Travelling from Dallas TX - Grand Junction CO

[lewy64]

I will be driving at end of may from Dallas Tx to Grand Junction CO. Any info on 287 and 87? I know I will be driving through many small towns, thats fine. Just talked to one person on that route and she didn't like it that well.

Greg

[sourdough]

I think you'll be just fine. Yes, there are quite a few smaller towns along the way and in CO it gets a bit twisty and slow.....if you're trying to run 70 mph. But pulling a trailer that should not be an issue. In fact, to me, a lot of the drive is pretty scenic, especially northern NM and CO. Even the flatland Amarillo/Dalhart is sort of scenic in a way. Take the I40 jump across Amarillo to get to the other side instead of trying to take the smaller connecting roads.

If I were you my worry would be trying to pull the trailer with the Tacoma. Raton pass and the other mountains in CO will surely give it a workout.

[travelin texans]

Those are both good routes. Take Loop 385 on the east side of Amarillo north around back to 287 & you'll avoid having to go through all the stop lights downtown to get to 287, you'll only be on I40 for just a few miles. Plus at the intersectio of Loop 385 & 287 there's a very nice roomy Toot-Totum truck stop to refuel, usually cheapest diesel (if that's what you use) in the area & clean restrooms. We grew up just north of Amarillo in Dumas & had family in Pueblo, Colorado Springs, retired from north side of Ft Worth so have driven this route more times than I can count.

[madmaxmutt]

We do this trip often. Just ran it again both ways at Thanksgiving. 287 accross NM is a great road now. It wasn't always that way. 87 is fine.

My GPS always wants me to take 385 out of Dalhart to Amarillo. (if you are doing the return route too) After taking that thin lane road one time, I learned to set Dumas as a waypoint. It may be a tiny bit slower, but I never want to tow that stretch of 385 again if I can help it. IMO, don't allow GPS or Google to steer you towards Channing.

I do not try to avoid or bypass downtown Amarillo. It can be a bit confusing. But if you give a once over closeup on Google maps beforehand, you will understand the road splits and comes back together. That said, the east side of Amarillo is fairly easy to navigate. No matter what, you have to stop at a Donut Stop. Great donuts early in the AM.

There is really only one big pull to Raton on that portion of the route. You will hit others in CO, though. Pick your poison on roads in CO with the smaller truck. You will make it, but be sure to take you time. Be prepared to stop if your vehicle is overheating on the climbs. Above all, make sure your brakes are good on truck and trailer.

I will tell you to always keep an eye on the forecast for your entire route if you are doing this in the winter months (that means thru April at elevation). I have been on 287 between Clayton and Raton in a real blizzard. Absolutely like threatening.

You will experience high winds on this route, but there is no way around that from your point A to B.

[travelin texans]

Sorry, I made a typo, the loop around north side of Amarillo is Loop 335, not 385.

[B-O-B'03]

We usually stop at the Amarillo DOT travel center, on I40, it is a nice place to over night and then take the 335 loop around to US87 to Dumas, Hartley, Dalhart, Texline, Clayton... all the way to I25.

We went through Channing, coming home one time, I did not care for it.

We have not taken 69 north, from I 25 to get to 50, but have taken 50 all the way from Montrose east to I25 @ Pueblo and it is very scenic. Just keep on 50 from Montrose to get to Grand junction.

If you want to go I40 to Albuquerque and then north on I25 to 550, it is a bit further but the road through Durango, Silverton & Ouray to Montrose is spectacular. They don't call it the million dollar highway for nothing :)

We love camping in Colorado and try to go once a year, but, next year we are thinking of going later, maybe Sep or Oct since it has snowed on us at the end of May for the last 2 years

Enjoy your trip, come back, post pictures and tell us how it went.

-Brian

[madmaxmutt]

We love camping in Colorado and try to go once a year, but, next year we are thinking of going later, maybe Sep or Oct since it has snowed on us at the end of May for the last 2 years



For sure, but the weather at altitude can change in a few minutes. This happened in a small storm shower on LaVeta Pass two years ago mid May. It was above freezing, but sleet made the road treacherous. This guy driving a Dodge 2500 didn't slow down enough. :eek: This was only 9600 feet. Monarch on 50 is 11K.

15160

We drove right through carefully. :marshmallow: