U.S. Route 89
Encyclopedia
U.S. Route 89 is a north–south United States Highway with two sections, and one former section. The southern section runs for 848 miles (1,365 kilometers) from Flagstaff, Arizona
, to the southern entrance of Yellowstone National Park
. The northern section runs for 404 miles (650 kilometers) from the northern entrance of Yellowstone National Park to Montana
, ending at the Canadian border. An implied route through Yellowstone connects the two sections. Before 1992, U.S. Highway 89 was a Canada
to Mexico
, border-to-border, highway that ended at Nogales, Arizona
on its southern end.
Sometimes called the National Park Highway, U.S. 89 links seven National Park
s across the Mountain West. In addition, fourteen other National Park areas, mostly National Monument
s are also reachable from this backbone of the rockies.
U.S. 89 begins at Flagstaff, Arizona, the highway proceeds north passing near Grand Canyon National Park
and through the Navajo Nation
. Near the Utah State Line the highway splits into U.S. 89 and U.S. 89A
. The Alternate is the original highway, what is now the main highway was constructed in the 1960s to serve the Glen Canyon Dam
. The two highways rejoin in Kanab, Utah
.
The main branch passes over the Colorado River
just south of the Glen Canyon Dam
and Lake Powell
near Page, AZ, and then it enters Utah. The 89A branch crosses the Colorado River at Navajo Bridge
and then skirts the North Rim of the Grand Canyon before entering Utah.
National Park Highway - Starting just north of the Mexican border in Arizona is the Tumacacori National Monument. Saguaro National Park
is the first National Park
by title, in Tucson. Short links from Highway 89 take motorists to the Casa Grande National Monument and the Hohokam Pima National Monument
, before reaching Phoenix. Approaching Flastaff there is a quartet of parks, including Tuzigoot National Monument
, Walnut Canyon National Monument
, Sunset Crater National Monument, and Wupatki National Monument
. North of Flagstaff is the Grand Canyon National Park
the second of the seven National Parks along this highway. Continuing northward, U.S. 89 divides into U.S. 89 and U.S. 89A. The northern mainline route passes by Page, Arizona
and through the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
before leaving the state and Lake Powell
.
U.S. 89A turns westward and it serves Lees Ferry, and then it goes over the Kaibab Plateau, connecting with Arizona State Route 67 at Jacob Lake, AZ, then with Arizona State Route 389 in Fredonia, AZ before turning north into the State of Utah. State Route 67 will take travelers to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, while State Route 389 serves the Pipe Spring National Monument
, which is the last National Park Service
area in Arizona.
and the Bryce Canyon National Park
. It eventually enters the Sevier County, Utah
, and the Sanpete Valleys. The highway then passes by Thistle, Utah
, a ghost town that was destroyed by a landslide
in 1983. The highway then enters the Wasatch Front
where U.S. 89 becomes the main streets of the largest cities in Utah. The highway becomes State Street from Orem to Salt Lake City. The highway is also often in the shadows of Interstate 15
during its route along the Wasatch Front. The highway departs the I - 15 corridor at Brigham City, Utah
, to serve the Cache Valley
and Logan, Utah
. In Logan, U.S. 89 is named University Blvd, and it passes by the campus of the Utah State University
. The highway next proceeds up Logan Canyon
to Bear Lake
where the highway exits Utah.
Two sections of U.S. 89 in Utah have been designated Scenic Byways. The Kanab to Mt. Carmel and Long Valley Scenic Byway is a designated Utah Scenic Byway
. From Logan to Bear Lake is designated as the Logan Canyon Scenic Byway by the National Scenic Byway
s project.
The section of U.S. 89 in Utah
, other than concurrencies with Interstate 70
, Interstate 15
, U.S. Highway 6, and U.S. Highway 91, is defined in the Utah Code Annotated § 72-4-114(8).
National Park Highway - Utah is dominated by the Colorado Plateau. Along U.S. 89 are the Zion National Park
, the Bryce Canyon National Park
, and the Cedar Breaks National Monument
. Although not readily adjacent to U.S. 89, the Capitol Reef National Park
is accessable from U.S. 89. U.S. 89 leaves northern Utah well-north of Salt Lake City and the Timpanogos Cave National Monument
and the Golden Spike National Historic Site
.
which straddles the Utah / Idaho state line.
, the Grand Teton National Park
, the Jackson Hole Valley, the Snake River Canyon
, and the Star Valley
.
