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This is going to sound like a weird question, but I'm being completely serious when I ask it. If one is heading north on I-29 to the Pembina border crossing, is it possible to turn around somewhere at this facility before actually crossing the border into Canada?
In case you're wondering why I want to know, I have the admittedly unusual goal of driving the entirety of the interstate highway system. The time is coming when I want to tackle I-29, and I'd like to drive as much of it as possible, as far north as possible. I know that the Canadian border is currently closed to non-essential travel, but that's OK, I don't want to cross into Canada anyway. I just want to get as close as possible.
Is this possible, and if so, exactly where would I turn around? Or will I just have to be content with getting off the highway at the Pembina exit and say that I "almost" finished the road?
Yep, there is a place where you can turn around right before the Canada border on I-29. It’s just past the US border station on the north side. Went through there a couple of years ago on the way to Winnipeg.
Yep, there is a place where you can turn around right before the Canada border on I-29. It’s just past the US border station on the north side. Went through there a couple of years ago on the way to Winnepeg.
Well, this didn't work out quite the way I had expected.
I did my drive up I-29 last week. Before I embarked on this trip, I had taken a look at an aerial picture of the Pembina border crossing, and it clearly showed a turnoff from the main northbound highway to a diamond-shaped roadway next to a parking lot in front of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services building.
But when I got there, wouldn't you know it, it had been blocked off with what appeared to be a newly built curb. So I kept going to where the sign said was the last turnaround to the U.S., but that was blocked with barriers. (Not that it would have really helped anyway, because the turnaround would have still made you go back through American customs.)
I had no choice but to continue straight to the Canada border guard station. I told the man my story about wanting to drive the entire interstate system, and while he was quite skeptical about the veracity of what I was telling him, he looked me in the eye and asked, quite somberly, "If I let you go through, you'll turn right around, right?" I assured him that I would, and he let me through. I drove on ahead to where he had showed me I could turn around, and thus ended my 30-second tour of Canada.
But then I had to repeat my story to the American guard, and he was not as accommodating. He and his companions interrogated me, searched my car and my luggage, and had me sit there in their building for awhile, without any explanation for the delay. To further enhance my mood, I was driving a rental car, so I had no way of knowing if a previous user had left anything hidden in the vehicle that, if discovered, could have landed me in some serious doo-doo. I figured I'd pass the time by looking at my phone, but nope; one of the agents rudely admonished me that this was not permitted. It certainly seemed like they wanted to arrest me for something, but they couldn't think of anything, so they finally let me go.
On the bright side, I did manage to drive on every last foot of I-29, right up to its northern end -- and beyond!
If anyone else ever stumbles upon this thread while researching the nuts and bolts of driving the entirety of the interstate system, here's what you do: when you see the blue sign for the Customs and Border Protection Information, take the left turn IMMEDIATELY following the sign. Miss that turn, and you're going to Canada, like it or not.
US 3 about twenty years ago was a gravel road from Pittsburg NH past my property to the Canadian Border . A few days after a good snowstorm ,front end loaders would rumble North up past me toward the border. Thus making a lane and a quarter canyon with twelve foot high snowbanks each side. Behind would be perhaps a half dozen cars and trucks.
Sure enough the Canada side was not plowed, which was about normal because they usually didn't get quite as much snow as this side. The Loader driver would then have lunch or whatever and maybe wait for the Canadian side to wake up and together decide where to push the snow.
Well by now the cars will have given up and attempted to turn around {good luck with that ]or backed the two plus miles to my Pvt road and do the about face here. and attempt to go through the next day.
This was in the "good old days " lol
Last edited by ben young; 09-08-2020 at 03:40 PM..
I live up near the border, the border patrol guys are not from this area and are bored, that’s what they shook down your car. Also they are *******s and not friendly to the natives. Very standoffish and suspicious of anyone. So your story does not surprise me at all.
Well, this didn't work out quite the way I had expected.
I did my drive up I-29 last week. Before I embarked on this trip, I had taken a look at an aerial picture of the Pembina border crossing, and it clearly showed a turnoff from the main northbound highway to a diamond-shaped roadway next to a parking lot in front of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services building.
But when I got there, wouldn't you know it, it had been blocked off with what appeared to be a newly built curb. So I kept going to where the sign said was the last turnaround to the U.S., but that was blocked with barriers. (Not that it would have really helped anyway, because the turnaround would have still made you go back through American customs.)
I had no choice but to continue straight to the Canada border guard station. I told the man my story about wanting to drive the entire interstate system, and while he was quite skeptical about the veracity of what I was telling him, he looked me in the eye and asked, quite somberly, "If I let you go through, you'll turn right around, right?" I assured him that I would, and he let me through. I drove on ahead to where he had showed me I could turn around, and thus ended my 30-second tour of Canada.
But then I had to repeat my story to the American guard, and he was not as accommodating. He and his companions interrogated me, searched my car and my luggage, and had me sit there in their building for awhile, without any explanation for the delay. To further enhance my mood, I was driving a rental car, so I had no way of knowing if a previous user had left anything hidden in the vehicle that, if discovered, could have landed me in some serious doo-doo. I figured I'd pass the time by looking at my phone, but nope; one of the agents rudely admonished me that this was not permitted. It certainly seemed like they wanted to arrest me for something, but they couldn't think of anything, so they finally let me go.
