Longest distance between natural boundary crossings

[OCGuy81]

Having recently driven along I-84 through the Columbia River Gorge, crossings of this large river are few and far between.  I think the biggest gap would be if you don't cross at US-97 at Biggs, it's about 84 miles before you have a chance to cross again via Interstate 82 near Hermiston.

I'm sure the Mississippi has some significant distance between crossings.

Also, there can be a lot of distance between mountain passes as well.  For example, if you're looking to cross the Cascades driving north on US-97, and you don't cross via Willamette Pass on OR-58, it's over 100 miles of driving before you can cross again at Santiam Pass on US-20.

What're some of your long distances between natural boundary crosssings?

[GaryV]

It's over 400 miles from Duluth to Sault Ste Marie - does that count?

[Max Rockatansky]

Unless you count trails it is a long way from CA 190 and Sherman Pass Road through the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Tioga Pass Road and CA 120.  The terrain of the high Sierras isn't impossible but there is at least four cancelled highways that would have crossed it. 

[OCGuy81]

It's over 400 miles from Duluth to Sault Ste Marie - does that count?

I'd say so.

[OCGuy81]

Unless you count trails it is a long way from CA 190 and Sherman Pass Road through the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Tioga Pass Road and CA 120.  The terrain of the high Sierras isn't impossible but there is at least four cancelled highways that would have crossed it. 

Great example of what I'm referring to with this topic. Thanks!

[US 89]

Crossings of the Colorado River are few and far between west of Grand Junction thanks to harsh desert terrain. It's a hell of a long way between US 89A at the Navajo Bridge and US 93/I-11 at Hoover Dam.

[Max Rockatansky]

Crossings of the Colorado River are few and far between west of Grand Junction thanks to harsh desert terrain. It's a hell of a long way between US 89A at the Navajo Bridge and US 93/I-11 at Hoover Dam.

How about the San Rafael Swell?  There is almost nothing out there aside I-70 and UT 24. 

[StogieGuy7]

Crossings of the Colorado River are few and far between west of Grand Junction thanks to harsh desert terrain. It's a hell of a long way between US 89A at the Navajo Bridge and US 93/I-11 at Hoover Dam.

How about the San Rafael Swell?  There is almost nothing out there aside I-70 and UT 24.

There's I-70 through the center, US 6/50 to UT 10 bypassing to the east, north then west, and then UT 24 at the far south end.  However, there are also dirt/gravel roads that connect I-70 with Emery County towns like Ferron, Castle Dale and Huntington.  One is the old Moore Road through the Red Reef, the other goes through Buckhorn Draw, over the (new) bridge, and past the cutoff to the Wedge Overlook (well worth a visit if you have the time - it's called the little Grand Canyon for a reason).  So, there are crossings - though none are easy cruises.

[Max Rockatansky]

Crossings of the Colorado River are few and far between west of Grand Junction thanks to harsh desert terrain. It's a hell of a long way between US 89A at the Navajo Bridge and US 93/I-11 at Hoover Dam.

How about the San Rafael Swell?  There is almost nothing out there aside I-70 and UT 24.

There's I-70 through the center, US 6/50 to UT 10 bypassing to the east, north then west, and then UT 24 at the far south end.  However, there are also dirt/gravel roads that connect I-70 with Emery County towns like Ferron, Castle Dale and Huntington.  One is the old Moore Road through the Red Reef, the other goes through Buckhorn Draw, over the (new) bridge, and past the cutoff to the Wedge Overlook (well worth a visit if you have the time - it's called the little Grand Canyon for a reason).  So, there are crossings - though none are easy cruises.

Does anyone recall the wagon road that used to traverse the region between Escalante and the Lake Powell area?  I want to say that has been rendered impassable by a vehicle even to the Lake. 

[StogieGuy7]

Crossings of the Colorado River are few and far between west of Grand Junction thanks to harsh desert terrain. It's a hell of a long way between US 89A at the Navajo Bridge and US 93/I-11 at Hoover Dam.

How about the San Rafael Swell?  There is almost nothing out there aside I-70 and UT 24.

