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I know this has been asked before, but is there a clearly better way to go: nw Texas or I-35 to I-70?

Is there any road construction going on the nw Texas way? 

I prefer the 287 route thru Eastern Colorado to get to I-70. The traffic is light, the roads are in good shape and you can haul ass most of the time. You might have a construction zone or two but they are generally painless.

I prefer the 287 route thru Eastern Colorado to get to I-70. The traffic is light, the roads are in good shape and you can haul ass most of the time. You might have a construction zone or two but they are generally painless.
Plus allsups.
2 hours ago, Asithappens said:

I-35 to I-70?

that route is 90 or 100 extra miles than going up 87 through NE new mexico or 287 through eastern colorado, so it's an hour slower despite some construction east of amarillo and south of denver.  i'd go up 87 out of amarillo just to avoid spending any time in oklahoma. 

Years ago had to move my wife up there for a multi-month work project, we did 45/287 to Amarillo, ate dinner and stayed there for the night. Leave Amarillo on 87 and go through Panhandle/NE New Mexico until you hit I-25 just south of NM/CO border. 25 runs all the way into Denver. I seem to recall it felt like a surprisingly easy trip.

  • Author
29 minutes ago, elfenix said:

that route is 90 or 100 extra miles than going up 87 through NE new mexico or 287 through eastern colorado, so it's an hour slower despite some construction east of amarillo and south of denver.  i'd go up 87 out of amarillo just to avoid spending any time in oklahoma. 

Thanks. 

From what I've read while the I-35/I-70 may be longer in miles it's about the same in time. Maybe that's no longer true.

One of my considerations is that I'll be driving through the night, so interstate seems to have the edge over the other route. 

And I get ya on the Okie avoidance factor. 

And oh yeah, I'm planning on driving straight through. So if the shit hits the fan... I guess I don't know if the shit hits the fan.

Edited by Asithappens

The only stretch of the I45 - US287 - NM64 - I25 route is the cluster getting through Ft. Worth.  I25 between Colorado Springs and Denver is under some serious construction - it can fine sometimes, and really bad at times.  You can't avoid it, just sit back and enjoy it....

It's basically 10 hrs to Amarillo.  We time our departure at about noon, that gets us there at, well, 10pm.  The Hampton Inn, Fairfield Inn type chains in Amarillo fill up for the night.  Don't assume you can just stroll in and grab a room.  Last couple of trips wife and I have powered through to Dumas.  The Hampton Inn there is surprisingly good.  I think Clayton NM only has one decent hotel if you can get that far on day one.

Edited by gecko

  • Author

I guess my major concern is that I don't want to hit a fucking deer at 3:30 in the morning in the middle of nowhere.

As close as I'll ever get to heaven

Is makin' speed up ol' 87

1 hour ago, DonnyKerabatsos said:

I prefer the 287 route thru Eastern Colorado to get to I-70. The traffic is light, the roads are in good shape and you can haul ass most of the time. You might have a construction zone or two but they are generally painless.

Yep. This is way more better...avoid Oklahoma altogether. 

Edited by Iceman

Be aware, there are services that track Texas vehicles entering and leaving Colorado. They then sell that information to pd’s 

I just did this about a month ago 

45 -> 287 -> 87 -> 25 route 

Left Houston a little after 7, got into Raton around 6:30 (had a dog, so more stops) 

Stopped in Raton because of snow in northern NM/southern CO. 

And you can avoid the construction on 25 between COS and Denver if you detour through Monument on 105. Cut like 45-60 min out of my drive

If you’re going through Raton, watch the weather. I had to stop early Bc of chain laws at the pass. Was fine by the next morning.  Also if you try 70 coming from the east, it shuts down for nasty weather. 

Edited by Js1

I've done this trip many times and I'm on team I-35/I-70.  Put it on cruise control and watch the odometer click.  Plenty of decent Hampton Inns along the way in Kansas if you hit the wall and need to rack.  Not so much on the other routes. 

20 minutes ago, DonnyKerabatsos said:

the Raton Pass sucks, avoid it if all possible.

I should stipulate that when I made the drive through Raton it was in early May and extremely pleasant weather.

48 minutes ago, DonnyKerabatsos said:

the Raton Pass sucks, avoid it if all possible.

 

5-My-Cousin-Vinny-quotes.gif

Raton Pass is the preferred route. Never had a problem with random deer/antelope and Raton is not hard to traverse. Made that trip dozens of times good weather and bad.

4 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

Be aware, there are services that track Texas vehicles entering and leaving Colorado. They then sell that information to pd’s 

PD's use the Vigilant System that ties in plate readers nationwide. You make a trip from Tx to Cali or Colo and back, you're a suspect.

Seems like its better to fly if you're moving weight.

Edited by Heisenberg

7 hours ago, gecko said:

The only stretch of the I45 - US287 - NM64 - I25 route is the cluster getting through Ft. Worth.  I25 between Colorado Springs and Denver is under some serious construction - it can fine sometimes, and really bad at times.  You can't avoid it, just sit back and enjoy it....

It's basically 10 hrs to Amarillo.  We time our departure at about noon, that gets us there at, well, 10pm.  The Hampton Inn, Fairfield Inn type chains in Amarillo fill up for the night.  Don't assume you can just stroll in and grab a room.  Last couple of trips wife and I have powered through to Dumas.  The Hampton Inn there is surprisingly good.  I think Clayton NM only has one decent hotel if you can get that far on day one.

What he said on route.  We drive to CO every summer and do this.  We stay on the west side at the Residence Inn off of Woflin.  If you only need one room, the Courtyardand Embassy Suites in downtown are nice and within walking distance of a good pizza place (Moondoggy) and a good brewpub (Six Car.)  Tyler's is good BBQ on the SW side of town.  .

9 hours ago, gecko said:

  I think Clayton NM only has one decent hotel if you can get that far on day one.

kokopelli lodge.  they take dogs.  not a bad place. 

18 hours ago, Asithappens said:

I guess my major concern is that I don't want to hit a fucking deer at 3:30 in the morning in the middle of nowhere.

My brother hit an antelope a couple years ago at 3am on NM64....so it can happen

saw a dead bear on the side of the road once north of raton approaching the pass.  I bet that wasn’t fun. 

I-70 across Kansas fucking sucks.  And I say this as someone who's driven I-80 across Iowa and Nebraska through eastern CO to Denver probably 30-40 times.

I know my god forsaken stretches of highway.

If driving I70 west across Kansas in summer the number of bug hits on your windshield will be nothing short of epic.  Take window cleaner....you will need it between stops for gas.

21 hours ago, gecko said:

It's basically 10 hrs to Amarillo.  We time our departure at about noon, that gets us there at, well, 10pm.  The Hampton Inn, Fairfield Inn type chains in Amarillo fill up for the night.  Don't assume you can just stroll in and grab a room.  Last couple of trips wife and I have powered through to Dumas.

had a same Amarillo experience but in the opposite direction. No room at the inn.

had to power thru to Plainview, which is no fun when you are ready to be done for the night.

Edited by yoladu

16 hours ago, RPM said:

PD's use the Vigilant System that ties in plate readers nationwide. You make a trip from Tx to Cali or Colo and back, you're a suspect.

Panopticon-Prison-Tod-Seelie-5.jpg

19 hours ago, DalTxHornFan said:

I've done this trip many times and I'm on team I-35/I-70.  Put it on cruise control and watch the odometer click.  Plenty of decent Hampton Inns along the way in Kansas if you hit the wall and need to rack.  Not so much on the other routes. 

Yep.  I've made some version of this drive probably 30+ times.  I'm firmly on team 35/70 as well.  Less stress, less chance of a ticket (looking at you, NM) and overall an easier drive.  And the higher speed limits negate the longer distance.