National Park Highway - Passing northward along the western border of Wyoming with Idaho, U.S. 89 enters the Grand Teton National Park
. Here, U.S. 89 is the backbone visitor highway for two of the U.S. National Parks. Leaving the Tetons, the road enters a lesser known park, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway
, before entering Yellowstone National Park. Following the western half of Yellowstone's "Great Loop", the highway passes Yellowstone Lake
, the Old Faithful Geyser
, Madison Junction, the Norris Geyser Basin, and the Mammoth Hot Springs -- before exiting at the northern gateway of the National Park.
National Park Highway - U.S. 89 enters Montana from Yellowstone National Park. It traverses the entire width of the state before approaching Glacier National Park. At St. Mary, Montana
, U.S. 89 is the access highway to Glacier Route One, also known as the Going-to-the-Sun Road
.
, and the highway proceeded to Flagstaff, Arizona
, along what is now Interstate 19
, Arizona State Route 79, U.S. Route 60
, U.S. Route 93
, and Arizona State Route 89. In addition, there was another U.S. 89A in Arizona between Prescott, Ariz., and Flagstaff on which is now Arizona State Route 89A.
In Central Arizona, the need for a north-south U.S. Highway was largely superseded by the completion of Interstate 17
, which now carries the bulk of the traffic and all of the heavy trucks along this north-south corridor. Interstate 17 connects Interstate 40
in Flagstaff with Interstate 10
in Phoenix, along a very hilly route that also passes through the Verde Valley
.
Flagstaff, Arizona
Flagstaff is a city located in northern Arizona, in the southwestern United States. In 2010, the city's population was 65,870. The population of the Metropolitan Statistical Area was at 134,421 in 2010. It is the county seat of Coconino County...
, to the southern entrance of Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, is a national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho...
. The northern section runs for 404 miles (650 kilometers) from the northern entrance of Yellowstone National Park to Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, ending at the Canadian border. An implied route through Yellowstone connects the two sections. Before 1992, U.S. Highway 89 was a Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, border-to-border, highway that ended at Nogales, Arizona
Nogales, Arizona
Nogales is a city in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States. The population was 21,017 at the 2010 census. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 20,833. The city is the county seat of Santa Cruz County....
on its southern end.
Sometimes called the National Park Highway, U.S. 89 links seven National Park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
s across the Mountain West. In addition, fourteen other National Park areas, mostly National Monument
National monument
A National monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of national importance such as a war or the country's founding. The term may also refer to a specific monument status, such as a National Heritage Site, which most national monuments are by reason of their cultural...
s are also reachable from this backbone of the rockies.
Arizona
Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park is the United States' 15th oldest national park and is located in Arizona. Within the park lies the Grand Canyon, a gorge of the Colorado River, considered to be one of the Wonders of the World. The park covers of unincorporated area in Coconino and Mohave counties.Most...
and through the Navajo Nation
Navajo Nation
The Navajo Nation is a semi-autonomous Native American-governed territory covering , occupying all of northeastern Arizona, the southeastern portion of Utah, and northwestern New Mexico...
. Near the Utah State Line the highway splits into U.S. 89 and U.S. 89A
U.S. Route 89A (Arizona)
U.S. Route 89A is a north–south auxiliary U.S. highway, though its actual direction of travel is more east–west. The highway is an old routing of U.S. Route 89 from Bitter Springs, Arizona to Kanab, Utah. The state of Arizona has designated this highway the Fredonia-Vermilion Cliffs...
. The Alternate is the original highway, what is now the main highway was constructed in the 1960s to serve the Glen Canyon Dam
Glen Canyon Dam
Glen Canyon Dam is a concrete arch dam on the Colorado River in northern Arizona in the United States, just north of Page. The dam was built to provide hydroelectricity and flow regulation from the upper Colorado River Basin to the lower. Its reservoir is called Lake Powell, and is the second...
. The two highways rejoin in Kanab, Utah
Kanab, Utah
Kanab is a city in and the county seat of Kane County, Utah, United States. The area was first settled in 1864 and the town was founded in 1870 when ten Mormon families moved into the area. The population was 3,564 at the 2000 census...
.
