East West route Northern Penn to Salida

Thanks for the advice.

US 50 is certainly the easiest pull up to Salida. I would note that when you reach Colorado Springs on US 24, don't follow the US 24 signs onto Fountain Blvd. but rather stay on Powers south to the Proby Parkway, take a right, then head to southbound Academy Blvd. (LEFT LANE EXIT) to CO 115.

We definitely prefer I-70 to I-80 across the mid-continent. Fewer trucks.

US 36 seems to have some of the longest stretches of absolutely straight roads. Can get pretty monotonous when it's going through nothing but miles and miles of corn fields.

Busskipper wrote:

Kyedog wrote:
I am looking for help as I am planning on going from Northern Penn to Salida Co this summer. I will be pulling a 25' travel trailer and I am a novice. I have 2 weeks to get there so I would like to stop along the way. Because I have some time I do not want to stay on big highways the whole way. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Two weeks is more than enough time - actually I always run a little harder so as to get to the Rockies and just enjoy more time there.

I'll give you some way points head down to Columbus then across to Indianapolis, over to Champlain, then on to Hannibal, MO - all these routes will be interstate highways - on the east side of the Mississippi the side roads are just not too much more than traffic lights and a slow ride. (JMHO)

When you get to Hannibal then Take Rt 36 to Oberlin, KS take a left(south) on Rt 83 to I-70 When You reach Limon,CO take Rt 24 to Colorado springs then Rt 115 to Penrose and Rt 50 to Salida.

Now once you reach Salida just go where you want but think hard about trying Buena Vista and the Collegiates and then just too many places to mention, but hard to make a wrong choice.

Just driving 250 miles a day will get you there in a week, and more than likely you will wish you had driven 500 miles a day so you could enjoy more of Colorado.

Hope this is of some help,

What Bill said above. Some alternatives to consider:

I've traveled back/forth between CO and IN, and have used US 24 between Fort Wayne IN and I-57 in IL. It's 4-lane to Logansport IN, then 2-lane on to IL. I-57 south to I-72, you bypass Indy (and Chicago) traffic. I-72 takes you across IL and over to Hannibal MO as Bill pointed out, and then you're on US 36 across MO and KS. You could turn south at Oberlin, or continue on US 36 into Colorado and then turn south when it intersects with US 385 in CO, then take it south to Burlington CO where you'd pick up I-70 and follow the above directions in to Salida.

I've done the drive between CO and IN in two days; it was not enjoyable pushing like that. Doing it again, I'd make it 3 days and take my time, keeping in mind that, on the trip west, I really really want to get back to Colorado! But I also want to not stress out about it, hence doing it in 3 days.

Kyedog wrote:
I am looking for help as I am planning on going from Northern Penn to Salida Co this summer. I will be pulling a 25' travel trailer and I am a novice. I have 2 weeks to get there so I would like to stop along the way. Because I have some time I do not want to stay on big highways the whole way. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Two weeks is more than enough time - actually I always run a little harder so as to get to the Rockies and just enjoy more time there.

I'll give you some way points head down to Columbus then across to Indianapolis, over to Champlain, then on to Hannibal, MO - all these routes will be interstate highways - on the east side of the Mississippi the side roads are just not too much more than traffic lights and a slow ride. (JMHO)

When you get to Hannibal then Take Rt 36 to Oberlin, KS take a left(south) on Rt 83 to I-70 When You reach Limon,CO take Rt 24 to Colorado springs then Rt 115 to Penrose and Rt 50 to Salida.

Now once you reach Salida just go where you want but think hard about trying Buena Vista and the Collegiates and then just too many places to mention, but hard to make a wrong choice.

Just driving 250 miles a day will get you there in a week, and more than likely you will wish you had driven 500 miles a day so you could enjoy more of Colorado.

Hope this is of some help,

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