hwy 40 accross colorado

Thanks for the replies. I actually ended up taking Hwy 12 through the grand staircase-escalante national monument Utah. Then onto hwy 24 east. We stopped at a rock shop and the guy talked me into it and then I talked my wife into it. She is actually getting better on these roads. We have driven the trail ridge road as well as the million dollar highway. The million dollar highway she actually got in the back seat and laid down because she got so freaked out. That was about 5 years ago. Thats when she decided she couldn't handle those type of roads anymore. But it appears she is getting better about it now and WOW that hwy 12 has some great scenery and she really enjoyed it with just a few minor freak out moments.

We got on to I-70 and headed east through Denver and then onto I-76 east. That turned out to be a nightmare at 5 o'clock on Friday. I was using my google maps and there was something that was really handy on it. It automatically monitors traffic from all the smart phones that are on with their GPS location shared. When I got on I 76 it was a parking lot. Google maps rerouted me to surface streets and then to a two lane hwy that dumped me onto I-76 clear of all the traffic. It worked perfectly.

Thanks again for the input. As it turned out I was glad the fella at the rock shop talked us into the Grand Staircase. That is one hell of a gorgeous drive!! I would say also that Hwy 12 is not for the faint of heart, but who knows maybe people can learn to handle it better, as my wife has.

fanrgs wrote:
Personally wouldn't recommend it for scenery. A few long hills between Maybell and Vernal, but no mountains. Only becomes scenic at Steamboat Springs, but then you are immediately climbing up Rabbit Ears Pass.

But the question is, if your wife doesn't like mountain roads, how are you planning to see Rocky Mtn. NP? You will have to drive over Trail Ridge Road, the highest paved through highway in the U.S. (12,000 ft.), to get home if you are coming from Utah. Or you will need to go all the way around through Denver or Ft. Collins and backtrack to Estes Park. Either way you will have to cross the Continental Divide over a mountain pass, with consequent long grades. Even the west approach to the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70 has an exceedingly long 6% grade from Silverthorne to the portal. So, there is no way to see RMNP without driving mountain roads.

As for "hairy," if you are driving a tall pickup camper, you won't find many paved mountain highways hairier than the hairpins on Trail Ridge Road (US 34) in RMNP! It wouldn't be a problem if you are completely comfortable on steep, winding roads, but it sounds like your wife is not that comfortable.

+1 - RMNP is not for the faint of heart, unless you plan to spend most of your time on the west side of the park, prior to the climb up to Milner Pass (the Continental Divide), ie, hiking some of the lower elevations. Besides the points brought up, there's also the traffic. Last week when I was up there, it was practically bumper to bumper traffic, both during the week as well as on the weekend. All of the campgrounds in the park on the east side were just about completely full, even Glacier Basin. Traffic, crowds, and "hairy" roads...a combo your wife probably wouldn't enjoy.

Personally wouldn't recommend it for scenery. A few long hills between Maybell and Vernal, but no mountains. Only becomes scenic at Steamboat Springs, but then you are immediately climbing up Rabbit Ears Pass.

But the question is, if your wife doesn't like mountain roads, how are you planning to see Rocky Mtn. NP? You will have to drive over Trail Ridge Road, the highest paved through highway in the U.S. (12,000 ft.), to get home if you are coming from Utah. Or you will need to go all the way around through Denver or Ft. Collins and backtrack to Estes Park. Either way you will have to cross the Continental Divide over a mountain pass, with consequent long grades. Even the west approach to the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70 has an exceedingly long 6% grade from Silverthorne to the portal. So, there is no way to see RMNP without driving mountain roads.

As for "hairy," if you are driving a tall pickup camper, you won't find many paved mountain highways hairier than the hairpins on Trail Ridge Road (US 34) in RMNP! It wouldn't be a problem if you are completely comfortable on steep, winding roads, but it sounds like your wife is not that comfortable.

Heber Ut to Vernal Ut includes a couple good pulls. Majority is 65mph. As you approach Vernal it gets busy (actually Myton through Roosevelt to Vernal seems like a busy road because of all the work traffic to the well fields).

Vernal Ut to Craig Co is boring. Long rolling hills, I don't remember there being any long and steep. Not much traffic.

Hayden to Steamboat is beautiful. The first few miles South out of Steamboat are also very nice but you are now getting in to the mountain driving (slower speeds, faster elevation change).

40 is a good hwy for sight seeing. I took this route from SLC to Hayden bi-weekly (I was doing contract work in Leadville and this was the quickest route on my motorcycle).

it is two lane no shoulder for a big part fewpasses not bad if u travel at night be carefull deer and elk can get thick at times.nice drive in fall you can see all the fall colors