Possible routes in Idaho with 65' RV and trailer

[hotjag1]

We are going to be heading south in about 10 days and would like to take a different route than what we usually do.

I was thinking about heading east on I90 to Cd'A, ID and then go south on SR 95 to Ontario, ID....or continue east on I90 to Missoula, MT and then go south on SR 93 to Arco, ID.

Both routes look like they have a fair amount of twists and turns according to Streets and Trips map.

I am wondering if there will be any problems taking either route with a combined length of 65', or which route would be the best. I have been driving motorhomes for over 30 years, but I don't want to be on top of the centerline or over the fog line when going around curves(maybe once or twice, but not continually).

What do you guys think? Any advice and information about these routes is greatly appreciated.

Thanks....Don

[hotjag1]

slemnah wrote:
I took my 42' motorhome with my 23' trailer on a twisty road to and from Yosemite. Had no problems whatsoever. Found out later the road is a restricted road with nothing longer than 40' allowed. Oops. Just be careful, watch going around turns, remember that the trailer turns a tighter circle than the motorhome. Have fun!

Thanks. Yup, I do have to watch the trailer pretty close on tight corners:)

[slemnah]

I took my 42' motorhome with my 23' trailer on a twisty road to and from Yosemite. Had no problems whatsoever. Found out later the road is a restricted road with nothing longer than 40' allowed. Oops. Just be careful, watch going around turns, remember that the trailer turns a tighter circle than the motorhome. Have fun!

[hotjag1]

We have already been to Zion and I don't think anything over 40' is allowed through the tunnel, so I pretty much knew that I wouldn't be going that way. Thanks for the advice about the other routes.

[The_Texan]

2gypsies wrote:
I would not advise Hwy 14 from Cedar City to Hwy 89. Now THAT is a steep winding drive.

Exactly why I said to park the RV in Cedar City and take the toad over 14 through Duck Creek and to Bryce. Also, doing that, puts them on I-15 and just 2½ hours from Las Vegas, rather than being over on 89 and having to work their way back to I-15 from Bryce. They will not want to go through Zion on 9, because of the road and cost for the RV at the tunnel. That leaves the only way to Vegas through Kanab and back to Hurricane on 59, again on grades and 2 lanes, or back track through Panguitch and across 20 to I-15 then head south, which is a close to a 100 miles out of the way.

[2gypsies1]

On 93 I believe he's talking about Lost Trail Pass just north of Salmon. The elevation is 7014'. You'll have about 3 miles of 6% grade downhill then a couple miles of 5% grade then rolling 3% downhill. There are some curves. We didn't have an issue with it with our 40'. I will say we're used to mountain driving and we had confidence in our motorhome's braking ability.

If coming down I-15 in Utah from Salt Lake City you can take Hwy 20 over to 89 to 12 and Bryce. I would not advise Hwy 14 from Cedar City to Hwy 89. Now THAT is a steep winding drive.

[hotjag1]

kknowlton wrote:
The pass between Missoula and Salmon on US93 will be a test. Some pretty tight curves, and lots of altitude change. Do-able, but take it slow & easy.

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The replies from other people had me thinking this route would be no problem at all and don't mention anything about lots of altitude change. What is the elevation change? Is there a lot of hill climbing?

[kknowlton]

The pass between Missoula and Salmon on US93 will be a test. Some pretty tight curves, and lots of altitude change. Do-able, but take it slow & easy.

[Murphsmom]

If you are going to St Anthony, why not just get off of I90 at Belgrade and take 191 up to Highway 20 at West Yellowstone? That would be a much more direct route. Then you could cut back over to 93 when you leave St Anthony.

We came home that way from SD in May. A pretty drive. Just laugh at the GPS when it tells you to turn left at Jucribbit Road. It is actually Jackrabbit! Ours also kept trying to get us to go further west than 191, as well as trying to send us through Bozeman. Fortunately we were following the paper map and just checking the GPS.

[The_Texan]

Suggestion instead of taking I-84 to I-15 and through the mess in SLC, continue south on 93 through Ely. About 120 ± miles south of Ely, at Panaca take NV 319, which turns into UT 56 towards Cedar City UT. Stay in Cedar City and drive your toad to Bryce, over UT 14 through Duck Creek. Beautiful drive, but a good climb to 10K from Cedar City. Then you are on I-15 and only 2½ hours to Las Vegas.

[hotjag1]

Thank-you for the suggestions and advice. I think we are going to go to Missoula and take US-93 south. We want to go to the St. Anthony sand dunes as we have a small car and a Polaris RZR(to ride the dunes) in the trailer. US-93 would put us closer to the sand dunes.

After that, we will head down I-15 and then take US-89 south to Bryce Canyon. After Bryce, we will keep going south on I-15 to Vegas. We are hoping that the weather stays the same as it is for another week or two.

Thanks everyone for letting me know that either route will be no problem for my combined length. I will watch the weather closely.

Thanks again...Don

[2gypsies1]

We, too, have taken our 40' motorhome towing on both of those highways. Although it's still early in the season, keep a close check on the weather up to the time you leave.

We think Hwy 95 is the most scenic but is more twisty (definitely not extreme) and has more hills. It's easily done with big rigs in good weather.

Have a good trip to sunny AZ!

[The_Texan]

What is the rest of your route down, after I-84? If the weather is like it is now and forecast to stay that way for your trip, I would do the I-90 to Missoula and US-93 south. You can pick up some weather in that area.

We drive from New Meadows to CdA and the road would be no problem for you, but to me, used to mountains, it is boring most of the way.

We will be headed down to Wellton, through Parker on the 29th of Nov and expect to see snow in the Wells to Ely area.

[Murphsmom]

Either route would work. BTW, Ontario is in Oregon, just across the river from Fruitland ID. We always laugh and say that we can see Oregon from our back yard.

[katoomer]

I wouldn't worry too much if you have been driving that rig for a while. I've been on most of those routes with 64' length