Best route from Bismarck ND to El Paso TX

Not sure how this thread got off topic, but the geology of the Franklin Mountains is actually fairly complicated, as can seen by reading US Geological Survey Bulletin 1298 entitled "Geology of the Northern Franklin Mountains, Texas and New Mexico." The lower portion of this range includes 5,000 feet of Precambrian metamorphic rocks cut by 1.1 billion year-old granitic rocks.

So, although not sure exactly what is meant by "continental plate rocks," this thick sequence of Precambrian rocks would certainly qualify as "basement rocks." And the Northern and Canadian Rockies consist of thousands of feet of sedimentary rocks of similar ages to those in the Franklins. In fact, it is views of those stratified sedimentary mountains that draw tourists and photographers to Glacier National Park in Montana and Banff and Jasper National Parks in Alberta.

Hey the Franklin Mountains are part of the Rockies.

:S No they are not part of the Rockies. They are sedimentary and igneous rock not continental plate rock.

NMDriver wrote:
The continental divide does not go through TX either, it too is in New Mexico.

Oops, you're right. I was thinking about where we changed from Central time to Mountain time--guess that's not at the CD!

NMDriver wrote:

...Rocky Mountains in West Texas have difficulty convincing themselves the mountains were really there.

Because they are not in Texas. :h :W :B

The Rocky Mountains end in New Mexico.

The continental divide does not go through TX either, it too is in New Mexico.

Hey the Franklin Mountains are part of the Rockies.

To the OP

1. The wind is blowing here and is supposed to be for the next few days.

2. If you don't want to take I 20 from Abilene you can take 180 west from Anson. Word of caution about this route. You will have to come down Guadalupe Pass at the south end of the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. This is a pretty steep pass and is at the end of a long valley that acts like a wind tunnel this time of year.

...Rocky Mountains in West Texas have difficulty convincing themselves the mountains were really there.

Because they are not in Texas. :h :W :B

The Rocky Mountains end in New Mexico.

The continental divide does not go through TX either, it too is in New Mexico.

We just got home from our first trip in our new 5th wheel on Monday. And I'll guarantee that whichever route you take, you'll have a great time.

Just a few camping suggestions: most Nebraska state recreation areas are like state parks in other states. Many have electric and water hookups in their campgrounds, so check out the ones along your route before you leave. Texas state parks are generally on lakes and most also have at least electric and water sites in their campgrounds. Abilene SP is very nice, although a little off the US 83 to I-20 route. We have also stayed at Lake Colorado City SP, which is slightly closer to I-20.

And keep in mind that West Texas is BIG! You will be on I-20 for 450 miles between Abilene and El Paso, so, although you will be on an Interestate, it might be best to split it into two days. Especially if the wind is blowing from the west . . . . ask me how I know! The continental divide and the Texas version of mountains are near Van Horn, so that might be a good overnight stop.

Of course, an alternative route would be to divert from US 83 at US 180 (just north of Abilene) and head west for Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mtns. National Parks. We went there in April just a few years ago and had a great time. And US 62/180 from Guadalupe Mtns. NP to El Paso is a fairly straight, uninteresting, but good road, so no problems towing a trailer.

Thank you all for the suggestions, we have decided to do US 83, then the other roads inTX. We look forward to a great trip, seeing interesting sights and meeting new people. This is our first trip in our fifth wheeler!

I would suggest US 83 all the way from Bismarck to I-20 at Abilene, TX, then west. Mostly a good two-lane U.S. highway with a few 4-lane sections, very few big towns and no big cities, less truck traffic than the interstates, and even a few interesting sights along the way.

North Platte, NE, has Buffalo Bill's ranch and the world's largest railroad yard, complete with an observation tower (that charges an entry fee). McCook, NE, has hills (believe it or not!) in downtown, brick streets, historic buildings, and the only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house in Nebraska (there was once an oil boom in McCook). In Shamrock, TX, you can photograph the U-Drop Inn and ornate Art-Deco Conoco Tower gas station that are landmarks on Historic Route 66. Abilene, TX (not KS) has a very interesting WASP museum dedicated to the women service pilots of WWII who trained in that town and flew everything from trainers to 4-engine bombers to Air Corps fields around the world.

Just suggestions, but it really is an easy route with no mountains and little traffic compared to other routes.

I don't know what is "best" or "better" for you. If I were in a hurry, had no places I wanted to stop to visit, I would probably take US-85 down to Cheyenne, then I-25 to El Paso. You basically have to cross the Rockies to get to El Paso from the Great Plains. The best north-south route for that is I-25 because it follows the Front Range until it finally has to cross the mountains, then runs down through the valley of the Rio Grande to do that. The drive along the Front Range is really pretty, but I-25 tends to get congested in places because most of the population of Colorado lives near this Interstate, spread out from Fort Collins to Pueblo. Gotta live where we can see the mountains, but not have to deal with living in the mountains.

If you want to stay out of the mountains, you can take US-83 south to north Texas, then south of Perryton take SR-70 down to Pampa, US-60 into Amarillo, I-27 to Lubbock, US-62 to US-385, then 385 into Odessa. That puts you on I-20 to I-10 to cross the Rockies into El Paso on the most gradual climbs and at the lowest elevations. Most people crossing the Rocky Mountains in West Texas have difficulty convincing themselves the mountains were really there.

These rural US-highways through Nebraska, Kansas and Texas are really good roads. I use them quite a bit. They are not "back roads" though people from places where the Interstate network is dense tend to call them that. I am accustomed to travel as fast on these highways as I do on the Interstates (sight lines are often 1-3 miles) and most stretches on the Great Plains are fairly lightly traveled.

I used to regularly drive from NE Oklahoma and SE Kansas into the Texas Panhandle, and down to Odessa. I got comfortable with these roads, they saved me a lot of time, because getting to and from the Interstate system added enough miles to make that the long way around, to say nothing of hitting suburban and urban traffic where the Interstates double as commuter expressways.

Just slow down for the small towns, and watch out for slow moving agricultural equipment, oil field service vehicles and equipment, and wind generator parts; these are the roads that get used to move stuff too big for travel on the Interstates.

"Best Route" is very subjective. Depends on whether you're looking to get there fast, or if you want to take your time and see some of the sights along the way. Answers will largely be dependent on what's your priority -- speed or leisure.

I-29 would be way out of your way. Consider US 83 or maybe US 385 south. US 83, you could take all the way to Texas and then grab I-27 from Amarillo to Lubbock the US 62 from Lubbock to El Paso.

OR...you could take US 85 south to Cheyenne WY and then take I-25 south to El Paso. OR...you take US 85 south to SD, and then US 385 from South Dakota south to Julesburg CO and get on I-76, take that to Denver and then take I-25 all the way south. OR...just stay on US 385 to Amarillo, the follow the route above from Amarillo.

Whole bunch of different ways to get there...depends on what you're looking for in the "best route".