Northern Tier Bicycle Route
The Adventure Cycling Association Northern Tier Bicycle Route is a cross country route that roughly follows the northern border of the "lower 48" of the United States. The route is a total of 4295 miles (6915 km). The route is divided into three route segments as follows: Anacortes, Washington, to Fargo, North DAKOTA, Fargo, North Dakota, to Muscatine, Iowa, and Muscatine, Iowa, to Bar Harbor, Maine
Anacortes, Washington, to Fargo, North Dakota
This section, beginning at sea level, offers large expanses of mountains, the Great Plains, and some beautiful farmland areas in between. It can be ridden from late spring to late fall. Due to snow, State Highway 20 east of North Cascades National Park in Washington is only open through certain dates. The same is true for Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park in Montana, which is usually closed until early June. Even in the height of summer in July, cyclists must be prepared for cold NiGHTS and occasional snow in the higher elevations during storms. Due to changing local conditions, it is difficult to predict any major wind patterns.
This portion of the Northern Tier begins in Anacortes, Washington, which is located on a peninsula in Puget Sound. Anacortes is also the jumping-off point for folks going to the San Juan Islands, a favorite cycling destination. At the start, the culmination of lush forest and ocean feeds and moistens the soul. Heading eastward along the rushing Skagit River, riders carry that feeling up to the top of Rainy and Washington passes in The Cascade Mountains. Descending to the east side of the Cascades, the route enters the drier part of the state and the widely known orchard country of the Okanogan Valley. Leaving this valley, riders climb and descend several more passes full of ponderosa pines and find many sleepy farming communities down along the rivers crossed. The river valleys tend to run in a north-south direction across the northwestern part of the United States, and because the route travels west to east, riders will be working their way up and down. There are plenty of towns, rivers, lakes, mountains, and forests in eastern Washington, Idaho, and western Montana until the route reaches Cut Bank, Montana, on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains.
The spectacular Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park is a hard climb but well worth it for the scenery. The route takes a jump into Canada to access Waterton Lakes National Park, and then heads back into the USA at Del Bonita, a little-used border crossing. Cut Bank is the beginning of the Great Plains, and from here on riders start praying for tailwinds. Supposedly, heading eastward, tailwinds predominate in the summer. The route uses U.S. Highway 2, the main road through central and eastern Montana along the railroad, so camping spots can occasionally be somewhat loud. Wherever possible, side roads are used to relieve the monotony of being on the highway. Afternoon thundershowers are a constant companion out on the Plains. The route follows the Missouri River from Havre, Montana, to New Town, North Dakota, and the plains of Montana eventually transform into the green rolling hills of western North Dakota. Sunflowers are everywhere, and they become the crop of choice as the terrain flattens out in eastern North Dakota. Fargo is located on the banks of the Red River, on the border of North Dakota and Minnesota.
Terrain
The route allows riders to warm up slightly before the major climbing begins. There are four major passes in the first 300 miles, and Sherman Pass is the highest at 5,575 feet (1699 meters). It then becomes rolling, the route following river valleys until reaching Glacier Park. Logan Pass, on Going-to-the-Sun Highway, is the last major climb. There's a series of roller-coaster hills heading into Canada. AbOUT 20 miles east of the Rocky Mountains, the landscape starts to become Big Sky country with moderately hilly plains. The plains roll out through Montana and become hilly in western North Dakota, and then the route flattens out in eastern North Dakota.
Logistics
Services are GeneRally good along this route. There is a 71-mile stretch of limited services between Cardston, Alberta, and Cut Bank, Montana. There are also some sporadic spots lacking services in Central Montana, but nothing is farther apart than a day's ride. The people of the towns across the plains of Montana and North Dakota are SUPER generous and genuine. Camping in town parks is not uncommon. Another 74-mile stretch of limited services occurs between Williston and New Town, North Dakota. Only a few bike shops exist between Whitefish, Montana, and Fargo, North Dakota, a distance of 1,150 miles (1852 km).
Fargo, North Dakota, to Muscatine, Iowa
Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa stand out as some of the greenest and most verdant of all the states along the Northern Tier Route. From either direction, this greenery proves to be a relief from the giant plains to the west and acres of farmland to the east. Riders learn a lot about the history of the Mississippi River as they follow its course.
This portion of the Northern Tier Route can be ridden from late spring to late fall. Due to changing local conditions, it is difficult to predict any major wind patterns, but tornadoes are common in Iowa. They mostly occur in May and June.
Heading east from Fargo and Moorhead in the Red River Valley, riders begin to slowly leave the Great Plains. Lakes and hills become the standard scenery, and the resident mosquitoes increase in number. The birthplace of the Mississippi River is in Lake Itasca State Park, in northern Minnesota. This area is so full of forests, lakes, and rivers that it draws many tourists during the summer months. The route follows the Mississippi River, until it heads east around the cities of Minneapolis, St. Paul, and surrounding suburbs. There is a spur into Minneapolis-St. Paul that ends at the airport. Along the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers, the towns are older and the buildings much more historic. At Prescott, Wisconsin, the St. Croix joins the Mississippi, and the route again follows that river southward for 175 miles. The route leaves the river occasionally on less-traveled roads, but these also mean climbing and descending the bluffs along the river. Upon entering Iowa, those not familiar with the state may think that the terrain is going to flatten out, but the hills continue after leaving the river. Small laid-back farm towns are abundant through Iowa. This section of the route ends in Muscatine, an old industrial town located on the Mississippi.
Terrain
The terrain is continuously rolling over the entire length of this route. Ask any Iowan if Iowa is flat, they will respond with a "No," especially in the northeastern part of the state.