On the bright side, I did manage to drive on every last foot of I-29, right up to its northern end -- and beyond!
If anyone else ever stumbles upon this thread while researching the nuts and bolts of driving the entirety of the interstate system, here's what you do: when you see the blue sign for the Customs and Border Protection Information, take the left turn IMMEDIATELY following the sign. Miss that turn, and you're going to Canada, like it or not.
Well, this didn't work out quite the way I had expected.
I did my drive up I-29 last week. Before I embarked on this trip, I had taken a look at an aerial picture of the Pembina border crossing, and it clearly showed a turnoff from the main northbound highway to a diamond-shaped roadway next to a parking lot in front of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services building.
But when I got there, wouldn't you know it, it had been blocked off with what appeared to be a newly built curb. So I kept going to where the sign said was the last turnaround to the U.S., but that was blocked with barriers. (Not that it would have really helped anyway, because the turnaround would have still made you go back through American customs.)
I had no choice but to continue straight to the Canada border guard station. I told the man my story about wanting to drive the entire interstate system, and while he was quite skeptical about the veracity of what I was telling him, he looked me in the eye and asked, quite somberly, "If I let you go through, you'll turn right around, right?" I assured him that I would, and he let me through. I drove on ahead to where he had showed me I could turn around, and thus ended my 30-second tour of Canada.
But then I had to repeat my story to the American guard, and he was not as accommodating. He and his companions interrogated me, searched my car and my luggage, and had me sit there in their building for awhile, without any explanation for the delay. To further enhance my mood, I was driving a rental car, so I had no way of knowing if a previous user had left anything hidden in the vehicle that, if discovered, could have landed me in some serious doo-doo. I figured I'd pass the time by looking at my phone, but nope; one of the agents rudely admonished me that this was not permitted. It certainly seemed like they wanted to arrest me for something, but they couldn't think of anything, so they finally let me go.
On the bright side, I did manage to drive on every last foot of I-29, right up to its northern end -- and beyond!
If anyone else ever stumbles upon this thread while researching the nuts and bolts of driving the entirety of the interstate system, here's what you do: when you see the blue sign for the Customs and Border Protection Information, take the left turn IMMEDIATELY following the sign. Miss that turn, and you're going to Canada, like it or not.
For the Canadian guard, I think you gave him way too much information. You should have just said you wanted to return to the US side immediately. Or as long as COVID-19 is going on, tell them you want to enter Canada for non-essential travel. That would get you turned around immediately.
Regardless even if you don't cross the border, once you are past the US check point, you are in the secured facility, and you are subject to searches. Hell, you don't even need to get that far. Once you are within 100 miles of the border, you can be subject to searches by the border patrol.
For the Canadian guard, I think you gave him way too much information. You should have just said you wanted to return to the US side immediately. Or as long as COVID-19 is going on, tell them you want to enter Canada for non-essential travel. That would get you turned around immediately.
Regardless even if you don't cross the border, once you are past the US check point, you are in the secured facility, and you are subject to searches. Hell, you don't even need to get that far. Once you are within 100 miles of the border, you can be subject to searches by the border patrol.
I do realize that the actual truth of why I was there at the Canadian border, when I had no desire to enter Canada, is strange. But I think if I had just said that I want to turn around, that would just open me up for questioning on what I was doing there in the first place.
I don't deny that the border guards have the right to search me or interrogate me. I would have preferred to have been dealt with more courteously by the American guards, given that I was respectful and cooperative with them the entire time. (I have no complaints about the Canadian guard's courtesy.) But really, all of this could have been avoided if they hadn't blocked the signed "last turnaround" ramp. There really ought to be a way for someone who missed the last exit to be able to turn around, once they see the border station in front of them, without having to go through what I did.
I do realize that the actual truth of why I was there at the Canadian border, when I had no desire to enter Canada, is strange. But I think if I had just said that I want to turn around, that would just open me up for questioning on what I was doing there in the first place.
I don't deny that the border guards have the right to search me or interrogate me. I would have preferred to have been dealt with more courteously by the American guards, given that I was respectful and cooperative with them the entire time. (I have no complaints about the Canadian guard's courtesy.) But really, all of this could have been avoided if they hadn't blocked the signed "last turnaround" ramp. There really ought to be a way for someone who missed the last exit to be able to turn around, once they see the border station in front of them, without having to go through what I did.
I just think you raised a lot more red flags with the Canadian guard by giving them too much information. The more you talk, the worse it makes it. That is true when talking to any law enforcement officers.
Either way, even if you turn around before you get to the Canadian check point, you still have to come back through the US check point. For example you can go to the Peace Arch Provincial Park in BC or to the International Peace Garden in Manitoba, and if you don't go beyond the park, you don't have to go through the Canadian immigration and customs check point, but you still have to go through the US check point when you come out of the park.
Honestly 20 years ago I wouldn't have hesitated to just drive up to the Canadian check point and tell them I just wanted to turn around. They would have just directed me where to turn around and the American guards would have probably just waved me through. But these days I hear plenty of horror stories about both the Canadian and American guards. Now I wouldn't even want to get near the border.
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