There's I-70 through the center, US 6/50 to UT 10 bypassing to the east, north then west, and then UT 24 at the far south end.  However, there are also dirt/gravel roads that connect I-70 with Emery County towns like Ferron, Castle Dale and Huntington.  One is the old Moore Road through the Red Reef, the other goes through Buckhorn Draw, over the (new) bridge, and past the cutoff to the Wedge Overlook (well worth a visit if you have the time - it's called the little Grand Canyon for a reason).  So, there are crossings - though none are easy cruises.

Does anyone recall the wagon road that used to traverse the region between Escalante and the Lake Powell area?  I want to say that has been rendered impassable by a vehicle even to the Lake.

Burr Trail? https://www.nps.gov/glca/planyourvisit/driving-the-burr-trail.htm

[TheHighwayMan3561]

There are no Michigan-Ontario crossings between the I-94/69 crossing and the Detroit/Windsor tunnel.

In MN, there are no Minnesota/Ontario crossings between MN 61 at Grand Portage and US 53/71 in International Falls (180 air miles).

[Max Rockatansky]

Crossings of the Colorado River are few and far between west of Grand Junction thanks to harsh desert terrain. It's a hell of a long way between US 89A at the Navajo Bridge and US 93/I-11 at Hoover Dam.

How about the San Rafael Swell?  There is almost nothing out there aside I-70 and UT 24.

There's I-70 through the center, US 6/50 to UT 10 bypassing to the east, north then west, and then UT 24 at the far south end.  However, there are also dirt/gravel roads that connect I-70 with Emery County towns like Ferron, Castle Dale and Huntington.  One is the old Moore Road through the Red Reef, the other goes through Buckhorn Draw, over the (new) bridge, and past the cutoff to the Wedge Overlook (well worth a visit if you have the time - it's called the little Grand Canyon for a reason).  So, there are crossings - though none are easy cruises.

Does anyone recall the wagon road that used to traverse the region between Escalante and the Lake Powell area?  I want to say that has been rendered impassable by a vehicle even to the Lake.

Burr Trail? https://www.nps.gov/glca/planyourvisit/driving-the-burr-trail.htm

No, that's more of a proto-UT 12/24.  What I'm thinking about (and I can't find it in my photos) was more to the south and is flooded partially by Lake Powell. 

Fun fact though; the Capitol Gorge Trail was the original alignment of UT 24. 

[GaryV]

There are no Michigan-Ontario crossings between the I-94/69 crossing and the Detroit/Windsor tunnel.

There are 3 ferries, although if I recall, one of them is out of service because the dock flooded in the high water levels.

[Bruce]

Lake Roosevelt on the Columbia River has about 80 river miles between crossings of SR 21 (via the Keller Ferry) and US 395/SR 20 at Kettle Falls. If we're only counting bridges, then it's 100 miles to the bridge under Grand Coulee Dam.

[kphoger]

If you intend to drive to the western coast of Mexico...

Paved road crossings of the Sierra Madre Occidental:

Yepáchic
El Salto

Approximately 370 miles, great circle distance.

[Max Rockatansky]

Crossings of the Colorado River are few and far between west of Grand Junction thanks to harsh desert terrain. It's a hell of a long way between US 89A at the Navajo Bridge and US 93/I-11 at Hoover Dam.

How about the San Rafael Swell?  There is almost nothing out there aside I-70 and UT 24.

There's I-70 through the center, US 6/50 to UT 10 bypassing to the east, north then west, and then UT 24 at the far south end.  However, there are also dirt/gravel roads that connect I-70 with Emery County towns like Ferron, Castle Dale and Huntington.  One is the old Moore Road through the Red Reef, the other goes through Buckhorn Draw, over the (new) bridge, and past the cutoff to the Wedge Overlook (well worth a visit if you have the time - it's called the little Grand Canyon for a reason).  So, there are crossings - though none are easy cruises.

Does anyone recall the wagon road that used to traverse the region between Escalante and the Lake Powell area?  I want to say that has been rendered impassable by a vehicle even to the Lake.

Burr Trail? https://www.nps.gov/glca/planyourvisit/driving-the-burr-trail.htm

No, that's more of a proto-UT 12/24.  What I'm thinking about (and I can't find it in my photos) was more to the south and is flooded partially by Lake Powell. 

Fun fact though; the Capitol Gorge Trail was the original alignment of UT 24.

The Hole in the Rock Road between Escalante and Bluff circa 1880. 

[OCGuy81]

If you intend to drive to the western coast of Mexico...

