Orlando, FL to Arizona (Grand Canyon)

I'm finalizing my route from Central Florida to the Grand Canyon. Here is my preliminary route, and I would really appreciate any comments/suggestions. My biggest question mark is my route around Dallas. Thanks.

Clermont, FL to Grand Canyon:

Florida Turnpike
I-75 North
I-10 West
I-12 West
I-49 North
I-20 West
US-69 North
US-82 West
US-287 North
I-40 West
AZ-64 North to Grand Canyon

We have pulled it several times on the way to SLC and I agree with Sealevel. You can get off of I-20 before Dallas and go up to Denton and then Northwest to Amarillo (US-278 or 378 maybe???)

From Grand Canyon go back to Page, AZ and then up across the Kiabab to Moab. Visit the North Rim for a couple of days if you get the chance.

By the way, the real way to see the canyon is from a white water raft going down the river from Lee's Ferry to Whitmore Wash. Did that with my son when he was 17 and it was unforgettable.

We have made the trip to the west from north Florida at least 10 times.

Our preferred route is:
I-10 to just west of Mobile, then 63 to US-98 and US-49 to get I-20 at Jackson.
Take I-20 all the way to Fort Worth.
Take 287 to Amarillo.
I-40 to the west.

Never had a problem in any of the cities so far. Jackson and Shreveport roads are rough. Otherwise good roads.
We now overnight in Walmarts, Sams, etc.

The concerns about I-20 across the south side of Dallas are a bit over-rated... I lived there for 15 years, and have towed thru there many times. Yes, there's traffic, but it moves fairly well. Get yourself into the second lane from the right, and you'll be fine.

From there, I'll second Joe's route I-20 to I-35W, and then US-287 to Amarillo, meeting up with I-40... just watch your speed in the small towns, and you're fine -- I think there may be a total of a dozen stoplights between Wichita Falls and Amarillo, but it's a great drive and less stressful than the interstates.

I-10 is a flatter drive and will probably have better weather & lower fuel prices, but there's just not much to see west of San Antonio... Our alternative has been to hop US-285 between Fort Stockton and Clines Corners, NM: you avoid El Paso, Tucson, and Phoenix that way, and Albuquerque really isn't all that bad as far as traffic goes. Certainly better than dealing with Phoenix...

If you are near Kerriville Texas and ready for a stop - Buckhorn Lake Resort. A nice place. Right off the interstate,great dog run, and nice and clean.

On the otherside of mobile bay is a great park. I didnt have time to check out the civil war stuff (the ranger said tons of stuff) but the sites were really nice. They were horsehoe shaped and really large.

blakeleypark

We tend to run out to western Colorado each summer from south Florida. Most of the time we take Hwy 19 up to Tallahassee where we spend the first night, then west on Interstate 10 to Baton Rouge to spend the second night, then cut NW on I 49 to Shreveport and go west on I 20. I don't find Dallas to be a problem as I20 tends to stay south of the main part of town, then at Ft Worth we head up hwy 287 to Wichita Falls and on to Amarillo where we spend the 3rd night (at the RV Ranch) Some trips we go west on I 40 up to Grand Canyon, we like the North Rim, then north into Utah and cut back east to the west slope of Colorado.

Other trips we go north out of Amarillo to Dalhart and over to Raton, NM. Then north on I 25 to Colorado Springs and then west. Not really a bad route out that way. Louisiana has made big improvements in their roads in the last fer years. Not up to Texas quality roads but a big improvement over ten years ago, IMHO.

Battle Ship park in Mobile is worth a few hours to visit. Last summer we took our truck camper towing our Jeep Wrangler to run the Jeep trails in Colorado. The previous summer we took our 5th wheel over the same general route.

Thanks for all of the great suggestions. If anybody also has any ideas for good places along the way to stop/camp for a day or two, please let me know (as well as any additional suggestions regarding the route and/or bypasses.

Thanks again!

Doug

Actually, I-10 heads south near Slidell to pass south of Lake Pontchartrain to New Orleans and I-12 bypasses N.O. north of the Lake, then re-connects with I-10 near Baton Rouge. Unless you intend to visit New Orleans, it just makes the trip longer. Its been a few years since I took I-10 to visit N.O. but the section between Slidell and N.O. crosses more water than land. Most of it is bridges across swamps. And it had major holes in the road bed where you could look down and see water thru the holes. Doesn't give you a warm, fuzzy feeling. Maybe somebody that lives in the area can update the status of that section.

I10 is the most direct route and I use it frequently when going to/from the SW. The New Orleans to Houston segment is busy. I go straight thru Houston at mid day with no problems. West of Houston is clear sailing but a long boring drive IMHOP. I stop for Cajun food in La and German food in Fredricksburg Tex (a short side trip) along the way.