East coast of Colorado to Grand Junction on 70 W

bjburkhalter wrote:
Just curious how bad is it to drive 70 all the way across Colorado. We will be in a class A motorhome, Coachmen Encounter, 38' gas, with no toad. Any recommendations or insight would be helpful and appreciated.
Thanks

Like everything - it depends. I-70 gets thick going thru Denver and then again as you hit the West Side of Denver and up into the Eisenhower Tunnel.

Time of day and day of week mean everything if you want to avoid traffic. That said, Denver traffic isn't as bad as Houston or LA or... So it just depends on what you're used to, how fast you want to get someplace, etc.

As far as hills, well, you're cresting the Rockies and the Continental Divide. You'll top out around 10,000'.

But I-70 is a major interstate. Gazillions of cars, trucks and motorhomes drive it, without incident. We're also used to trucks and Motorhomes in the far right lane, doing 25mph up the grades.

Plenty of gas, rest stops, food, etc.
Downshift, stay off the brakes on the way down.

I guess it depends on your concerns. What questions do you have? Have you done mountain driving before?

Last year was our first long trip in MH, went from Indiana to the Black Hills in SD. The info I have read on here seems to be that I should leave tranny in tow/haul mode when in the mountains.

Avoid westbound out of Denver on Friday afternoons and the weekend. Lots of traffic (including a lot of RV's like yours). As noted, stay in lower gear when heading down the hills. They are long, 7% grades out of the Eisenhower Tunnel and off of Vail Pass. But I-70 is one of the most scenic stretches of interstate around.

Not in a hurry? Another option is to take US 50 west out of Pueblo all the way to Grand Junction. Just one big pass (Monarch) instead of two. More two lane traffic, but plenty of places to pass or be passed. Also quite scenic.

East Coast of Colorado? Well maybe with all the rain we've gotten this month, but not usually ;)

If you do not want or need to go through Denver drop south to highway US 50 to cross Colorado.

The grades are not much different and the traffic is less especially truck traffic on US 50.

US 50 is in very good condition (much better than most Interstates) and there is passing lanes on most of the road.

Or go North and cross Wyoming. Depends on your final destination and what you want to see on the way.

I have one question I have lived in Colorado all my life and don't know where the east coast of Colorado is, we have gotten a lot of rain lately be not that much. Just saying

bjburkhalter wrote:
seems to be that I should leave tranny in tow/haul mode when in the mountains.

Leave it on all of the time? Up and down?

I'm in a 24' Class C and I don't do this. I just take my time and try not to spend the hour of climbing in 2nd gear over revving the engine.

Going down, I am in 3rd or 2nd and off the brakes.

Once you get over Continental Divide, then there's Vail Pass. After that the mountains taper off substantially and it'll be like driving just about any other place.

Only much more pretty. :)

Glenwood Canyon is not to be missed!

bjburkhalter wrote:
Just curious how bad is it to drive 70 all the way across Colorado. We will be in a class A motorhome, Coachmen Encounter, 38' gas, with no toad. Any recommendations or insight would be helpful and appreciated.
Thanks

In addition to the other answers, depends on WHEN you're doing this. If it's any time soon, keep an eye on the weather forecast. Here on the "east coast" side of Colorado where it's been raining steady for the past 24hours or so, there are flash flood watches/warnings out. For the High Country, there's winter storm watches/warnings, with the snow level along the Front Range (the first set of mountains you come to headed westbound) dropping to 8000 feet. Supposed to get a break later this week, but another round over Memorial Day weekend, with potential snow again in the mountains.

Currently it's 44 degrees on this East Coast side in Loveland, hasn't been much different all day today. Barely gonna get out of the 40s tomorrow, and looking at only 50s for Memorial Day weekend down here, which could mean colder "up there". Headed to a graduation shindig on Saturday in Conifer, forecast calling for only 50 with a 60% chance of showers.

Maybe, just maybe....we'll get some warmer weather here soon. So far, we haven't beat 80 by much any time this spring.

Thom02099 wrote:

Maybe, just maybe....we'll get some warmer weather here soon. So far, we haven't beat 80 by much any time this spring.

