Route advice.

Don't go thru Denver!

Route through Westcliffe to Walsenburg is all a two lane road. Nothing tough, but CO 69 isn't a speedway. Some places 50 MPH, some up to 65 MPH. Westcliffe to Walsenburg is sparsely populated. Fill in Salida or BV.

Salida to Pueblo via Canon City is a US highway and thus a little better quality road. Even so, along the river out of Salida it does follow the river with some areas of 35 MPH, others of 50 or 55 MPH so it isn't a faster trip all the way through Canon City. You do have the hassle of driving through Canon City, but after that is smooth going all the way to I-25.

Don't do Denver.

Buena Vista to Walsenburg. I’m pulling a 34 ft 5th wheel.

We also have a 34' fifth wheel and the above route is the one we always follow. I've lost count of how many times we've made this route.

We always use the Cotopaxi short cut instead of going on to Texas Creek, but you might not be comfortable with that short, steep, narrow, and not well surfaced road. But it is better now that it once was. We are comfortable with it, so at least I mention it.

We always enjoy going through Westcliffe and a few times have stayed at the Grape Creek Campground. We also usually stop at the divide between Huefarno County and Custer County. Sometimes we have seen a large herd of Bison very near the road there. Possibly a part of Wolf Springs Ranch.

It is not the best road in the world, but we always enjoy it and the portion between US 50 and Westcliffe is very scenic.

Good info above - One more with NO TO DENVER - https://www.bing.com/maps?osid=81ec3dcd-9943-4c98-a7cb-d5191ca69faa&cp=37.85069~-106.131362&lvl=9&v=2&sV=2&form=S00027

Best of Luck,

If you have Google Earth, you can right click on a route and show an elevation profile. It's not perfect but gives you a pretty good idea of the grades you have to deal with.

There are no passes to cross and no steep grades if you go US 285 to Salida, then US 50 to I-25 at Pueblo. It's all downhill because it follows the Arkansas River out of the mountains. And it's also a pretty drive through the canyon.

fanrgs wrote:
There are no passes to cross and no steep grades if you go US 285 to Salida, then US 50 to I-25 at Pueblo. It's all downhill because it follows the Arkansas River out of the mountains. And it's also a pretty drive through the canyon.

Thanks all that replied. I ended up going this route and it was the best route to take! Not a lot of traffic and no passes to cross. I'll be headed back that way in November in my car and I will be taking this same route to get to the Vail area.

Crodad wrote:

fanrgs wrote:
There are no passes to cross and no steep grades if you go US 285 to Salida, then US 50 to I-25 at Pueblo. It's all downhill because it follows the Arkansas River out of the mountains. And it's also a pretty drive through the canyon.

Thanks all that replied. I ended up going this route and it was the best route to take! Not a lot of traffic and no passes to cross. I'll be headed back that way in November in my car and I will be taking this same route to get to the Vail area.

Look to taking RT 24 out of Leadville to Minturn/West Vail/Avon avoiding a lot of the I70 traffic and Vail Pass......just one more option to consider.

Enjoy the Drive,

Trucks use US-287. Can’t be beat for ease of use. (But “scenic” it ain’t).

Denver isn’t that bad. It’s hitting rush hour that’s a pain. Run IH70 East to Limon and use 287. Extremely nice road. Even the very short Oklahoma sections cleaned up.

At Stratford (TX), use US-54 to Dalhart.

Otherwise, IH-25 can’t be touched for scenic perspective. From Raton onwards, it has another magic worth experiencing.

Coming out of the hills to an Interstate is a problem all over the USA. Don’t sweat it.