Denver CO to Destin FL

[bleaux_skies]

What is the best route from Denver to Destin FL in 4 days.

Also recommendations for safe places along the way just to plug in and sleep, would be appreciated. I usually stop at Wilson Lake off I70 in KS the 1st night when heading east, but a good lower route can be considered.

Thanks in advance for your input....

[brooks379]

There are many ways to go but if you just want to get there .....I 70 287 into Decatur, TX 380 E to Greenville, TX 69 S "or" 82 east to 69 south (less traffic) to I 20E to Shreveport, LA I 49 S to I 10 E to FLA... I hauled MANY loads of meat from Greeley, CO to all points in Florida and have driven every way there is from CO TO FL and that is the easiest I have ever been . Taking 380 at Decatur, TX to 69 south will bypass Dallas !! All good roads and easy.

[artguys]

Doubters only have to sit at the US 87-US 287 split in Dumas and watch which route the trucks are using.

[artguys]

The great Raton vs Limon debate will linger forever, however...you'll never see a professional truck driver in need of transiting Amarillo to Denver or in the reverse use the Raton route unless they don't have a clue as to what route is best.

[padredw]

I hated a good bit of 287 when we came back one time(that little piece of Oklahoma was horrible) and won't do it again.
Also I'd go across the top of Texas and stay a good ways away from DFW traffic. Even 380 is a PIA most days now.

Yes, 380 has multiple traffic signals and much congested traffic now, so we never go that way though it used to be a favorite route.

And YES, go across the top of Texas on US 82 to drop down at Sherman, Paris, or Texarkana. Any one of these would do.

And, as I have said here many times, come on down I-25 to Raton and across to Clayton, NM and Texline, TX to Dalhart and Amarillo to pick up US 287.

[DKRITTER]

Allworth wrote:
Lamar, CO

Amarillo, TX

Denton, TX

Shreveport, LA

Alexandria, LA

Slidell, LA

Destin

I hated a good bit of 287 when we came back one time(that little piece of Oklahoma was horrible) and won't do it again.
Also I'd go across the top of Texas and stay a good ways away from DFW traffic. Even 380 is a PIA most days now.

[Allworth]

Lamar, CO

Amarillo, TX

Denton, TX

Shreveport, LA

Alexandria, LA

Slidell, LA

Destin

[DKRITTER]

You don't mention when you're going so the weather is going to play into this and road conditions/construction change constantly.

We have traveled from DFW to Wellington a few times and yes I would recommend you avoid DFW.

If it were me I'd drop down to Raton then to Amarillo. A little ways past Wichita Falls go east on 82 like has been said. Either cut down through Greenville to 20 or wait for 49 in Texarkana. You can stay on 49 all the way down to I-10 or go east on I-20 and drop down later.

[RamRider]

Chiefelectusn wrote:
Do not, I repeat, do not take I 35 south through Dallas. It is a nightmare. Road construction and more road construction.
Did it this fall. Nobody told me about it!

Good advice, we live right in the middle of the construction, Waco-Salado area - Local name is "Death Highway"

[Chiefelectusn]

Do not, I repeat, do not take I 35 south through Dallas. It is a nightmare. Road construction and more road construction.
Did it this fall. Nobody told me about it!

[Busskipper]

bleaux skies wrote:
What is the best route from Denver to Destin FL in 4 days.

Also recommendations for safe places along the way just to plug in and sleep, would be appreciated. I usually stop at Wilson Lake off I70 in KS the 1st night when heading east, but a good lower route can be considered.

Thanks in advance for your input....

All the routes have pluses and minuses but we enjoyed this this route as it misses the big traffic messes in Texas and is an easy drive.

Enjoy the drive as it will be a haul in 4 days.

[padredw]

Isaac 1 wrote:
287 all the way down to the west side of the DFW metroplex, probably Decatur TX,

In my opinion a better alternative is to take US 82 near Wichita Falls and skirt far NORTH of DFW. There are several ways to get on down to I-20 such as US 69 from Bells, near Sherman, TX.

We tow our fifth-wheel from East Texas to Colorado almost every year and sometimes more often. We were there in June and in September last year. We have learned that it is better to take US 82 along the Red River. We avoid all the metroplex traffic and have a much more pleasant trip.

Agree about I-49 from Shreveport, though we sometimes go on to Jackson, MS and then drop down to Mobile.

[lizzie]

We live in the Florida Panhandle and we use Thom's route (I-70, I-40 & etc). Usually take 4 to 5 days but have done it in less. lizzie

[bleaux_skies]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions,

Thom02099, One route I was looking at was along the Cimarron Turnpike route, but could not find RV related information about it. Got on a turnpike somewhere one time (wish I would have made note) that I was not impressed with so thanks for the suggestion.

Issac-1, I have routed a similar path as you suggested in the past and it's a solid option. When I mapped it out today it was about 100 miles shorter than over and down through OK. Shorter is better.....

RPreeb, Amarillo has been along my routes before that were similar to what Issac-1's suggesting

azdryheat I usually use google maps too. Trying to use Streets Atlas to put multiple routes on one map to get a big picture for regrouping along the way. Heard it could be done but have not succeeded in doing it. Just last May, I could not take another RV "park" after 2 nights and veered off route to stay at a State Park with trees and space

Gotta play the best weather path to leave when I have to leave to get to where I gotta get to when I gotta there...I'm sure you all know what I mean. Not my favorite way to travel. At least I will be heading east with the fronts rather than into them like in the summer. I'll do..da.. back to CO on the return route.

Thanks again,

[Isaac-1]

My pick would be I-70 to Limon CO, then 287 all the way down to the west side of the DFW metroplex, probably Decatur TX, then go on a side road excursion for about an hour to Weatherford TX. I did this route in a moving truck going the other way to Montana a couple of years ago helping an old friend with vision issues move. Then get on I-20 east, this skirts the south side of the DFW metroplex so there is only 10-20 miles of intense urban interstate traffic and about 75 miles of urban sprawl (think of the drive from Denver to Fort Collins) . All other routes I know of around the DFW metroplex have longer delays and more stop and go traffic. At Shreveport LA take I-49 down to I-10, this is a mostly empty stretch of interstate which was built about 25 years ago, the only city of any size is Alexandria LA, otherwise is is mostly farm county or wooded , not even many exits with gas stations. Then it is I-10 to Baton Rouge, I-12 to the Mississippi state line to bypass New Orleans and back on I-10 again Across to Pensacola and across 98 to Destin.