Montana route advice

senor ding dong · 09-27-2004, 05:56 PM

Planning a trip for next summer to finish up all 48 contiguous states with the S (only 8 more to go). I'm looking to get across Montana from Glendive to Glacier N.P. Looking for advice on the route with the best scenery and the ability to open it up a bit (read: open it up a lot). I read in another post that route 2 and route 200 are decent. How do they compare to I-90 and how long would it take to get from one end to the other at normal speeds on either of these routes?

Thanks,

Jared

ckcarr · ckcarr's Garage

I'm flying to Billings tomorrow. I'll try and ask around. The only road I've ridden is 212 to Billings then over Beartooth Pass eventually to Cody, which is absolutely, positively required on any bike trip.

Moybin · 09-27-2004, 07:12 PM

I can say that I-90 doesn't have nearly the truck traffic that I-80 has, so it is usually in better repair. My brother-in-law tells me I have to do the north-east entrance to Yellowstone Park. Might be a while before I get out there with the S. I know that the north entrance, up to Mammoth, is one twisty sucker. I warped a set of brake rotors on an Aerostar going out of the Park that way (long ago).

bingo · 09-27-2004, 07:31 PM

My brother says Hwy 2 is enjoyable and shouldn't cost much more time if any. It also takes you right to the park. However, if you do come west on I-90 (I-90 is where you'd definitely get some speed out of your system) I have the perfect route for you.

Past Deer Lodge, you will exit at Hwy 12 and go to the right. It feels like back tracking a little but its really not. Take 12 to Hwy 141, 141 to Hwy 200, Hwy 200 to Hwy 83, and Hwy 83 to Hwy 35. Hwy 35 up to Columbia Falls and into the park. Check the map, its great.

I took this route about a month ago and its absolutely beautiful. I was in a car and wished I was on my bike.

Only drawback on this route: DEER! All year long. Got to run moderate and definitely heads up. Have a good trip.

Bingo

RBMann · 09-28-2004, 10:39 AM

To start with freeways are my last choice, they suck. From Glendive to Glacier either #12 or #200. #12 will give the most miles in the mountains and #89 to Great Falls is a nice ride or continue to #141 like bingo says. I have done #2 and just thought it was flat and long. I have heard good things about #200 but have never done it. #200 looks to be the most direct.

Any of the routes would give a chance to open it up. I was running 90+ on #89 betweeen Glacier and Great Falls, which has the most traffic east of the park. No problem until I hit my gas stop town and there was no gas. All those funny looks from people I had passed, as they go by while I lay on the tank at a steady 40 MPH hoping to make the next town.

You might wait till you get to Glendive to make your choice base on how your trip is going. Took me about 8 hours from West Glacier to Billings using #89 and #12, just pushing with two stops and one rainsuit change.

Enjoy, RB.

Moybin · 09-28-2004, 11:02 AM

Hey, RB

Nice photo. One of the 6 summer days they get in Montana?

My father-in-law grew up in eastern Idaho. He said they had 9 months of winter and 3 months of d@mned poor sledding. I lived there for 4 years, and guess what? He was right!

D@mn I miss the mountains.

RBMann · 09-28-2004, 11:16 AM

Moybin, Indian Summer here in Seattle this week. Sunny high 60's with that beautiful slanting light. I live for days like this but the bike is apart waiting for a cat. elim. and chip due tomorrow. Guess I have to ride the wife's Monster.

RB

Rapid Dog · 09-28-2004, 11:52 AM

I've done the road (93) from Missoula west thru the Flathead valley, northside (35) of Flathead Lake to Big Fork to Kalispell.
From Kalispell I think you head up thru Columbia to the Glacier Nat Monument...a must do.
Also came into Missoula over the Bitterroots on 93 from Idaho. Great road that.
Me, 18 months in Kalispell back in the day...booze, broads, and bikes, not in that order...

Rapid Dog · 09-28-2004, 11:53 AM

http://www.state.mt.us/discover/mapmontana.gif

senor ding dong · 09-28-2004, 04:59 PM

Very nice picture RBMann! Thanks for the tips fellas. I think I'll try going north on Route 3 at Billings to Route 12 then take 89 up and stay in or around Great Falls. If I have time that day, I'll stay on 12 to 141 north to 200 and up the east side of the park. On the way out I'll go down through Columbia Falls and Flathead on my way to Missoula and on to route 12 west through Idaho. I understand that Montana instituted a statewide speed limit back in '99. How strictly do they enforce it?

Jared

Rapid Dog · 09-28-2004, 06:06 PM

At leats when I was ther inthe early 80's speeing ticket was an environmental enfraction...cost was about $35..no points.

