70 through Colorado

One of the biggest grades you have is the infamous Ike Gauntlet.

It is an eight mile run at 7%.

Even if you are down to 25 mph up the Ike it will only add 11 minutes to your trip.

I suspect you will log over 2000 miles 95% which is less than 2% grade so the mountain passes will add very little time to your overall trip.

Jesshopes wrote:
We will be traveling to Bryce in September from Indiana. Our route has us taking 70 through Colorado. We are pulling a large TT. I'm trying to get an idea of how much longer our trip will be since we are driving through the mountains. We've never traveled that route before. How much do the mountains slow you down? TIA

I might have a little different take on your trip and the decisions you make - The drive through Colorado could take a week or so depending on the time of September you drive through.

Point here is that the ASPEN will turn Gold in the later part of September and this is not to be Missed. It could also be part of the trip Back, timing is Key. Golden Aspen in Colorado are not to be missed.


Are we in a big hurry to get to Bryce? Wouldn't the group love to be part of what is often called the Greatest show in Colorado the Aspen!
Think about it as it can be a great change of pace. If you are just going to Blow through Colorado 4runnerguy's info is dead on - the part of the Mountains you need to be concerned about is not the Up but the Down, keep that in mind.

Heading to Bryce there are a couple more more Great Drives - RT 128 off of I-70 to Moab along the Colorado River and RT 12 heading into Bryce - keep in mind September is Great in Colorado - BUT - Still pretty Hot in Utah.

Sure it will be a great trip,

IIRC you also have a fairly full van of people, too, so your weight is pretty high. I'd add two hours to the projected time from Google Maps, etc. Maybe more as there are a variety of places you'll probably want to stop for pictures, etc. If there's one rest stop not to miss it's Grizzly Creek in Glenwood Canyon. Room for large rigs there.

Going up isn't necessarily the issue. Keeping your speed under control without burning your brakes is more important. Use your gears. The downhill parts from the Eisenhower Tunnel and the top of Vail Pass are 7% grades for something like seven miles. Most interstates have a maximum of 6% grades.

Fill with gas in Summit County as it doesn't get cheap again until Grand Junction.

It takes us about 6 hours to get from NE Denver metro area to Grand Junction while towing (assuming no road closures etc). That usually includes one stop in either Edwards or Rifle at the CDOT rest stops. In a car it's about 4. We do the towing trip in June every year. Note we have a newer diesel truck/5th wheel. Might be a bit longer with a van/trailer combo.

There are some long grades at high elevation. The interstate is the easiest route across Colorado by far. It is the best engineered and has the most stringent grade limitations. Watch out for a little snow and ice in the morning.

It is absolutely worth it. Enjoy. As long as your van isn't overloaded, it'll be a fun drive. Speed limit is 45 mph in places and semis may not even be able to do that. That is the most beautiful stretch of interstate there is.

I would allow an extra hour each day of travel time. OK to go slow and enjoy the view. Don't make it a race to make up time. I70 is a wonderful drive.

I would think about using US 50 rather then I-70.
I would almost double travel time on I-70 from Denver to Grand Junction.
Better scenery and a little easier on the rig.
You have large van, but what engine and transmission?

Really a non-issue when calculating driving time. These are big mountains, but they are not small windy roads. Multi lane with sweeping turns, speed limit type stuff. Worst case scenario you'll be in 2nd gear at 45mph a few times on some hills, but it will be trivial in scheduling compared to the usual delays like gas stations and potty breaks.

Colo Native wrote:
Do you have a diesel? If so it will be a little faster the uphill climbs will so you down some. I tow a 10000 lbs TT with a diesel and I can go up most of the hills around 50-60 mph, But I have lived in Colorado all my life so I am very comfortable towing in the mountains. There are really 2 different spots that will slow you down going up to Eisenhower tunnel and Vail Pass.

No diesel. Just a big van pulling a big trailer! We've traveled a good amount of the country so we've done mountains before but this particular stretch is new. As I'm planning for stops etc I'm trying to have a good idea of how much longer it will take us than the GPS predicts. Thanks!