I know this is late to ask but hoping for some input before tomorrow morning.
We leave Cody WY tomorrow headed to Great Falls, MT and on to Canada and Alaska. The question relates to the best route from Cody to Great Falls. Going up 89 in MT is the shortest way. However, I see it is a scenic route. We will be pulling our 39' fifthwheel with a F350 dually. That route is just 328 miles.
Or should we take I90 across and pick up I15 taking a total of 456 miles instead. Would rather take the shorter route but not if it means heavy mountain climbs.
Bill and Linda said
08:14 AM Jun 17, 2014
Forgive the response, but I can’t seem to find US-89 going from Cody to Great Falls but maybe I misread your post.
But to the point of traveling US-89 out of Great Falls to Canada – use I-15 without question, IMO, assuming you plan to cross at Sweetgrass.
If you plan to cross at Piegan, then I recommend I-15 out of Great Falls to the north about 65 miles to Route 44 west then pick US-89 to the north.The US-89 route after the Route 44 intersection isn’t all that hard but it can be “interesting” as some of that is open grazing land.I.e. you will find cattle on the road without warning somewhat south of Glacier National Park. It’s also kind of crooked in the same area.
We’ve been both ways and unless I was specifically going to Glacier I’d go up I-15 all the way and join Route 4 in Alberta and then up toward Fort Macleoud – nice town and good services.
From Cody to Great Falls – Here’s our route. Naturally there are other ways.
US-14A – Route-114 - US-310 – US-212 – I-90 west to US-287 – US-12 to Helena – I-15 to Great Falls.
I know this is late to ask but hoping for some input before tomorrow morning.
We leave Cody WY tomorrow headed to Great Falls, MT and on to Canada and Alaska. The question relates to the best route from Cody to Great Falls. Going up 89 in MT is the shortest way. However, I see it is a scenic route. We will be pulling our 39' fifthwheel with a F350 dually. That route is just 328 miles.
Or should we take I90 across and pick up I15 taking a total of 456 miles instead. Would rather take the shorter route but not if it means heavy mountain climbs.
Forgive the response, but I can’t seem to find US-89 going from Cody to Great Falls but maybe I misread your post.
But to the point of traveling US-89 out of Great Falls to Canada – use I-15 without question, IMO, assuming you plan to cross at Sweetgrass.
If you plan to cross at Piegan, then I recommend I-15 out of Great Falls to the north about 65 miles to Route 44 west then pick US-89 to the north. The US-89 route after the Route 44 intersection isn’t all that hard but it can be “interesting” as some of that is open grazing land. I.e. you will find cattle on the road without warning somewhat south of Glacier National Park. It’s also kind of crooked in the same area.
We’ve been both ways and unless I was specifically going to Glacier I’d go up I-15 all the way and join Route 4 in Alberta and then up toward Fort Macleoud – nice town and good services.
From Cody to Great Falls – Here’s our route. Naturally there are other ways.
US-14A – Route-114 - US-310 – US-212 – I-90 west to US-287 – US-12 to Helena – I-15 to Great Falls.
Your truck should have no issues.