Driving from Chicago are to Houghton MI which way?

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zomowiec

New member
Hi guys need to decide which way is the better way to get to houghton MI from suburbs of chicago with a 4place enclosed trailer. Usually we go through Madison, Eagle river, Mass city 444 miles from where i live, but now i looked at google maps and it shows me to go through Milwaukee, Green Bay, Crystal Falls 403miles. Maps are showing 30 min difference the green bay way but kinda don't know what type of roads i might encounter there. It seems that you go around Ottawa National Forest which is good for the truck with the trailer but don't want to get stuck on 1 lane roads for long distances.

Any help

Thanks
 
indy_500

indy_500

Well-known member
Very different story for me as my trip is only half the distance, but I used to live <5 miles from hwy 41, and now live 10 and I still refuse to take 41 up there through green Bay. For 1 I hate going through green bay. Two, once north of Iron Mountain there isnt anywhere to stop. I prefer 45 even though you have to stroll through all the small towns. Better scenery, tons of places to stop, and a much calmer drive. Just my 2 cents... and Google maps says it's 15 minutes quicker for me to go up 41 through Green BAY fwiw...
 
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1fujifilm

Well-known member
zomowiec said:
Hi guys need to decide which way is the better way to get to houghton MI from suburbs of chicago with a 4place enclosed trailer. Usually we go through Madison, Eagle river, Mass city 444 miles from where i live, but now i looked at google maps and it shows me to go through Milwaukee, Green Bay, Crystal Falls 403miles. Maps are showing 30 min difference the green bay way but kinda don't know what type of roads i might encounter there. It seems that you go around Ottawa National Forest which is good for the truck with the trailer but don't want to get stuck on 1 lane roads for long distances.

Any help

Thanks
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Green Bay may be the route as we (I live in G.B.) have all updated interstate style highways through Green Bay with a 70 MPH speed limit with no slow down (freekin awesome) and additional lanes compared to just two years ago.
I used to take 45 too but took 41 back from Houghton to Green Bay two days ago to avoid the Twin Lakes, MI area as it was a blizzard all last week (good for snowmobiling not for driving). I left Houghton at 5:30 P.M. and made it to 41/Mason Street on the West side of Green Bay in 3:41. Not bad towing a trailer.

Bear
 
eagle1

eagle1

Well-known member
indy_500 said:
Very different story for me as my trip is only half the distance, but I used to live <5 miles from hwy 41, and now live 10 and I still refuse to take 41 up there through green Bay. For 1 I hate going through green bay. Two, once north of Iron Mountain there isnt anywhere to stop. I prefer 45 even though you have to stroll through all the small towns. Better scenery, tons of places to stop, and a much calmer drive. Just my 2 cents... and Google maps says it's 15 minutes quicker for me to go up 41 through Green BAY fwiw...
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Lol. And I've always been opposite. I usually take141 unless picking someone up. North of iron mountain there's no one to get in your way.😀. Plus there's less lake effect inland and seems like better roads to me.
 
legend02

legend02

Active member
I go through Milwaukee to Oshkosh then get off at 45 and head north through Eagle River Till it dead ends up by rockland , hang a right go through mass city Twinlake's etc.

Where I'm at and I can go either way but like some of the back roads driving once you get to Oshkosh and avoid all the tolls on Illinois tollway 90 portion
 
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Cat600

Member
legend02 said:
I go through Milwaukee to Oshkosh then get off at 45 and head north through Eagle River Till it dead ends up by rockland , hang a right go through mass city Twinlake's etc.
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^

For me starting in Milwaukee, that's the way I'd take. If you want more 4 lane/stops, take 45 north until 29, take 29 over to Wausau/51, then 51 north to Woodruff, take 70 back over to Eagle River/45, then 45/26 north to Houghton.

Just a note thought they are tearing up the south side of Woodruff/Hazelhurst and expanding it to 4 lane.
 