The main branch passes over the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
just south of the Glen Canyon Dam
Glen Canyon Dam
Glen Canyon Dam is a concrete arch dam on the Colorado River in northern Arizona in the United States, just north of Page. The dam was built to provide hydroelectricity and flow regulation from the upper Colorado River Basin to the lower. Its reservoir is called Lake Powell, and is the second...
and Lake Powell
Lake Powell
Lake Powell is a huge reservoir on the Colorado River, straddling the border between Utah and Arizona . It is the second largest man-made reservoir in the United States behind Lake Mead, storing of water when full...
near Page, AZ, and then it enters Utah. The 89A branch crosses the Colorado River at Navajo Bridge
Navajo Bridge
Navajo Bridge crosses the Colorado River's Marble Canyon near Lee's Ferry in the US state of Arizona. Apart from the Glen Canyon Bridge a few miles upstream at Page, Arizona, it is the only roadway crossing of the river and the Grand Canyon for nearly...
and then skirts the North Rim of the Grand Canyon before entering Utah.
National Park Highway - Starting just north of the Mexican border in Arizona is the Tumacacori National Monument. Saguaro National Park
Saguaro National Park
Saguaro National Park, located in southern Arizona, is part of the United States National Park System.-Overview:The park is divided into two sections, called districts, lying approximately east and west of the center of the city of Tucson, Arizona. The total area in 2010 was of which is...
is the first National Park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
by title, in Tucson. Short links from Highway 89 take motorists to the Casa Grande National Monument and the Hohokam Pima National Monument
Hohokam Pima National Monument
The Hohokam Pima National Monument, which includes the archaeological site known as Snaketown, is an ancient Hohokam village within the Gila River Indian Community, near present day Sacaton, Arizona. Snaketown was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964...
, before reaching Phoenix. Approaching Flastaff there is a quartet of parks, including Tuzigoot National Monument
Tuzigoot National Monument
Tuzigoot National Monument preserves a 2 to 3 story pueblo ruin on the summit of a limestone and sandstone ridge just east of Clarkdale, Arizona, 120 feet above the Verde River floodplain. The pueblo has 110 rooms...
, Walnut Canyon National Monument
Walnut Canyon National Monument
Walnut Canyon National Monument is a United States National Monument located about southeast of downtown Flagstaff, Arizona, just off Interstate 40. The canyon rim lies at ; the canyon's floor is 350 ft lower...
, Sunset Crater National Monument, and Wupatki National Monument
Wupatki National Monument
The Wupatki National Monument is a National Monument located in north-central Arizona, near Flagstaff. Rich in Native American ruins, the monument is administered by the National Park Service in close conjunction with the nearby Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument.Wupatki was listed on the...
. North of Flagstaff is the Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park is the United States' 15th oldest national park and is located in Arizona. Within the park lies the Grand Canyon, a gorge of the Colorado River, considered to be one of the Wonders of the World. The park covers of unincorporated area in Coconino and Mohave counties.Most...
the second of the seven National Parks along this highway. Continuing northward, U.S. 89 divides into U.S. 89 and U.S. 89A. The northern mainline route passes by Page, Arizona
Page, Arizona
Page is a city in Coconino County, Arizona, United States, near the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 6,794.-Geography:Page is located at ....
and through the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is a recreation and conservation unit of the National Park Service that encompasses the area around Lake Powell and lower Cataract Canyon in Utah and Arizona, covering 1,254,429 acres of mostly desert...
before leaving the state and Lake Powell
Lake Powell
Lake Powell is a huge reservoir on the Colorado River, straddling the border between Utah and Arizona . It is the second largest man-made reservoir in the United States behind Lake Mead, storing of water when full...
.
U.S. 89A turns westward and it serves Lees Ferry, and then it goes over the Kaibab Plateau, connecting with Arizona State Route 67 at Jacob Lake, AZ, then with Arizona State Route 389 in Fredonia, AZ before turning north into the State of Utah. State Route 67 will take travelers to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, while State Route 389 serves the Pipe Spring National Monument
Pipe Spring National Monument
Pipe Spring National Monument is located in the U.S. state of Arizona, and is rich with American Indian, early explorer, and Mormon pioneer history...
, which is the last National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
area in Arizona.
Utah
The first city in Utah along either U.S. 89 or U.S. 89A is Kanab where the two routes re-unite. From Kanab U.S. 89 proceeds north passing by the Zion National ParkZion National Park
Zion National Park is located in the Southwestern United States, near Springdale, Utah. A prominent feature of the park is Zion Canyon, which is 15 miles long and up to half a mile deep, cut through the reddish and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone by the North Fork of the Virgin River...
and the Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park is a national park located in southwestern Utah in the United States. The major feature of the park is Bryce Canyon which, despite its name, is not a canyon but a giant natural amphitheater created by erosion along the eastern side of the Paunsaugunt Plateau...
