I-70 from Denver, CO to Moab, UT

Nevadastars wrote:
Great thread! I am planning a trip from Fallon, Nv to Round Lake Mn, then head north. Was hoping to take this route, but I would be coming from the west. Then come back through South Dakota, Wyoming and Utah. I did the entire trip on Google Earth trying to get a feel for the grades, altitude etc.
I have done the Sierras in California on 50 and I-80 many times with no issues. The big rigs can get a little nerve wracking when passing them or them passing you. So, I am hoping this is similar.

Doing this from West to East is a bit different; the terrain is the same, but how it's approached changes.

In Colorado from Grand Junction to Vail, you'll primarily be going uphill most of the time, with some sections where it flattens out. You'll have Vail Pass approach from the west; the perception is that it's an easier approach from west than east, at least to me it is. Drop down into Summit County, then the LOOOOONG climb up to Johnson-Eisenhower tunnels. Fortunately, that climb is 3 lanes all the way up. Just a matter of taking it easy. Once through the tunnels it's mostly down hill/flat to Idaho Springs. From there, you can either stay on I-70 and go up Floyd Hill, then the long, curvy downhill into the Denver western suburbs, or you can exit on to US 6 and take it all the way down to Golden. Many recommend the latter.