Flattest route to Denver

[Jacksilsby]

I'm about to pull met travel trailer from Fort Worth to Denver. I've made this trip in a car or truck a few times, but never with a big load. There are some spots that are pretty steep climbs once you get to Raton Nm and several from there to Denver. Does anyone know what would be a good, flatter route? Thanks for your time.

[Veebyes]

287. Miles & miles of easy nuttin.

[Thunder_Mountai]

4runnerguy wrote:

padredw wrote:
For me, I-25 is an uncongested drive.

Of course timing and luck can factor in, but I can't count the number of times it's taken me nearly an hour to go the 20 miles from Monument to Castle Rock or the reverse on I-25. 😞 I've driven this section hundreds of times and try to avoid the busy times, I still get snagged once in a while. The stop and go in an RV or with a trailer gets really old.

On the flip side, I-25 is a prettier drive IMHO.

Your post is spot on. The wrong time of day or a wreck turns I25 south of Denver into a parking lot especially bad driving the MH.

[Golfcart]

i took both routes on my July denver trip. on the way there i took Raton pass because we had other stops before we hit denver. and on the way back i went i70 to 287 since we were just going straight home

287 in the high plains was actually quite beautiful. boring after a while. but beautiful


I25 really isnt that bad

[4runnerguy]

padredw wrote:
For me, I-25 is an uncongested drive.

Of course timing and luck can factor in, but I can't count the number of times it's taken me nearly an hour to go the 20 miles from Monument to Castle Rock or the reverse on I-25. 😞 I've driven this section hundreds of times and try to avoid the busy times, I still get snagged once in a while. The stop and go in an RV or with a trailer gets really old.

On the flip side, I-25 is a prettier drive IMHO.

[johnwalkerpa1]

SpeakEasy wrote:
I'm curious about what % grades we're talking about in these different routes. It's all relative; none of it is "flat." As an Easterner I'd really like to know how steep those Rocky Mt. highways are. Does anyone know?

-Speak

My experience has been that the grades out west are not any steeper than the grades in the east...they are just longer.

As a general rule, on interstates, the max grades are the same. On the secondary roads, some of the mountain grades in the east are actually steeper. Of course there are exceptions...

[padredw]

The original question has been well answered, so this is just my personal comment.

Put me down as one who prefers going on from Amarillo to Raton and over the easy pass there. I-25 has always been a pleasant drive for me--nothing like I-20 across Louisiana or I-30/I-40 across Arkansas. For me, I-25 is an uncongested drive.

Glad to hear that the Farm Road out by Boy's Ranch is being widened. I've gone that way several times, but my preference has become Dumas to Dalhart because we often want to stop for a meal along that route. I will just share that a couple of years ago we attended the Youth Rodeo at Cal Farley's and enjoyed it greatly. We had a really nice place to stay in our fifth-wheel right on the ranch--full hookups and uncrowded.

[Thunder_Mountai]

Heisenberg wrote:
Thunder Mountain gives away my Boys Ranch road route. LOL

It was being widened this past July and will be that much better.

My father-in-law introduced us to that route sometime in the 1970s. There was nobody on that road. We drove it last June and saw the construction. It will be an even better drive.

[2gypsies1]

As stated, there are a LOT of miles between Texas and Denver and even though Denver is higher elevation it's covered in a lot of miles so it's not like climbing a mountain. The 'real' mountains start west of Denver. 🙂 287 would be our choice just because it's off the interstate and less congestion - more relaxing to us.

[Bionic_Man]

I've driven 287 much of the way you are contemplating. Most of it in a car, but the last two years we have done 287 from I70 to Hwy 50 with the RV. One thing to note, there are a LOT of semi trucks that drive that route, and, at least in that area, not a lot of passing lanes. When we went in July, we had lots of semis pass us and pull in uncomfortably close to avoid oncoming traffic, and we also got stuck behind an over length truck with one of those windmill blades (easily 100' long) going 45-50 MPH. It was very difficult to get around him.

Given the choice, I would do I25.

[Heisenberg]

Thunder Mountain gives away my Boys Ranch road route. LOL

It was being widened this past July and will be that much better.

[Thunder_Mountai]

What 4runnerguy said. The wife's family started making the pilgrimage from Dallas to Estes Park in 1917 via train. She grew up making the trip pre interstate when it was a hard two day trip via 287 then across New Mexico to Raton and up what would become I25.

We moved to Colorado in 1980 and used the traditional route several times a year to return to Dallas to see family and friends. When the population along the Front Range exploded in the 1990s, I25 between Longmont and Colorado Springs became increasingly congested. About 10-12 years ago, one of our Texas friends suggested taking 287 to I70. We found it to be much less congested and actually quicker. There are no passes or steep grades.

If you decide to take the traditional route via Texline and Raton, be sure to grab the Amarillo loop and take Ranch Road 1061 via Boys Town and 385 to Hartley. It is a beautiful drive and you miss the traffic in Dumas which can be heavy.

[4runnerguy]

US 287 also has the advantage of avoiding the traffic from around Colorado Springs all the way to Denver. Can really get to be a nightmare certain times of the day.

[COnative]

Jack, what's your definition of big load? Sorry I didn't check your sig for particulars. Raton and Monument hill are... well... not hard pulls or sketchy. If your tow setup is questionable I guess I'd maybe consider another route. Just know from experience and towing through the Rockies every other weekend that these two hills are just not worth the worry. I know my sig shows a Deisel tow vehicle, but prior to this set up I towed these routes with a Dodge Dakota and a 22 ft travel trailer.

[Dennis12]

flattest route possible would be a 474. Smart butt aint I. Living in Wv is great. If the wife and i wern to get a divorce we can still be brother and sister. Neet aint it.