. It eventually enters the Sevier County, Utah
Sevier County, Utah
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,842 people, 6,081 households, and 4,907 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 7,016 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
, and the Sanpete Valleys. The highway then passes by Thistle, Utah
Thistle, Utah
Thistle is a ghost town in Utah County, Utah, United States, about southeast of Salt Lake City. During the era of steam locomotives, the town's primary industry was servicing trains for the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad...
, a ghost town that was destroyed by a landslide
Landslide
A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
in 1983. The highway then enters the Wasatch Front
Wasatch Front
The Wasatch Front is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Utah. It consists of a chain of cities and towns stretched along the Wasatch Range from approximately Santaquin in the south to Brigham City in the north...
where U.S. 89 becomes the main streets of the largest cities in Utah. The highway becomes State Street from Orem to Salt Lake City. The highway is also often in the shadows of Interstate 15
Interstate 15 in Utah
In the U.S. state of Utah, Interstate 15 runs north–south through the southwestern and central portions of the state, passing through many of the population centers of that state, including St. George, Provo, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, the latter three being part of the urban area known as...
during its route along the Wasatch Front. The highway departs the I - 15 corridor at Brigham City, Utah
Brigham City, Utah
Brigham City is a city in Box Elder County, Utah, United States. The population was 17,899 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Box Elder County. It lies on the western slope of the Wellsville Mountains, a branch of the Wasatch Range at the western terminus of Box Elder Canyon...
, to serve the Cache Valley
Cache Valley
The Cache Valley is an agricultural valley of northern Utah and southeast Idaho that includes the Logan metropolitan area. The valley was used by 19th century mountain men and was the site of the 1863 Bear River Massacre.-History:...
and Logan, Utah
Logan, Utah
-Layout of the City:Logan's city grid originates from its Main and Center Street block, with Main Street running north and south, and Center east and west. Each block north, east, south, or west of the origin accumulates in additions of 100 , though some streets have non-numeric names...
. In Logan, U.S. 89 is named University Blvd, and it passes by the campus of the Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
. The highway next proceeds up Logan Canyon
Logan Canyon
Logan Canyon is a canyon that cuts its way through the Bear River Mountains, a branch of the Wasatch Range, in northeastern Utah. The canyon is popular for both summer and winter activities, especially rock-climbing, hiking, camping, fishing, snowmobiling, and skiing, at the Beaver Mountain ski...
to Bear Lake
Bear Lake (Idaho-Utah)
Bear Lake is a natural freshwater lake on the Utah-Idaho border in the Western United States. It is the second largest natural freshwater lake in Utah and has been called the "Caribbean of the Rockies" for its unique turquoise-blue color, the result of suspended limestone deposits in the water...
where the highway exits Utah.
Two sections of U.S. 89 in Utah have been designated Scenic Byways. The Kanab to Mt. Carmel and Long Valley Scenic Byway is a designated Utah Scenic Byway
Utah Scenic Byways
The legislature in the U.S. state of Utah has designated a system of Utah Scenic Byways in addition to the National Scenic Byways that are defined within the state. Some of the state designated routes overlap with the federal designations...
. From Logan to Bear Lake is designated as the Logan Canyon Scenic Byway by the National Scenic Byway
National Scenic Byway
A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for its archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and/or scenic qualities. The program was established by Congress in 1991 to preserve and protect the nation's scenic but often...
s project.
The section of U.S. 89 in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, other than concurrencies with Interstate 70
Interstate 70
Interstate 70 is an Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a Park and Ride near Baltimore, Maryland. It was the first Interstate Highway project in the United States. I-70 approximately traces the path of U.S. Route 40 east of the Rocky...
, Interstate 15
Interstate 15
Interstate 15 is the fourth-longest north–south Interstate Highway in the United States, traveling through the states of California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, and Montana from San Diego to the Canadian border...
, U.S. Highway 6, and U.S. Highway 91, is defined in the Utah Code Annotated § 72-4-114(8).
National Park Highway - Utah is dominated by the Colorado Plateau. Along U.S. 89 are the Zion National Park
Zion National Park
Zion National Park is located in the Southwestern United States, near Springdale, Utah. A prominent feature of the park is Zion Canyon, which is 15 miles long and up to half a mile deep, cut through the reddish and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone by the North Fork of the Virgin River...
