Hello all: I'm still working on our 2015 summer cross-country trip. Will be heading west from Paducah, Ky, preferably entering CO via Rte 70. I'm unclear about our route between the two. Any route preferences or not-to-miss places along the way? So far, my research has shown nothing, and the standing plan is to head north from Paducah to the St. Louis area, then west on 50 across MO and KS. Ideas?

Tony&DiannesRV wrote:Hello all: I'm still working on our 2015 summer cross-country trip. Will be heading west from Paducah, Ky, preferably entering CO via Rte 70. I'm unclear about our route between the two. Any route preferences or not-to-miss places along the way? So far, my research has shown nothing, and the standing plan is to head north from Paducah to the St. Louis area, then west on 50 across MO and KS. Ideas?Depending on where you're going in Colorado, you may also want to consider taking US 36 across Missouri and Kansas. You can pick it up in Hannibal (or just about anywhere west of there), take it west to St. Joseph, enter Kansas and take it all the way across to Colorado. You bypass major population/congestion centers and can make just as good time as you would on the interstate, all things considered when towing. The roadway is good; it's 4lane across Missouri and good 2lane in Kansas, with frequent passing lanes. Many of the towns one goes through have city parks for stopping and stretching the legs. Towns are spread out, about 25-45 miles in between them, so one can drive open roads before hitting a town. Since they are all pretty small, there's not much of a delay in going through the towns, particularly in Kansas.In Kansas, you could stop at the "Geographical Center of the United States" near Smith Center KS. It's a bit north off the road. There's an abandoned motel there and a small park and signage marking it as the geographical center of the lower 48. A nice rest stop along the way, breaks of the drive a bit!

x2 hwy 36. caution: Major construction in Denver. Avoid it if you can.

To Sdiane.: we will be coming into CO via 70 to rte 24.

X3 for route 36. We drove the MO portion back in May. A nice divided highway. Back in 2012 we continued on 36 across KS to Prairie Dog State Park near Norton. In Marysville there is an original building that was used by the Pony Express. After Norton we took routes 383, 83 and 24 to join I70 near Colby.A much more relaxing route than all Interstate driving.

I like the idea of following 36 across Missouri. I hate I70 with all the truck traffic.

New plan: I70 across Missouri & Kansas | Good Sam Community

Bipeflier
Explorer
Aug 24, 2014
If you need an overnight stop in Kansas, we just stayed at the Lakeside campground in Ellis, Kansas.

City owned park, 50 amp, shade, water, showers, and dump station all for $15/ night.

Go south to 8th st. Turn left 2 blocks.

They also have a nice railroad/doll museum.
Dave_and_Sue
Explorer
Aug 24, 2014
http://www.kansassampler.org/8wonders/

Try this link for some things to see in Kansas.
CloudDriver
Explorer
Aug 23, 2014
Just to add to the list above, we found Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site a few miles east of St. Louis to be very interesting. The visitor center there is better than any other we have visited.
PotKorn
Explorer
Aug 23, 2014
Really, you can't find ANYTHING of interest between Paducah and Denver?

Paducah: Quilt Museum, murals along the Ohio River flood walls

Metropolis: Fort Massaic, Superman statue

Vandalia: Old IL state capitol

St. Louis: Arch, Museum of Westward Expansion, Anheuser-Busch tour, Cardinals; Grant's Farm; Historic Tours; Missouri History Museum; Zoo; Science Center; Art Museum (most items on this list are free, by the way)

Fulton: Winston Churchill Memorial in restored 16th century Christopher Wren-designed St. Paul's Church; section of Berlin Wall

Jefferson City: State Capitol, Governor's Mansion

Kansas City / Independence area: Truman Presidential Library and Home; Mormon History Center; Steamboat Arabia Museum; Royals

Topeka: State Capitol, Governor's Mansion

Hutchinson: Cosmophere Space Museum; underground salt mine

Abilene: Eisenhower Presidential Library and Boyhood Home

Junction City: Fort Riley, Seventh Cavalry Museum

Beyond that cursory list, I'm sure that there will be a few others that will come to mind.

My advice? Stop. Smell roses. Repeat.
chalet05
Explorer
Aug 23, 2014
If you do go 50, Hutchinson, KS has Cosmosphere (history of space travel) and Underground Salt Mine.
ryoung
Explorer
Aug 16, 2014
x4 on US 36.

I drove it 3 years ago on my last trip west. Good highway if you don't like pounding the interstates. Nice state park in Norton KS as mentioned.

ryoung
notruffinit
Explorer
Aug 16, 2014
I like the idea of following 36 across Missouri. I hate I70 with all the truck traffic.
CloudDriver
Explorer
Aug 15, 2014
X3 for route 36. We drove the MO portion back in May. A nice divided highway. Back in 2012 we continued on 36 across KS to Prairie Dog State Park near Norton. In Marysville there is an original building that was used by the Pony Express. After Norton we took routes 383, 83 and 24 to join I70 near Colby.

A much more relaxing route than all Interstate driving.
Tony_DiannesRV
Explorer
Aug 15, 2014
To Sdiane.: we will be coming into CO via 70 to rte 24.
sdianel_-acct_c
Explorer
Aug 15, 2014
x2 hwy 36.
caution: Major construction in Denver. Avoid it if you can.