Best route - Texas to Wyoming

[dsmith3]

Good evening -

We are driving from Austin, Texas to Grand Teton NP (and then on to Yellowstone). It will be our first time to tow our travel trailer a very long distance.

I would be very interested to hear from veteran travelers on what is the best way to travel when towing a large trailer; i.e., sticking exclusively to interstate highway system vs. "most direct route" which could be a combination of interstate/state highways, etc.

Here are two possible routes we could take:

MOST DIRECT: 1,387 miles (21 hrs 41 min)
- Hwy 183 from Austin to Brownwood
- Hwy 84 to Lubbock
- I-27 N to Amarillo
- Hwy 87 thru Dalhart, Clayton, Raton, Trinidad
- I-25 N to Denver/Fort Collins
- Hwy 287 (Ft. Collins) to Laramie (cut the corner)
- I-80 to Rawlins
- Hwy 287 to GTNP

INTERSTATE ROUTE: 1,549 miles (23 hrs 41 min)
- I-35 N from Austin to Salina, Kansas
- I-70 W to Denver
- Loop E-470 to I-25 N to Cheyenne
- I-80 to Rawlins
- Hwy 287 to GTNP

My main concern is getting on a back road with only single lanes going in each direction and backing up traffic. Also a little worried about finding diesel at a service station that I can drive through with a 35-foot trailer!

Many thanks,
Dave

[edm3rd]

BB_TX wrote:
While the route above (Bushland to Tascosa) is a bit shorter and somewhat scenic, it is a narrow 2 lane road with no paved shoulders, and somewhat bumpy the last time I drove it. I would suggest continuing north on US 87/287 at Amarillo to Dumas and then US 87 toward Dalhart. OR (as I do) take I-40 west at Amarillo to Vega, then north on US 385 toward Dalhart.take I-40 west at Amarillo to Vega, then north on US 385 toward Dalhart. US 385 is also 2 lane to Hartley, but a wide 2 lane with shoulders and frequent passing lanes. That route avoids downtown Amarillo and Dumas. The 335 loop around the southwest side of Amarillo to pick up I-40 is good to cut off a few miles.

Even the stretch of US 87 between Dumas and Hartley is 2 lane, although a reasonably wide two lane with paved shoulders.

I would not let my tank get below 1/4, but stations with reasonable access for long trailers are fairly common. But not on US 385, so you should have adequate fuel to make Dalhart if you go that direction. And the stretch of highway between Clayton, NM and Raton the towns are few and far between although there are some accessible stations along the way.

After getting caught once in Amarillo downtown traffic, I strongly recommend going thru Vega, which also avoids Dumas. Only negative is a huge feedlot on I-40 at Vega, which you will smell 20 miles before you get to the exit if traveling westbound. Also very little traffic from Vega to Dalhart.

[newk]

I've "cut the corner" from Ft Collins to Laramie many, many times. It's not a bad road, and there are a fair number of passing lanes as I recall. It has claimed a few lives, however. The worst part of it for me is getting through Ft. Collins to the highway. I've always had something else to do while in Ft Collins, so had to approach it from... the mall! 😉

My son and daughter both attended UW in Laramie, so between the two of them, we made a lot of trips that way when going to or coming home from Denver.

[Uncle_Grumpy]

Depending on the time of day it is well worth it. 225 and 25 out of Denver is a nervous nightmare.

[Thom02099]

RAS43 wrote:
OP,
Just so you are aware, E470 around Denver is a toll road so with a trailer it is $$$.

AMEN to that! ! !:E

From a previous post:

$2.75 is the toll at each of the automated toll plazas...IF you have Express Pass. It's $3.45 if you don't have Express Pass, and you'll get a license plate toll bill in the mail. That's for 2 axles. Add the same price if you're towing, per axle...$8.25 for a 2 axle trailer plus tow vehicle, $11 for a 3 axle trailer and tow vehicle. And that's the Express Pass cost. $10.35 for 2 axle and tow vehicle/$13.80 for 3 axle and tow vehicle. And that's PER TOLL STATION! There's a total of 5 toll stations on the 47 mile length. 3 of them are north of I-70, around to I-25, and 2 of them are south of I-70 around to I-25. It's $51.75 if you have a 2 axle trailer and $69 if you have a 3 axle trailer,and go the entire length...47 miles...around Denver.