, the Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park is a national park located in southwestern Utah in the United States. The major feature of the park is Bryce Canyon which, despite its name, is not a canyon but a giant natural amphitheater created by erosion along the eastern side of the Paunsaugunt Plateau...
, and the Cedar Breaks National Monument
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Cedar Breaks National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located in the U.S. state of Utah near Cedar City. Cedar Breaks is a natural amphitheater canyon, stretching across , with a depth of over . The elevation of the rim of the canyon is over above sea level.The eroded rock of the canyon is...
. Although not readily adjacent to U.S. 89, the Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef National Park is a United States National Park, in south-central Utah. It is 100 miles long but fairly narrow. The park, established in 1971, preserves 378 mi² and is open all year, although May through September are the most popular months.Called "Wayne Wonderland" in the 1920s...
is accessable from U.S. 89. U.S. 89 leaves northern Utah well-north of Salt Lake City and the Timpanogos Cave National Monument
Timpanogos Cave National Monument
Timpanogos Cave National Monument is a cave system in the Wasatch mountains in American Fork Canyon near American Fork, Utah, in the United States. The 1.5 mile trail to the cave is steep at several points, but paved and wide, so the cave opening is accessible to most...
and the Golden Spike National Historic Site
Golden Spike National Historic Site
Golden Spike National Historic Site is a U.S. National Historic Site located at Promontory Summit, north of the Great Salt Lake in Utah.It commemorates the completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad where the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad met on May 10, 1869...
.
Idaho
In Idaho, the highway partially circumnavigates the Bear LakeBear Lake (Idaho-Utah)
Bear Lake is a natural freshwater lake on the Utah-Idaho border in the Western United States. It is the second largest natural freshwater lake in Utah and has been called the "Caribbean of the Rockies" for its unique turquoise-blue color, the result of suspended limestone deposits in the water...
which straddles the Utah / Idaho state line.
Wyoming
In Wyoming, U.S. 89 passes through many scenic sites including Yellowstone National ParkYellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, is a national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho...
, the Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park is a United States National Park located in northwestern Wyoming, U.S. The Park consists of approximately and includes the major peaks of the long Teton Range as well as most of the northern sections of the valley known as Jackson Hole. Only south of Yellowstone...
, the Jackson Hole Valley, the Snake River Canyon
Snake River Canyon (Wyoming)
The Snake River Canyon is formed by the Snake River on the western border of Wyoming south of Jackson Hole. At the southern end of this canyon is the town of Alpine, Wyoming where the Snake River meets the Greys River and the Salt River at Palisades Reservoir on the Wyoming-Idaho border...
, and the Star Valley
Star Valley
Star Valley is located in the United States between the Salt River Range in western Wyoming and the Webster Range of eastern Idaho. The altitude of the valley ranges from to . Three major Wyoming rivers, the Salt River, the Greys River and the Snake River meet near Alpine Junction at Palisades...
.
National Park Highway - Passing northward along the western border of Wyoming with Idaho, U.S. 89 enters the Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park is a United States National Park located in northwestern Wyoming, U.S. The Park consists of approximately and includes the major peaks of the long Teton Range as well as most of the northern sections of the valley known as Jackson Hole. Only south of Yellowstone...
. Here, U.S. 89 is the backbone visitor highway for two of the U.S. National Parks. Leaving the Tetons, the road enters a lesser known park, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway is a scenic road that connects Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, United States. It is federally owned and managed by the National Park Service. It is named in remembrance of John D...
, before entering Yellowstone National Park. Following the western half of Yellowstone's "Great Loop", the highway passes Yellowstone Lake
Yellowstone Lake
Yellowstone Lake is the largest body of water in Yellowstone National Park, The lake is 7,732 feet above sea level and covers with 110 miles of shoreline. While the average depth of the lake is 139 feet its deepest spot is at least 390 feet...
, the Old Faithful Geyser
Old Faithful Geyser
Old Faithful is a cone geyser located in Wyoming, in Yellowstone National Park in the United States. Old Faithful was named in 1870 during the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition and was the first geyser in the park to receive a name...
, Madison Junction, the Norris Geyser Basin, and the Mammoth Hot Springs -- before exiting at the northern gateway of the National Park.
