How to avoid Denver in going from TX to WY

[BMH0115]

Any GOOD suggestions on how to avoid the Denver area as we are trying to get from TX to Cody, WY? We don't like the traffic and the tolls, especially when pulling an RV.

[The_Mad_Norsky]

2gypsies wrote:

BB_TX wrote:
Take I-35 to Wichita, I-135 to Salina, U.S. 81 to I-80, then hang a left to Wyoming. Just a short stretch of toll from OK border to Wichita.

This is a good route.

ditto from me too. Just drove this route. At least an alternative route to consider.

[Veebyes]

As suggested 287 to I70 to Denver but here is the catch. Get off 70 at Tower Road N to 104W to I25N.

This skirts you around east of Denver. Yes, there is some stop & go on Tower & 104th but the whole section does not even take an hour.

[pitch]

Need to ask!!!! Why is there such a dearth of reading comprehension?
OP asked about avoiding Denver. Instead he gets time it right you'll be ok!, or Traffic is not bad at noon!.
OP said avoid Denver,he got what 2 answers out of ten that actually comprehended his question?
Maybe his tolerance for cities is zero.

[2gypsies1]

BB_TX wrote:
Take I-35 to Wichita, I-135 to Salina, U.S. 81 to I-80, then hang a left to Wyoming. Just a short stretch of toll from OK border to Wichita.

This is a good route.

[greg121]

Denver traffic isn't bad if you pick your times well. No major interchanges to worry about. As I recall, just get in the middle lane and go on through.

But, since we hardly ever need the fastest route and prefer the backroads we've explored alternatives there. First, depending on what you're in, I'd stay off 287 in Oklahoma. That road can beat you up pretty badly. Then if you want to avoid traffic don't cut back into I25 until north of Ft Collins. From there to Denver it can be just as bad as Denver.

[TinHut_66]

I just made the trip from Midland Tex to Greeley Colo 2 weeks ago. Took I-25 thru Denver up and back. No major problems with traffic, just a little slow on the return. I drove about 65 and stayed with the flow of traffic pretty well. To me it's worth the Denver traffic to be able to stay on I-25.

[Old-Biscuit]

WyoTraveler wrote:
I would feel more comfortable driving through Denver than driving west on I-80 from Cheyenne. I prefer north then through Casper. At times wind can get bad on I-80. Especially west of Cheyenne to Rawlins. Just be aware of weather. WY has great wx reports. on internet or phone 511.

Check out the following when entering WY.

http:/www.wyoroad.info/

Wind BLOWS in WY.....Cheyenne, Rawlins (especially Wamsutter), Chugwater, Casper.
Hang on to your hat Lucy :B

Plan it right and Denver traffic (like most other cities) isn't bad mid-morning

[WyoTraveler]

I would feel more comfortable driving through Denver than driving west on I-80 from Cheyenne. I prefer north then through Casper. At times wind can get bad on I-80. Especially west of Cheyenne to Rawlins. Just be aware of weather. WY has great wx reports. on internet or phone 511.

Check out the following when entering WY.

http:/www.wyoroad.info/

[BB_TX]

Take I-35 to Wichita, I-135 to Salina, U.S. 81 to I-80, then hang a left to Wyoming. Just a short stretch of toll from OK border to Wichita.

[BMH0115]

Thank you for these thoughts. We will evaluate and choose.

[Stormpeakco]

JiminDenver wrote:
You can pass through Denver on I-25 easily pretty much any day around noon and there are no tolls required. The traffic on the weekend mid day is very light.

Totally agree with the above
Driving through Ft. Worth (in laws live in south-central TX) is far worse than any drive through Denver (except for maybe friday and sunday afternoon after during a big powder weekend in winter).
I'd stay on 287 and night over in Dumas, then stay on I-25 and the most minimal traffic will be 0900-1500 on saturday or sunday (unless the ponies are playing in town).

[JiminDenver]

You can pass through Denver on I-25 easily pretty much any day around noon and there are no tolls required. The traffic on the weekend mid day is very light.

[Thom02099]

BMH0115 wrote:
Any GOOD suggestions on how to avoid the Denver area as we are trying to get from TX to Cody, WY? We don't like the traffic and the tolls, especially when pulling an RV.

Assuming you're coming north from Plano, you could take US 287 through Wichita Falls and Amarillo, then continue north through Dumas and on through the Oklahoma panhandle, entering Colorado via US 287/385 to Springfield, CO.

Continuing north, you could have 2 options, both of which avoid both Colorado Springs and Denver Metro. First, stay on US 287 to Limon. In Limon, you could pick up CO 71 and take that all the way north to Brush CO and I-76. At Brush, you could stay on CO 71 all the way up into Wyoming, where it's also WY 71 and intersects with I-80 in Kimball. Note that there's a bit of a "jog" in CO 71 at Stoneham, where CO 71 intersects with CO 14 and then CO 71 picks up again north, just west of Stoneham.

You could also take I-76 west from Brush to exit 73/US 34, and take US 34 all the way west through Greeley and pick up I-25 in Loveland, taking I-25 north into Wyoming and whatever route you want to Cody.

Option 2, way back in SE Colorado, you could take US 385 north...all the way...to where it intersects I-76 in Julesburg CO. From there, you can get on I-80 and take that west to Cheyenne WY and whatever route you want to Cody.

Outside of Texas, it's 2 lane roads most of the way, but it's not difficult driving at all. Just boring. Really boring. Little towns along the way in the Colorado Outback. Make sure you have Gas Buddy or some other fuel app on your phone, fuel stations are spread out.

Either way will minimize your traffic as far as volume and congestion, as long as you don't mind 2 lane roads and perhaps getting stuck behind farming/ranching vehicles.

[gafidler]

last year I went north from TX to OK,KS,NE,SD then left to WY