Paved road crossings of the Sierra Madre Occidental:

Yepáchic
El Salto

Approximately 370 miles, great circle distance.

Never driven in Mexico, but that sounds like quite an adventure.  I recently read a book called "God's Middle Finger" by Richard Grant.  The author visits several locations in Mexico's (largely lawless) Sierra Madres.  It's a great read, if you're interested.

[OCGuy81]

Here's one that annoys me when I visit the Portland area.

The I-5 Boone Bridge that crosses the Willamette.  The next crossing the Willamette is way the hell down in Salem.  Yes, yes, there are some slow, limited capacity ferries, but it's a terrible funnel most days.  All those in the Portland area looking to get south?  Huge chokepoint, unless you go way out of the way via OR-99W.

Kinda similar to the Columbia leaving the metro area to the north, but at least 205 has a bridge across not too far from the I-5 crossing.

[SkyPesos]

The longest distance on the Ohio River I can think of (fixed crossings only) is between US 45 in Paducah and US 41 in Evansville, with 140 miles between them.

[OCGuy81]

The longest distance on the Ohio River I can think of (fixed crossings only) is between US 45 in Paducah and US 41 in Evansville, with 140 miles between them.

That looks like it might be the winner.

On the Mississippi, I *think* the longest might be between US-278 outside of Greenville, and where US-49 crosses further north.  About 126 miles, give or take.

[SkyPesos]

The longest distance on the Ohio River I can think of (fixed crossings only) is between US 45 in Paducah and US 41 in Evansville, with 140 miles between them.

That looks like it might be the winner.

On the Mississippi, I *think* the longest might be between US-278 outside of Greenville, and where US-49 crosses further north.  About 126 miles, give or take.

Nvm, I skipped the IL 13 bridge over the Ohio River. It's almost equidistant between the US 45 and 41 crossings, about 75 miles east of the US 45 crossing. Also, there's a CSX rail bridge in Henderson, KY; not sure if we're doing road crossings only for this thread or including rail too.

[Evan_Th]

Here's one that annoys me when I visit the Portland area.

The I-5 Boone Bridge that crosses the Willamette.  The next crossing the Willamette is way the hell down in Salem.  Yes, yes, there are some slow, limited capacity ferries, but it's a terrible funnel most days.  All those in the Portland area looking to get south?  Huge chokepoint, unless you go way out of the way via OR-99W.

Kinda similar to the Columbia leaving the metro area to the north, but at least 205 has a bridge across not too far from the I-5 crossing.

What about the SR 219 bridge ten miles upriver from I-5?

[OCGuy81]

Here's one that annoys me when I visit the Portland area.

The I-5 Boone Bridge that crosses the Willamette.  The next crossing the Willamette is way the hell down in Salem.  Yes, yes, there are some slow, limited capacity ferries, but it's a terrible funnel most days.  All those in the Portland area looking to get south?  Huge chokepoint, unless you go way out of the way via OR-99W.

Kinda similar to the Columbia leaving the metro area to the north, but at least 205 has a bridge across not too far from the I-5 crossing.

What about the SR 219 bridge ten miles upriver from I-5?

Oh that's right!

Still, a freeway crossing of the Willamette south of Portland is very badly needed. 219 is a pretty rural road and out of the way from I-5

[ftballfan]

The I-155 bridge is the only Mississippi River bridge between Memphis (I-40) and Cairo (US 60/62)

[gonealookin]

Unless you count trails it is a long way from CA 190 and Sherman Pass Road through the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Tioga Pass Road and CA 120.  The terrain of the high Sierras isn't impossible but there is at least four cancelled highways that would have crossed it. 

And in the winter the southernmost crossing on the north side is CA 88/NV 88.  CA 4, CA 108, CA 120/Tioga through Yosemite and the Monitor Pass portion of CA 89 are all closed for several months.

It creates an odd situation in Alpine County.  The Bear Valley ski area is just into Alpine County and is near the easternmost point of CA 4 that remains open, but for five months or so it's separated from the rest of the county, including Markleeville, the county seat, by the Ebbetts Pass closure.  It would seem logical to move the county line to the Sierra crest and append the portion of Alpine County west of the crest to adjacent Calaveras County, but Alpine County has barely over 1000 residents and almost no economic activity, so I bet Bear Valley accounts for a huge portion of the county tax revenue.