B

brad460

Member
legend02 said:
I go through Milwaukee to Oshkosh then get off at 45 and head north through Eagle River Till it dead ends up by rockland , hang a right go through mass city Twinlake's etc.

Where I'm at and I can go either way but like some of the back roads driving once you get to Oshkosh and avoid all the tolls on Illinois tollway 90 portion
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+1 for this...
 
S

sr22ger

Member
blkhwkbob said:
That's a looooong way on 45...
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Agreed!

3.5 hours or less for us from Green Bay (depends on stops to be honest, if you have kids or others who need stops ever two hours in the car it adds a bit to the time), guessing you can't do that regardless of other roads taking the 45 direction. We head to Houghton 6+ times a year, not just for snowmobiling due to family in the area.

There is a short cut I hate to admit that will save you time, unless conditions are bad though. 141 to Pembine, left on 8, north on U just after Dunbar. Saves about 10 minutes unless conditions are bad, then it is better to go through Iron Mountain on 141. You hook back up to 2/141 in Florence, and take the normal route through Crystal Falls from there. Going 75-80 from Milwaukee all the way through to the 41/141 split has to be good for time compared to other options.
 
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cuzzinolaf

Well-known member
I've gone every which way going through Houghton or to Mass. The fastest way to the Mass area is 51 through Rhinelander. The fastest way to Houghton is Green Bay up 41 but heading west on 8 and up U into Florence (if the weather is good).
 
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Tracker

Guest
straight thru Milwaukee saves 20 miles instead of the around the city highway....quick to greenbay....then thru city greenbay saves another 20....after that I cut up M35 in 2 places to save another 40 but you might have to turn west around then since I go all the way straight up to US41 in Marquette...you could head west then way up there see if that's shorter....if it is you take M35 instead of US41 outta marrinette/menominee....that saves 20....and then off US41 again north on M35 outta Gladstone to Gwinn....take right at M553 and go by ADVENTURE CENTRE...wave to bob and joanie or stop which I do all the time...and then keep goin on straight past MARQUETTE MOUNTAIN to US 41....I head north at that point....saves another 20....google mileage that way west then on US41.....all those cut thrus might add up....it did for us

PS...any site of bad weather...>DO NOT go on M35 towards Escanaba unless you enjoy waves of ice flowing over your car like the bow of a ship....LMAO....go inland my son US41 and the forest lest you enjoy ADVENTUREs
 
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cuzzinolaf

Well-known member
Post this using Google Maps so we can see this route. I'm not following and it looks like you're going to Marquette and not Houghton.
 
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Tracker

Guest
when M553 that meets with US 41 your already thru Marquette and on western side of US41 heading to L'ANSE....if ya'd stop feeding bigfoot candy bars and peanut butter and eating one yerself then ya could look down better....LOL....although.....that squatchin belly saved you on that roll over didn't it? tek vest....please....it was a squatchin belly....LMAO

PS...start at M35 and US41 on the border and follow it up....the less I see going that way the better for me if ya cants figure it out....
 
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chicagosledder

New member
sr22ger said:
Agreed!

3.5 hours or less for us from Green Bay (depends on stops to be honest, if you have kids or others who need stops ever two hours in the car it adds a bit to the time), guessing you can't do that regardless of other roads taking the 45 direction. We head to Houghton 6+ times a year, not just for snowmobiling due to family in the area.

There is a short cut I hate to admit that will save you time, unless conditions are bad though. 141 to Pembine, left on 8, north on U just after Dunbar. Saves about 10 minutes unless conditions are bad, then it is better to go through Iron Mountain on 141. You hook back up to 2/141 in Florence, and take the normal route through Crystal Falls from there. Going 75-80 from Milwaukee all the way through to the 41/141 split has to be good for time compared to other options.
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I head up often and that is the way to go, unless there is snow, then I avoid the shortcut. I don't like driving through there if it is snowing.
 
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