So true! I can't recall even a 70 degree day yet. We have trees that have not leafed out yet. This has been an eternal early spring.

bjburkhalter wrote:
Just curious how bad is it to drive 70 all the way across Colorado. We will be in a class A motorhome, Coachmen Encounter, 38' gas, with no toad. Any recommendations or insight would be helpful and appreciated.
Thanks

Brent,

This may be way off your interest list but............ as an alternative to just driving straight out I-70 to GJ and just visiting family.

Let's make this a loop trip with most of the ride being just BEAUTIFUL and allow you to see some of Colorado’s beauty.

You still need to miss the traffic out of Denver into the mountains on Friday.

When coming through Denver on 70 look at getting off on exit 265 Rt 58 heading towards Golden, this will give you the option of spending the night at Golden Clear Creek -- Coors’s tour, or pushing through -- 58 runs into Rt 6 that will get you into the mountains. Then on to 70.

Nice drive along Clear Creek to Idaho Springs where you will get back on 70.(exit 244) This is an easy drive along Clear Creek and through I think 6 tunnels with the high Canyon Cliffs on both sides -- just love it ( I've driven my old 37' gasser and the Diesel in my signature so you should have no problem)

Once you get back on 70 you will go through the BIG tunnel and down towards Breck. After passing through Breck, Could stop here too with Tiger Run in town and enjoy the ski town - Great spot, so another option for spending the night or you can push on.

Next continue on 70 to exit 195 Rt 91 towards Leadville, this gives you the chance to be in the highest incorporated town in the US 10,000 feet. Depending on the time of Day (Quincy’s could be dinner, think they open at 5:00) before heading to a Campsite just outside of town, or Turquoise Lake, another Beautiful site, or you can push on.

Because you have no toad I can't send you for the day trip on Independence Pass to Aspen and Maroon Bells and your Coach is too large to legally/safely drive on the road. But we’ll try to catch that on the way back.

Now down to Buena Vista on Rt 24 with the Collegiate Peaks – lots of options for CG’s and a number of great restaurant’s.

You can also catch some rafting on the Arkansas River which could be worth the trip to Colorado on their own. Heading down 24 to Poncha Springs and Rt 50 towards Gunnison. This is a good road in the mountains with views you will never forget.

Arriving in Gunnison, the question is do you run up to the town of Crested Butte? (Bud Light commercial) at least put your foot into Blue Mesa Reservoir , One more big decision Black Canyon of the Gunnison is just around the corner????????? so you can say you did or just head on to Lake City or Ouray – Lake City is in one of the wildest parts of Colorado and if you rented a 4x4 you could just get into the San Juan’s and discover why we all LOVE this part of Colorado.

Or, Ouray to Spend the night in town with the Hot Pools/tubs and great Restaurants’. At least drive into Ouray even if time will not allow you to spend time. Or just push on.

Back to Montrose then up to Grand Junction and the Colorado National Monument, and relatives.

Now I have done this trip in a day and also in a month – trust me the month was so much more fun and more like a vacation.

Now when it is time to head home Take 70 remembering to stop along the Highway just east of Glenwood Springs for some great looks at the Colorado River. If possible head over to Maroon Bells to hike and photograph the most BEAUTIFUL ROCKS in Colorado. Then on to Vail catch the tram to the top then if you enjoyed Rt 6 jump off and take it in the other direction – totally different and head back home.

So the question is 175 miles 3.5 hours on I-70 or 450 miles and two or three days of the BEST of Colorado? While it would be a lot more fun to take a couple of weeks to get this far from home and not see this is just………

JMHO,

Ps to find out any detail on these areas, just do a search with the name of the town adding 4runnerguy or me as the poster and you will find a wealth of info. Many of these post are well over a year old – hasn't changed much.

RAS43 wrote:

Thom02099 wrote:

Maybe, just maybe....we'll get some warmer weather here soon. So far, we haven't beat 80 by much any time this spring.

So true! I can't recall even a 70 degree day yet. We have trees that have not leafed out yet. This has been an eternal early spring.

Had I wanted Seattle weather...............
:R