[Allworth]

The last time we were at Canyonlands and Arches, they were in Utah!

Also, Glacier is several hours North of YNP, around Flathead and on the absolute other side of Montana.

I have driven your direct route, sort of, going the other way and it will be fine. Don't worry about fuel, but stay in the top 2/3rds of your tank.

[Alabama_Jim]

I drove that route from San Antonio north last year and found it nice. If you can go over to Idaho and visit Canyonland and Arches National Parks. They are beautiful. When you are Teton you are not far from Glacier National Park. Going to the sun road is beautiful.

[RAS43]

OP,
Just so you are aware, E470 around Denver is a toll road so with a trailer it is $$$.

[Uncle_Grumpy]

I would not do the interstate route. Lot's of truck traffic these days. 183 to Vernon, 287 to Amarillo, 287 to Lamar and Limon, 70 to 470 in Denver, 25 to Ft Collins. 287 to Laramie is better than 80 with less grades than 80. Have traveled these roads, all good. Truck stops in Lamar and Limon. Safe travels..

[patperry2766]

Just got back from your neck of the woods this weekend. Stayed at McKinney Falls SP and saw the bats at the Congress Ave bridge.

Don't know if you have overnight stops planned along the way, but we stayed at Mueller SP near Colorado Springs Co, and Cheyenne Mountain SP is suppose to be nice.

[dsmith3]

After reading additional reviews on other travel sites, I think we will forego "cutting the corner" via 287 in N Colorado (Fort Collins >> Laramie) and stick with I-25 >> I-80 at Cheyenne.

Sounds like about the same travel time and that stretch of 287 has high incidence of accidents and is narrow with infrequent passing opportunities.

Really appreciate all the feedback.

[padredw]

- Hwy 87 thru Dalhart, Clayton, Raton, Trinidad
- I-25 N to Denver/Fort Collins
- Hwy 287 (Ft. Collins) to Laramie (cut the corner)
- I-80 to Rawlins
- Hwy 287 to GTNP

I have made this route many times and agree with the two posts above. Except that I have never "cut the corner"; it looked too congested for me, but maybe I should try it.

Of course, we get to Amarillo via 287 from Wichita Falls because we are coming from North East Texas.

[patperry2766]

You're correct. I must have had a brain fart. Hwy 385 is the road I meant to suggest.

[BB_TX]

While the route above (Bushland to Tascosa) is a bit shorter and somewhat scenic, it is a narrow 2 lane road with no paved shoulders, and somewhat bumpy the last time I drove it. I would suggest continuing north on US 87/287 at Amarillo to Dumas and then US 87 toward Dalhart. OR (as I do) take I-40 west at Amarillo to Vega, then north on US 385 toward Dalhart. US 385 is also 2 lane to Hartley, but a wide 2 lane with shoulders and frequent passing lanes. That route avoids downtown Amarillo and Dumas. The 335 loop around the southwest side of Amarillo to pick up I-40 is good to cut off a few miles.

Even the stretch of US 87 between Dumas and Hartley is 2 lane, although a reasonably wide two lane with paved shoulders.

I would not let my tank get below 1/4, but stations with reasonable access for long trailers are fairly common. But not on US 385, so you should have adequate fuel to make Dalhart if you go that direction. And the stretch of highway between Clayton, NM and Raton the towns are few and far between although there are some accessible stations along the way.

[patperry2766]

Take loop 335 around Amarillo to I-40.

Left on I-40. A few miles to the west is Cadillac Ranch. Pretty cool place to take a few pics and spray paint some old Caddys.

Keep on I-40 to Bushland (5-6 miles) Rt on 2381. Stay on 2381 to Tascosa. It is single lane but rural country roads so not much in the way of traffic.

Rt at Tascosa (Hwy 385) to Hartley where it joins with Hwy 87.

If you do decide on going thru Amarillo, the downtown area gets congested so keep your head on a swivel and watch out for the other drivers and for your exits.

There is a lot of agriculture in the panhandle so the fuel stations are use to dealing with semi's so your trailer won't be a problem.

FYI. Watch out for the cattle haulers. Those guys are CRAZY and only know 2 speeds, stopped and 100 mph. I spent about 10 years in Amarillo and there's nothing worse than having a cattle truck in your rear view mirror. I think they like to drive faster when there is snow/ice on the ground.