barbielab]

I would leave mid August when most kids are headed back to school, crowds are thinning, and most campgrounds in the north are still open for another two months. You will probably need reservations for Labor Day weekend but other than that you should be able to wing it. Head west on the northern route making sure you pick up the Badlands and all the sights there. Once you have seen your son head over to the Oregon coast and hug it going south through the Redwoods in CA. I would then head toward the Grand Canyon and tour the Utah national parks and head home. That is assuming you have not been anywhere in the west and want a sampler tour. To that I would suggest you add any and all national parks and sights along the way that interest you. There are a gazillion places you could go with unlimited time. Have fun!

[Cayote_Melon]

We travel cross country about every other year to see the grands and have done it
just about every season. If I were you, I would I'd leave mid Sept when all the kiddies are back in school and take the northern route there. Hwy 2 is fine but I'd take 90 only because it would take you right thru The Badlands, near Mt Rushmore, near Devils Tower etc.

[RGar974417]

Southern route I-40.Plenty to see along this route like Rt 66,Petrified Forest,Grand Canyon etc. Northern Route back I-90 to I-80 to I-70.Little Big Horn battlefield, Yellowstone, Harold Warp Pioneer Museum in Minden,Nebraska.

[agesilaus]

The only thing in your tagline is Maryland, but looking at your profile I see a 38 Ft Fiver pulled by a F450.

What have you seen? Shenandoah, Mammoth Caves, Great Smoky Mountains? Anything in the west? We still need more info from you.

[dedmiston]

Just to clarify though, you can't drive your rig "through" the park over the Going To The Sun Road.

Wikipedia wrote:
vehicle lengths over the highest portions of the roadway are limited to no longer than 21 feet (6.4 m) and no wider than 8 feet (2.4 m) between Avalanche Creek and Rising Sun picnic areas which are located many miles below Logan Pass, on the west and east sides of the pass, respectively. Vehicles over 10 feet (3.0 m) in height may not have sufficient clearance due to rock overhangs when driving west between Logan Pass and the hairpin turn called the Loop.

It's a beautiful road and you should definitely take the tour if you have time, but don't plan to drive through it.

[bigdon68]

We will be driving what is in my signature line. We have no real agenda on what to see -- we will work that in as we go. We have no real timeline. We will probably do 400 miles per day (+-) as we travel.
I think the most important consideration will be the weather. The Midwest right now seems overwhelmed with tornadoes and flooding so it would appear to me that May and June will be out.
Certainly coming back east anywhere close to winter is out of the question when traveling up north. So its kind of tricky.
Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks

Don
Maryland

[agesilaus]

Airdaile wrote:
Consider taking US2 east from Spokane rather than the interstates. Goes right through Glacier NP. You can stay on US2 all the way to the Mackinack Bridge in Michigan. You have a narrow window between June (last of the snow) and August (start of fire season).

Actually US 2 goes around Glacier not thru it, below the park. But you could easily detour thru the park and pick up 2 on the east side.

And on the subject of tornadoes, the cause is not what you think.

[Airdaile]

Belgique wrote:

Airdaile wrote:
Consider taking US2 east from Spokane rather than the interstates.

Ohhh. We hate Interstates and try to do back roads whenever. Is 2 ok for a 40' DP towing a car? We're in no hurry. Thanks.

Yes. It's mostly 4 lane divided with occasional spurts of 2 lane. A town every so often that you need to slow down for (50 mph usually). Last time we did this, there were many RVs traveling the road. Plenty of places to stay along the way.

I think the worse grade you'll see is east of Glacier.

[Belgique]

Airdaile wrote:
Consider taking US2 east from Spokane rather than the interstates.

Ohhh. We hate Interstates and try to do back roads whenever. Is 2 ok for a 40' DP towing a car? We're in no hurry. Thanks.

[Airdaile]

Consider taking US2 east from Spokane rather than the interstates. Goes right through Glacier NP. You can stay on US2 all the way to the Mackinack Bridge in Michigan. You have a narrow window between June (last of the snow) and August (start of fire season).

[agesilaus]

prichardson wrote:
Ditto to Dick B. Also remember this is a big country and what you are proposing will take time to do. Unless you plan to do all driving and no seeing you will need at least 2 to 3 months.

Well you could take an extra week or two while traveling and see quite a bit. Let's not discourage him, you don't have to see everything all at once.

However we are wasting our time unless the OP posts more info.

[ppine]

I grew up in Maryland, so in 1969 my friend and I bought a 1957 Chevy and drove to California to go surfing on Route 66. I used to live in Spokane.

It will all be brand new. I would avoid the summer, especially July and August. Fall is great. Spring would be fine. I would take the northern route to get there. Go fast until you get to SD. Then slow down and enjoy the Black Hills and driving across MT. Going home I would go south and stop at Yellowstone and spend some time in Colorado. If you have time visit northern NM. There is no right answer. Take your time and enjoy America.

[prichardson]

Ditto to Dick B. Also remember this is a big country and what you are proposing will take time to do. Unless you plan to do all driving and no seeing you will need at least 2 to 3 months.

[Dick_B]

I like the flying idea if the main reason is to visit him. However, if you want to take the summer/fall to see the US AND visit him I'd suggest the northern route in July and the southern route in September.