Montana
The northern terminus of U.S. 89 is at the Canadian-American border. There, the highway continues into Canada as Alberta Highway 2.National Park Highway - U.S. 89 enters Montana from Yellowstone National Park. It traverses the entire width of the state before approaching Glacier National Park. At St. Mary, Montana
St. Mary, Montana
St. Mary is an unincorporated community on the western border of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation adjacent to Glacier National Park in Glacier County, Montana, United States. The village is the eastern terminus of the Going-to-the-Sun Road which bisects the park east to west, a distance of ...
, U.S. 89 is the access highway to Glacier Route One, also known as the Going-to-the-Sun Road
Going-to-the-Sun Road
Going-to-the-Sun Road is the only road through the heart of Glacier National Park in Montana, USA. It was completed in 1932, and it is the only road that crosses the park, going over the Continental Divide at Logan Pass. A fleet of 1930s red tour buses "jammers", rebuilt in 2001 to run on propane...
.
A brief history
Prior to 1992, the southern terminus of U.S. 89 was at Nogales, ArizonaNogales, Arizona
Nogales is a city in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States. The population was 21,017 at the 2010 census. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 20,833. The city is the county seat of Santa Cruz County....
, and the highway proceeded to Flagstaff, Arizona
Flagstaff, Arizona
Flagstaff is a city located in northern Arizona, in the southwestern United States. In 2010, the city's population was 65,870. The population of the Metropolitan Statistical Area was at 134,421 in 2010. It is the county seat of Coconino County...
, along what is now Interstate 19
Interstate 19
Interstate 19 is an intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within the state of Arizona. I-19 runs from Nogales, roughly 1,500 feet from the Mexican border, to Tucson, at Interstate 10...
, Arizona State Route 79, U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60 is an east–west United States highway, running from the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast in Virginia to western Arizona. Despite the final "0" in its number, indicating a transcontinental designation, the 1926 route formerly ended in Springfield, Missouri, at its intersection...
, U.S. Route 93
U.S. Route 93
U.S. Route 93 is a major north–south United States highway in the western United States. The southern terminus is at U.S. Route 60 in Wickenburg, Arizona. The northern terminus is at the Canadian border north of Eureka in Lincoln County, Montana, where the roadway continues into Roosville,...
, and Arizona State Route 89. In addition, there was another U.S. 89A in Arizona between Prescott, Ariz., and Flagstaff on which is now Arizona State Route 89A.
In Central Arizona, the need for a north-south U.S. Highway was largely superseded by the completion of Interstate 17
Interstate 17
Interstate 17 , also known as the Black Canyon Freeway, is an intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within the state of Arizona, United States. I-17's southern terminus lies within Phoenix, at Interstate 10, and its northern terminus is in Flagstaff, at Interstate 40...
, which now carries the bulk of the traffic and all of the heavy trucks along this north-south corridor. Interstate 17 connects Interstate 40
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
in Flagstaff with Interstate 10
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...
in Phoenix, along a very hilly route that also passes through the Verde Valley
Verde Valley
The Verde Valley is a valley in central Arizona in the United States of America. The Verde River runs through it. It is overlooked by Mingus Mountain and the Mogollon Rim.- History :The first notice of this region appears in the report of one Espejo,...
.
See also
- U.S. Route 189U.S. Route 189U.S. Route 189 is a spur of U.S. Route 89. It currently runs for 322 miles from Provo, Utah at Interstate 15 to Jackson, Wyoming. The highway was not part of the original 1926 U.S. Highway system. The highway was created in the 1930s, absorbing former U.S. Route 530 and a portion of U.S. Route 30S...
- U.S. Route 89A
- Arizona State Route 89
- Arizona State Route 89A
- Interstate 10Interstate 10Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...
- Interstate 15Interstate 15Interstate 15 is the fourth-longest north–south Interstate Highway in the United States, traveling through the states of California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, and Montana from San Diego to the Canadian border...
- Interstate 17Interstate 17Interstate 17 , also known as the Black Canyon Freeway, is an intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within the state of Arizona, United States. I-17's southern terminus lies within Phoenix, at Interstate 10, and its northern terminus is in Flagstaff, at Interstate 40...
- Interstate 40Interstate 40Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
- Interstate 70Interstate 70Interstate 70 is an Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a Park and Ride near Baltimore, Maryland. It was the first Interstate Highway project in the United States. I-70 approximately traces the path of U.S. Route 40 east of the Rocky...
- Interstate 80Interstate 80Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...