Logistics
Services are abundant along the route, and the townsfolk are friendly in the Midwest.
Muscatine, Iowa, to Bar Harbor, Maine
The Iowa to Maine section stretches from the Mississippi River to the Atlantic Ocean. In between it touches two of the Great Lakes, and Niagara Falls, one of the scenic wonders of North America, and then follows a transportation corridor that opened the country west of the original colonies. It passes through cities that were once the backbone of American industrialism and are now remaking themselves into the modern idiom, through hamlets, villages, and towns that define the region with a story to tell, and through places that played pivotal roles in the history of the United States.
This portion of the Northern Tier can be ridden from early spring to late fall. Due to changing local conditions, it is difficult to predict any major wind patterns. The Midwest and Great Lakes summers can be hot, especially inland. Along the Great Lakes, breezes provide cooling and are sometimes a friend and sometimes a foe.
Beginning at the Mississippi River, the route traverses the large prairie farms of central Illinois and the smaller farms of Indiana and Ohio, eventually reaching the shore of Lake Erie at Huron, Ohio. A side trip to nearby Cedar Point Amusement Park offers rides on the greatest number of the most pulse-raising roller coasters in the country. Also available is a ferry trip to one or more of the Lake Erie islands and visit the area where Commodore Oliver Perry defeated the British fleet in the War of 1812. Heading through busy Cleveland, Ohio, you'll pass the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Science Center and its IMAX theater, a retired Great Lakes iron ore freighter, and a World War II submarine.
Along the lake shore in eastern Ohio and Pennsylvania, the route passes through small towns, where tourists flock to the shore during summer. In Erie, Pennsylvania, there are miles of sand beach at Presque Isle State Park, along with the replica of the sailing ship Niagara, Commodore Perry's flagship in the War of 1812 Battle of Lake Erie. Leaving Erie, the route enters the fruit and wine region of Pennsylvania and New York and hugs the relatively rural lake shore to the outskirts of Buffalo, New York. Views across Lake Erie of the Buffalo skyline and Canada usher the cyclist into the bustle of the southern end of the metropolis. A short side trip will takes riders to the Pedaling History Bicycle Museum in Orchard Park. The route passes the magnificent Basilica of Our Lady of Victory in Lackawanna, and seeing its magnificent Italian Renaissance and French Baroque architecture is a must. From Lackawanna to the Peace Bridge, the route passes through a depressed post-industrial area to emerge at the lakefront Buffalo Naval and Military Park with World War II vessels open for visits.
The route uses the Peace Bridge into Canada and follows one of the most scenic recreational trails in North America along the Niagara River to Niagara Falls. Visitors may take the cable car ride across the Whirlpool Rapids and visit the other attractions along the trail. The route then crosses back into the U.S., enjoying the view of the Niagara Gorge. Heading east, the route uses the Erie Canalway Trail for 90 miles along a waterway dripping with history. Riders can take the time to explore the towns along the Erie Canal. At Palmyra, New York, the route turns north to Lake Ontario, where it follows the lake shore to Sodus Bay, dips inland to Fair Haven, and then leaves the Great Lakes to cross the Adirondack Mountains and arrive at Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain. A visit to Fort Ticonderoga will give meaning to Revolutionary War history.
After a short ferry ride over the lake, riders are in New England, cycling through Vermont farmland, forested hills, and picturesque villages. In New Hampshire, the route follows the Connecticut River, passing through the villages of Orford with its ridge houses and Haverhill, a classic New England village with its fenced village commons and old homes. The route crosses the White Mountains, the backbone of New Hampshire, on The Famous Kancamagus Highway. Mt. Washington, noted for its fierce weather, is just a few miles north, and the Kancamagus shares some of its weather reputation. Riders must be prepared, even in summer. Entering Maine, the route traverses forests and fields, arriving at Damariscotta on the Atlantic coast. Riders should allow time to savor the quintessential ambiance of the coastal towns. Before crossing the Penobscot River, riders can stray off route to visit Ft. Knox, an exceptionally well-preserved unused Revolutionary War fort. A fitting end to the trip includes cycling the gravel carriage paths of Acadia National Park and viewing a sunrise from atop Cadillac Mountain. The park is near the town of Bar Harbor, at the end of the route.
Terrain
The first 946 miles of this route (from the Mississippi River to Palmyra, New York) is virtually flat. Illinois has some gently rolling prairie and is mostly treeless except in towns. The trees increase in Indiana. East of Cleveland, Ohio, the route climbs to a low ridge for a few miles and then descends back to the lake shore until Buffalo, New York. From Buffalo to Palmyra, the route experiences only slight elevation changes at the locks along the Erie Canal. The mountains in New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire extend north and south, and the route travels east-west, so the remainder of the route has a lot a variety; flat sections along river valleys and several challenging climbs. The Kancamagus Pass at 2,860 feet (871 meters) is the highest point on the eastern half of the Northern Tier Route.
Logistics
Overall most services along this route can be found only in towns. Campgrounds are reasonably plentiful, but there are a few gaps, and advanced planning is needed if you are camping. Some cyclists may want to do the eastern portions of this route during the colors of autumn. If so, travelers must call ahead to verify campground availability, because many close after Labor Day. If staying indoors, advance reservations are recommended.
States and Provinces on the Northern Tier Bicycle Route
- Washington
- Idaho
- Montana
- Alberta, Canada
- North Dakota
- Minnesota
- Wisconsin
- Iowa
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- New York
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
- Maine
See also
- bicycle touring
- Adventure Cycling Association