Community Forums

ctpres · 08-02-2013, 10:36 AM

Looking at hwy 20 for several days of eastbound travel before we head south. Looking for comments on driveablity (under 45' total) and things to see and do vs hwy 2.

Skip426 · 08-02-2013, 11:43 AM

Highway 20 has the higher passes, and it's been years since I was over either route, at the moment my concern would be smoke from forest fires.
We're nearly 200 miles north and our local forecasts say the smoke we're getting is from Washington state fires.
If you do go either route then ; Dry Falls , just south of Coulee city , is a very interesting stop, we've travelled Highway 17 often and the Soap Lake area looks very nice for a stop, if that works into your plans.
How far east do you plan to go before you head south ?
In a hurry or just poking along?
Coeur d'Alene ID. is a beautiful area, 95 south from there is winding road, and McCall on 55, was on of our favorites , but haven't been that route in out MH.
Farragut State Park on lake Pend Oreille in northern ID. was a great place for a stay, but may be out of your way.
Safe Travels.

frankdamp · 08-02-2013, 12:52 PM

IMO, SR-20 is an easier drive than US-2, although Washington Pass is about 900' higher than Stevens. The fact that we live out at the end of the SR-20 spur to the Anacortes ferry terminal may color my opinion a little.

Generally, the road is wider on SR-20 and isn't as twisty. When we came over west-bound last fall, the last narrow section was being widened. Also, your navigator is next to the rocks going east on 20, whereas the river is on that side of the rig on US-2 and it's a scary-looking drop for quite a way.

The main town on SR-20 is Winthrop, a small Western (Cowboy) style town. On US 2 it's Leavenworth, a Bavarian-style town. Both were specifically remodeled to their current types.

Today, it's raining west of the Cascades and that system is expected to pass across the mountains and greatly help the wildfire situation. The actual fires are around Wenatchee, but the smoke is being pushed north at present. I anticipate the system will reverse the winds to southerly as it passes through.

Skip426 · 08-02-2013, 01:19 PM

DW, chewed me out about what I forgot to mention.
Dry Falls is a POI, rest stop.
Soap Lake and other communities and parks are VERY tourist oriented and busy through the summer; our usual travel through the areas is late Sept.
Last time we were through McCall, in summer, there was a regatta on and there was no accommodation of any description for 25 miles around.

Clark Savage Jr · 08-02-2013, 02:57 PM

Take Hwy 20 if you haven't previously. The countryside is well-known as the "American Alps" and is rightly so named. The Lake Diablo area is gorgeous with glacier blue/green water. There are tours of the lake and dam sponsored by Seattle City Light. Hwy 2 pales in comparison. Fair warning - these both traverse mountain passes. You should have good brakes for either route.

We came back via Hwy 20 (Westbound) this last spring. As usual, we were thrilled by the spring run-off of water cascading down the mountains. When we got home after the round-trip to Eastern Washington traversing no less than five passes, we took the MH in to Les Schwab for $1,400 worth of new brakes. That's okay, though. We had just rolled over 80,000 miles.

MarkQ · 08-02-2013, 03:19 PM

If you decide to do 20, the Coulee dam has a laser light show in the evening. Then head south and take in Lake Chelan, if you can. One of the underappreciated areas of the state and quite picturesque. There are several RV parks on the southerly side of the lake and one in Manson on the northeast side. Lots of water sports, boat rentals and tours, and wineries.