1 hour ago, yoladu said:

had a same Amarillo experience but in the opposite direction. No room at the inn.

had to power thru to Plainview, which is no fun when you are ready to be done for the night.

They have this thing in 2020 called the internet where you can book a hotel room online and it is yours when you arrive in that city.  If you plan to stop ahead of time for the night, not an issue. 

9 minutes ago, Js1 said:

They have this thing in 2020 called the internet where you can book a hotel room online and it is yours when you arrive in that city.  If you plan to stop ahead of time for the night, not an issue. 

"hey Jethro, run in there and ring the bell on the desk and ask em if they have any vacancy..."

On 1/22/2020 at 3:05 PM, Js1 said:

I just did this about a month ago 

45 -> 287 -> 87 -> 25 route 

Left Houston a little after 7, got into Raton around 6:30 (had a dog, so more stops) 

Stopped in Raton because of snow in northern NM/southern CO. 

And you can avoid the construction on 25 between COS and Denver if you detour through Monument on 105. Cut like 45-60 min out of my drive

If you’re going through Raton, watch the weather. I had to stop early Bc of chain laws at the pass. Was fine by the next morning.  Also if you try 70 coming from the east, it shuts down for nasty weather. 

So you're saying it was Snowin' on Raton? Come mornin' you were through them hills and gone?

 

 

 

The best route is probably to take 59 or Hardy to Bush and fly.

Childress to Denver is one of my favorite drives in the US. I just hate the Ft Worth to Childress portion.

Doing this next week and finally going to the Big Texan only because I hope someone is doing the 72 oz challenge and I can show my obstinate 15 year old that, no, she cant eat that much steak, a potato, salad and small appetizer.  She thinks she could.  5'2" and maybe 115.  No freaking way.

If she succeeds, she’ll have about 12 marriage proposals from Surly for 3 years from now. 

1 hour ago, Macanudo said:

Doing this next week and finally going to the Big Texan only because I hope someone is doing the 72 oz challenge and I can show my obstinate 15 year old that, no, she cant eat that much steak, a potato, salad and small appetizer.  She thinks she could.  5'2" and maybe 115.  No freaking way.

This woman ate 3 of them in 20 minutes...

 

 

48 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

This woman ate 3 of them in 20 minutes...

 

 

her ability to swallow large chunks of meat is impressive. side note: i pictured south austin's mom to be a bit older. 

And just like South Austin's mom, she didnt shit right for a week.

Stop at the Eklund Hotel in Clayton, NM and have a pop or two. Late 1800s real wooden bar, kinda cool.  Was out halfway stop for years on elk trips.  Don't know if the joint is still open. Not much to do in Clayton. 

I like the 287>87>I25 route up to Co except for FtW traffic as mentioned.  On family vacation trips, we usually overnighted in Amarillo, took the kids out to paint the cadillacs early in the morning, then headed on NW.  If traveling with someone that had never been up that way, we like to stop at Capulin also and drive up  to the top of the volcano.  

Edited by davidg

  • 9 months later...

Bump. 

 

Doing this as a week long road trip. Any suggested stops as we are going to hit a lot of state parks. 

Westside Grill in Quanah on 287 has never let me down. 

If you have the time, Palo Duro Canyon is gorgeous. @Nicole44 is from that area.

image.png.ebacb951ea7e0750eddc15b6d016967f.png

27 minutes ago, washparkhorn said:

Westside Grill in Quanah on 287 has never let me down. 

If you have the time, Palo Duro Canyon is gorgeous. @Nicole44 is from that area.

image.png.ebacb951ea7e0750eddc15b6d016967f.png

 

E118E165-B0DE-4BF4-A9A3-97FF287C2275.jpeg

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6F778BB9-9E00-4307-8A9E-A6CFBA619A95.jpeg

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It is. They filmed the last scene from Indiana Jones and the Last crusade sunset on the ranch that basically borders DP

Damn . . . I passed that stretch too many times in the dark going back and forth between Denver and Texas. Magnificent country.  

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