See The Best Of The Northern US On This Road Trip Boasting National Parks And Charming Towns

The United States encapsulates a wide variety of landscapes, from cities to plains, mountains, deserts, marshlands, and more. While a road trip sometimes forces you to choose between specific types of topography, whether that means visiting the world's tallest trees at California's Redwood National Park or hunting down America's best lake towns, you can have it all in one magnificent journey along the Great Northern U.S. Highway 2. Primarily a connected route that traverses from Everett in Washington on the West Coast to Maine's Acadia National Park on the East, it's the perfect setting for an epic road trip.

U.S. Highway 2 (US-2) is a lesser-traveled option due to its northern location. In fact, it primarily runs parallel to the Canadian border and even passes into our neighbor to the north for about 600 miles. The complete odyssey touches multiple states and spans the width of the country. Along the way, you'll see historical landmarks, climb over mountains, dip into valleys, drive along lakes, and travel through unpopulated terrain.

Starting in the mid-sized town of Everett, less than 30 miles north of Seattle, you'll hit US-2 and travel through Stevens Pass. The highway then follows along the Columbia River before breaking east past Banks Lake and the small towns of Eastern Washington on the road north towards Spokane — be sure to stop at the charming Bavarian village of Leavenworth on the way. Heading north, the journey takes road-trippers through the magical Kaniksu and Kootenai National Forests on the way through the narrow tip of Idaho's panhandle and into Montana. On the Montana side, the spectacular Glacier National Park and the ski town of Kalispell await your arrival, while Flathead Lake and the surrounding valley are ripe for hiking and water activities in the summer.

The eastern section of Montana links together a series of gorgeous sleepy towns before crossing the border into North Dakota and the vastness of the Great Plains. Are you looking for the quintessential western town experience? Make a slight diversion into the historic town of Epping and Theodore Roosevelt National Park, one of the best places in the country for low crowds and astonishing wildlife. Minnesota's many lakes are next, with Lake Superior at the top of the bucket list. In this gorgeous part of the country, you'll find the remote, adventurous Isle Royale National Park, along with several national forests. You'll also pass over the top of Lake Michigan and can spend a dream day on Mackinac Island.

There is somewhat of a break in the continuum of US-2 as it crosses over into sections of Canada. Roadtrippers should view this as the cherry on top of a delicious sundae, as there is plenty to see, but we're focusing on the States here. From Montreal, head south and pick up US-2 again near Lake Champlain, on the border of New York and lovely Vermont. State capital Montpelier' and its striking historic architecture are just a short jaunt down the road. If you're traveling in the fall, the dramatic Vermont foliage will almost certainly steal your heart.

US-2 offers fabulous access to the glorious Green Mountains and the striking White Mountains across the border in New Hampshire. For historical buildings, be sure to pay attention when you pass through Lancaster, while Christmas enthusiasts, water park lovers, and amusement park aficionados should make a beeline for nearby Jefferson, New Hampshire. From there, the highway crisscrosses Maine, where you'll pass through the outdoorsy town of Bethel and end up at the romantic Maine island town of Bar Harbor on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Your epic road trip across the nation ends with yet another landmark bit of scenery, where you can take in wild views on a hike through Acadia National Park.