Moybin · 09-28-2004, 06:30 PM

Do a search, this has been discussed before on the forum. Montana went to 55mph like everyone else. Then they went back to no limit (safe & prudent or something like that). But too many people had lost the skills to drive like that, so now they are a 75mph max state. Don't know what the fine is or how much over 75mph you have to be going to get pulled over. Probably less on a bike than in a cage (profiling those dirty rotten no good varmint biker types).

bingo · 09-28-2004, 06:50 PM

They'll give you about ten over. But there is no environmental ticket anymore. They are all points. And the minimum fine is $70 (Cash) which you have to pay the highway patrol officer on the spot. If not, they take you with them until you can post bond. No joke. Same goes for residents also. So, make sure you carry some cash with you. Oh yea, they don't make change either.

RBMann · 09-28-2004, 09:42 PM

My understanding was the FEDS. put the squeeze on them to have a max. limit. No speed limit=no Fed. hwy. tax $. I kept meaning to go there when it was the $5.00 environmental enfraction.

RB

bingo · 09-29-2004, 02:11 PM

Hey Jared,

A little correction on the speed issue. Daytime only, Highway only (which is posted 70 or 75 mph), if they stop you for up to 10 mph over the limit, they will write you a NO Point $20 ticket that is payable on the spot. Above 10 over or night time, everything is as I said in the earlier post. Info from a MHP officer.

Bingo

senor ding dong · 09-29-2004, 04:47 PM

Thanks for the info. Of course it's d@mn near impossible to keep it within 10 mph of the limit when riding the S.

Jared

jackbunce · 09-29-2004, 06:16 PM

I did I-94 & I-90 0n my way to the MOA National in Spokane. Then I did a bunch of backroads.... not much difference in speed or time. All in the daylight with most of the traffic (both cars) running around 85 or so with occasional bursts to the high teens to stay awake.

Only saw one Trooper; he was on the other side, I was doing 90 he didn't even look!

On the slab in the eastern part it was very easy to be doing in excess of 100 and not even realize it. I want to go back and do the interesting rides next summer.... no more SuperSlab.

johnnydanger · 09-29-2004, 10:58 PM

As far as getting some speed out of your system I highly recommend you take the most obscure highways through nowhere that you can find. Apart from the little towns where you should obey the limit thanks to the local friendlies you can go balls out... make sure you've got plenty of visibility though. I did virtually all backroads and defunct highways on my US trip last year with great success and really no cops at all to speak of. Interstates are the devil, plus you can only get ****ty food and stupid tourist stuff on the interstates.

I came back across wyoming from Rushmore down to casper and up over to Jackson Hole, then across to Salmon and up to missoula. Casper to Jackson wasn't very fun interstate and there really didn't seem to be any backroads through central wyoming, but the stretch from rushmore to north of casper is nice, and north through the Shoshoni indian res is nice. It doesn't sound like you'll get down there too much though. After Glacier national park you half a couple of good riding options going further west. Lolo Pass (south of Missoula) across to Orofino, Idaho is great riding, Hell's Canyon north of Post Falls is great too, and northeastern washington is tops as well. Course there's also eastern/central oregon, the cascade loop in western washington, Utah, etc. etc. etc.

If you loop back east again I highly recommend riding south out of Missoula into southeastern Idaho on highway 93 across the Lost Trail Pass down to Idaho Falls and then east across Teton Pass. Then figure out the rest of your way home. Lost Trail and Teton Pass are both SWEET, plus you get the bizarre world of the Arco Idaho region in the middle. It's a good loop.

Have a great trip.

bingo · 09-30-2004, 02:57 AM

I must second 93 south out of Missoula over Lost Trail Pass. Work your way over to Idaho Falls and head home. Moybin can probably third this...

Moybin · 09-30-2004, 05:31 AM

Moybin third's this! Also, the old Teton pass, Hwy 33/22 from Victor to Wilson to Jackson is the better route for twists, turns, sheer drops and scenery. Either up Hwy 26 to Swan Valley and then up 31 to Vistor, or up to Rexburg on superslab, then pick up 33 for the rest of the ride. Both are beautiful. Driggs sits in another "hole" just like Jackson. Secluded, different. Another short loop further north of Rexburg is Hwy 47 through Upper and Lower Mesa falls. These have been developed with landings and railings to make them safe. They both drop quite a bit more than Niagra falls. The head waters of Warm River are worth the side trip. Less well knows is Big Springs north up by Macks Inn. Full fledged river comes out of the mountainside full flow. Crystal clear, turqouise water at a constant temp (like 56 degrees F) year 'round. Lots, and I mean LOTS of wildlife in the area (deer, moose, bear, pronghorn and buffalo). This is the Island Park area of NE Idaho, and it is a different kind of Idaho all together.