Rt 2 thru MT and ND - condition? Tips?

[spotrot]

We're considering taking Rt 2 from Glacier to MN in August but we're wondering about the surface condition of the road.

In the past, we've experienced some terrible road surfaces on non-interstate highway northern routes and didn't want to get stuck for hundreds of miles on washboard.

We've driven I-84 so thought the less-traveled Rt 2 might be an entertaining route (if anything can be called entertaining in E MT and ND).

If anyone knows of points of interest on Rt 2, that would be appreciated also.

Thanks,

John

[the_silverback]

Rte 2 around Williston is a mess!!! Would rather drive in New York City. Other than that US2 is good.

[pigman1]

We drove US-2 from Sault Ste Marie to I-15 in Montana the end of May. Excellent ride. Yes, around Williston, ND the oil boom traffic is heavy, but nothing that would keep us off the route. A few days ago they had a very bad multi-vehicle truck/car/pickup wreck and fire in the Williston area, (no overnight in the Williston WalMart) but that sort of thing can happen anywhere in bad weather. The road is good with 2 lane in Montana and 4 lane in ND and MN. Just a little construction here and there, but no long stretches or delays. We usually stop at wide spots in the road or WalMarts and have never had a problem. Many of the small towns have town RV parks, where you can pick up water and dump. We've traveled US-2 9 times since 2006 and this year's run was the best in my opinion. We'll be using it on our way down from Alaska again in September.

[BarbaraOK]

Fort Peck Dam campground has water available to fill your tanks but no water at each site. Does have power.

Barb

[SRT]

Even though it has been several years since we've been on Highway 2 through MN, ND, & MT I would venture to say that it probably is still in good shape. The highway is four lane through ND. Two lane through Montana and most of Minnesota. Around Williston, ND there are oil rig trucks and "no room at the inn" due to the oil boom.

For over night camping I would recommend staying in eastern ND and drive to Fort Peck Dam to the COE campground. It's a long haul but during the week the lower campground has plenty of space with back-in sites, water and electricity. There is a dump station. The upper campground has some pull through sites that we just fit in with a 32' motor home and toad.

We usually drive straight through from Ft. Peck Dam to West Glacier and the Apgar Campground in the park. There is a dump station and potable water at Apgar. Lots of nice campgrounds around West Glacier with FHU's. This year the park should have a lot of great waterfall scenery as it has been a good snow year.

There are several RV parks in Havre (my old home town that I grew up in). One is in town next to the railroad yards for train lovers and another at the fairgrounds on the west side of town off Hiway 2. We've never stayed at any of the campgrounds along the "Hi-Line" so we can't say much.

There isn't a lot of great scenery through ND and most of Montana. Rugby, ND is the geographic center of North America. Ft. Peck Dam is a very large earthen dam and does have tours.

There are web sites that have some sites to visit in both states - just use Google.

[Tarheel_2]

It's been two years since we took that same route. A friend told me last fall that the road was in terrible shape as a result of all the activity in that area, but that may have changed. The one problem we ran into was the last several miles in ND was being resurfaced and the RT. 2 was dirt and gravel in that section. Just before we hit that section another motorhome pulled into a fueling station and the sides of his coach were dirt and mud (it had just rained). I found out that I could avoid it by turning south and returning to Rt. 2 in Montana. I'm sure someone will give you a more up-to-date report, but wanted to let you know how they resurface roads in that area in case any of that may be going on.

[spotrot]

Thank you - we didn't even think about the effect of the oil boom.

We guessed we'd be able to just pull off the road and dry camp for the 2 or 3 days it takes.

[n7bsn]

The biggest problem you will have is finding a place to stay.... Honestly there are about -zero- available campgrounds in eastern Montana and western N.D. The demands from the current oil-boom has filled them all to bursting.