Missouri to Estes Park, CO

We have decided after we spend the night in Russel, KS, that we will head north and connect with 36 and take that all the way to Estes. My sister talked with the people across the way of Paradise on the River and we can leave our camper there until we leave and head to Mary's Lake. Thanks for everyone's help in figuring out a good route to take.

Yes, you're right Thom02099....Sorry bout that....I was going off memory. Never have really looked at where 36 went past Bennett. I always go around Denver. I had a run once from Kodak in Rochester, NY to Kodak in Windsor, CO 3 times a month and always went across 36 or I 70 in Kansas 27 n to 34 to 257 into Windsor....Good, easy way to go ! I don't like to go through Denver but if you go at off peak hours most of the time it's not to bad but traffic runs about 90 mph in all directions.

Veebyes wrote:

brooks379 wrote:
Highway 36 across CO doesn't go into, or near Estes Park. You need to go north and pick up hwy 34 to go into EP.... You can take 36 across Kansas to Saint Francis, KS north on 27 to highway 34 then into EP (just a little south of EP) All of 36- 27- 34 are 2 lane, real good roads. They go through a few small farming/Ranch towns...no problem. Other than that it's just Coyotes, Cattle and Antelope across there.

Skirting around the NE side of Denver is difficult without the toll of 470.

About the best way to beat the toll is to take the Tower Road ext to 104th to I25 & N from there. Tower road is not the open country road that it used to be & 104th to I25 is not the empty road that it used to be either.

I do like Brooks379 route to avoid the whole Denver mess.

One can also take Tower Road all the way up to 120th Ave and then across to I-25. I frequently use that route to get to DIA. Or better yet, get off I-70 in Bennett and take CO 79 north to CO 52 and the take that west thru Hudson and Fort Lupton and on to I-25 at Dacono.

ETA: Also 470 is E-470 and there are 3 toll plazas between I-70 and I-25, if one decides to go that route. The license plate toll is $3.55 for 2 axles and $3.55 for each additional axle. Gets very expensive to go that route with a tandem wheel trailer!

One could also stay on I-70 to I-*2*70, which is by the old Stapleton Airport property and goes through Commerce City before joining up with I-25 where US 36 is once again picked up heading to Boulder.

It's all a mess down there! Take US 34 across! ;-)

brooks379 wrote:
Highway 36 across CO doesn't go into, or near Estes Park. You need to go north and pick up hwy 34 to go into EP

Uhhh...yes it does. US 36, if you read my post above, is the only way (other than CO7) currently to get to Estes Park, as US 34/The Big Thompson Canyon is currently closed for construction and will be until Memorial Day weekend 2017. US 36 can be reached in Lyons from CO 66 off I-25.
US 36 is also the Boulder Turnpike AKA/Buffalo Turnpike. From eastern Colorado it runs into I-70 out in the Byers area, and splits off I-25/I-70 junction just outside Westminster.

brooks379 wrote:
Highway 36 across CO doesn't go into, or near Estes Park. You need to go north and pick up hwy 34 to go into EP.... You can take 36 across Kansas to Saint Francis, KS north on 27 to highway 34 then into EP (just a little south of EP) All of 36- 27- 34 are 2 lane, real good roads. They go through a few small farming/Ranch towns...no problem. Other than that it's just Coyotes, Cattle and Antelope across there.

Skirting around the NE side of Denver is difficult without the toll of 470.

About the best way to beat the toll is to take the Tower Road ext to 104th to I25 & N from there. Tower road is not the open country road that it used to be & 104th to I25 is not the empty road that it used to be either.

I do like Brooks379 route to avoid the whole Denver mess.

Horsedoc wrote:
If you were to decide to do I-70 across, turn north (I-470??) before I-25 and take the bypass out by the airport and back into 25 north of Denver. Traffic in the Denver area reminds me of my own Atlanta - never really light.
We usually go north to Loveland and then up Big Thompson rd to Estes Park.

I470 is actually C470 and it is a tollway so there will be a hefty charge for any RV.
I would recommend using one of the alternative routes suggested and bypass Denver and as much of I25 north bound as possible. The traffic has really gotten bad in recent years with all the new arrivals. Hint: US34 is a nice route across northern Colorado.

Highway 36 across CO doesn't go into, or near Estes Park. You need to go north and pick up hwy 34 to go into EP.... You can take 36 across Kansas to Saint Francis, KS north on 27 to highway 34 then into EP (just a little south of EP) All of 36- 27- 34 are 2 lane, real good roads. They go through a few small farming/Ranch towns...no problem. Other than that it's just Coyotes, Cattle and Antelope across there.

If you were to decide to do I-70 across, turn north (I-470??) before I-25 and take the bypass out by the airport and back into 25 north of Denver. Traffic in the Denver area reminds me of my own Atlanta - never really light.
We usually go north to Loveland and then up Big Thompson rd to Estes Park.

Veebyes wrote:
Got an easy route for you & a whole lot more scenic too. From wherever you are in MO get on 36 & stay on 36 all the way. A very civilised highway the whole way.

Does make it easy - Rt 36 from Hannibal to Estes - never change roads and IMHO is a Great - Easy option - so much so it has been My route of Choice on the last 12-15 (Maybe more - lost count) trips to and from Colorado.

Will take you to and through Boulder and Lyons right to Estes.

But my Favorite drive to Estes has to be Peak to Peak - for me Rt 6 out of Golden to Rt 119 just outside of Idaho Springs - If you want to see Colorado you have to get on those mountain roads and See/Feel Colorado.

JMHO,

Got an easy route for you & a whole lot more scenic too. From wherever you are in MO get on 36 & stay on 36 all the way. A very civilised highway the whole way.