least mountainous road

[nomad2013]

Assuming I-15 south of Helena, Montana on the way to Salt Lake City, Utah, which route is recommended based on subject heading?
Also, any good campgrounds along the way.
And, best places to visit in Utah.
Thank you in advance for your always expert advice!

[wintersun]

Interstates were built to serve the needs of the trucking industry (and represent a subsidy of billions of dollars if not trillions of dollars) and they will always be the straightest and flattest route you can take. The downside is that it will also have the most trucking traffic on it as well so often the decrease in total distance is offset in large part by traffic moving at a slower pace.

If you burn diesel the interstates is where you will find most of the stations and truck stops for both diesel and DEF and the worst restaurants.

[nomad2013]

Thanks to all for your input. Sorry this response is tardy. Based on your replies, we will taking I-15 to Salt Lake. We will staying in CGs close to the interstate & will staying in Utah, as yet, for maybe a week and then on to Colorado.
Thanks again.

[trailertraveler]

nomad2013 wrote:
...best places to visit in Utah...

Here are some links to places we have been and enjoyed that you can checkout:
Ut-12 Scenic Byway
Scenic Backways off UT-12
Calf Creek Falls
Hells Backbone
Burr Trail
Fishlake Scenic Byway
Kane Creek Road
UT-261 (the Moki Dugway)
Flaming Gorge Scenic Byway
Potash Lower Colorado Byway
Upper Colorado River UT-128 Scenic Byway
Goosenecks State Park
Hovenweep National Monument
Natural Bridges National Monument
Bluff Fort
South Fork of Mule Canyon and House on Fire
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Rainbow Bridge National Monument
Sago Canyon
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
Goblin Valley State Park
Escalante Petrified Forest State Park
Kodachrome Basin State Park
Anasazi State Park
Dead Horse Point State Park
The Valley of The Gods
Edge of the Cedars State Park
Dinosaur Museum
Utah Field House State Park
Dinosaur National Monument
Monument Valley
Arches National Park
Canyonlands National Park
Needles District
Newspaper Rock
Capitol Reef National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park
Zion National Park

[profdant139]

By the way, what time of year are you planning to visit Utah, and how much time can you spend there? In the heat of the summer, go to higher elevations. In the fall, it's all great. In the winter, stay to the south.

[Lauren]

Best places to visit in Utah? !

It is a very large state with so many beautiful places - depends on your interests and what part of the state you will be in and how much time you have.

We LOVE Utah!

[Golden_HVAC]

You can look up Maps.google.com and then click on Terrain, then figure out what elevation above sea level a area is. The closer the lines are together, the steeper the mountain range. . .

Interstates such as I5 and I 15 are required to have less than 6% grades. They do this by increasing the length of the route up the mountain, so that you only go up 6 feet per 100 feet forward. This allows the larger trucks to maintain a 35 MPH minimum speed, even fully loaded.

Good luck!

Fred.

[sdianel_-acct_c]

We are in Columbia Falls Kalispell area and are heading down toward Salt Lake City in a week. I have been researching camping and things to see. Here's what I found so far:
Idaho Falls ID - Snake River RV Park - mixed reviews, older park but ok.
Idaho Falls ID - Juniper Campground on Ririe Reservoir - 18 miles from Idaho Falls. Overnight Camping Fees:
$10.00 tent area and dry dock camping
$18.00 full hook ups ($2.00 discount for Idaho State Parks and Recreation Golden Age pass holders)
Shelley ID - North Bingham County Recreation Area. $20 water and electric.
In Ogden - Union Station & Museum - Utah State RR Museum - Hill Aerospace Museum. In Salt Lake City - Mormom Tabernacle Choir live broadcast. http://fans.musicandthespokenword.org/attend-a-live-broadcast/
We are also going to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Wendover NV. If you are a racing fan, you might want to do that. There is a KOA in Wendover.

[Reddog1]

Moved to Roads and Routes.

Wayne
Moderator

[skipnchar]

Interstate highways all have the same standards. Max grade is 06% although there are two or three places that actually have been given permission to exceed that for a short distance. 4 lanes is minimum, and curves no less than 45 MPH speed rated is another standard. Stay on the interstate for the easiest driving since federal highways, state highways and county roads ALL have standards that exceed interstate standards in all of those categories.

[kknowlton]

What are you looking for in CGs? Utilities, boondocking, something in between? Close to the interstate to make some time, or off the beaten path?

[profdant139]

Nomad, you might want to post this over in Roads and Routes? But anyway, we took I-15 from SLC to Helena -- no problem at all, no steep grades that I recall. And I was towing a trailer with a Tacoma -- so if you have a truck camper, you will have no trouble.