Idaho to Washington avoiding Oregon

How long is your trailer? If it’s over 48’ you’ll need to buy an Idaho permit and you’ll have to make 5.5 off track to run 95. Unless you do it at night. 95 isn’t bad, we run it all the time from Missoula to Boise area. Just don’t plan on setting any speed records. We figure a 50mph average from I-84 to Lewiston at 105k so you’ll make a little better time.

You need the OR permit before you get to the scale of you’re going to go across that way.

 

I’d probably go 95 just for the scenery then.

 

BTW. I read a sign a few hours ago near Cardwell on I-90 that somewhere on MT 55, there is now a 20,000 pound limit. I'm assuming this is somewhere between Whitehall and Silver Star?

I know a lot of trucks use this route to get out of Montana down into Idaho. But I'm not entirely sure where this restriction is.

 

ID 55 goes from Eagle up through Cascade and McCall and meets 95 at New Meadows. There was construction on the hill dropping down to New Meadows last year, maybe a continuation of that. I'd be surprised if MT 55 was mentioned in Caldwell, but yes I think it goes from MT 41 up to I90.

 

Looks like that traffic will now have to go via Butte or via Island Park which isn't that big of deal so long as you're aware ahead of time

 

Island Park over Raynolds Pass and up through Ennis is a good route. A bit touristy in the summer though.

 

Even with a light load ID55 would be slower than running 95 north.
As far as MT, the OP would have to go to Butte and drop South to Dubois and cut across unless he wanted to run to Island Park and down to Idaho Falls and loop around on the interstate. That’s assuming he’s coming from eastern MT.

 

We split about 50/50 between that way (Ennis and Island Park) and the other way via Whitehall cutoff. But we never go via Butte.

But if I'm going to the Boise area, I prefer going via Dillon and Arco

 

Depending on where you are trying to end up going to West Yellowstone and up to Belgrade (191?) through Big Sky is a pretty drive if you are not in a hurry. A few miles shorter I think, but not any faster.