John and Cathy Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 Hey folks, New full time Escapee here. Taking first trip from Dallas to Ogen Utah in early September. Will be hauling 39 ft 5ver with Ford F350 DRW Diesel. Any advice on best route to take. Plan on travelling 300-400 miles a day. Also need advise on good places to stay (do not have generator) and places to refuel. I have aux fuel tank so may only need to refuel once. Look forward to hearing from you good folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirakawa Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 Best route, as in most beautiful scenery? Less challenging mountains? Fastest travel? Do you want to enjoy the trip or just get there in the most timely manner? For fastest, least challenging route I would take US287 to Amarillo, IH40 to Albuquerque, IH25 north to US550 to Durango, US160 over to Cortez, US491 to Monticello, US191 north to US6 in Northern Utah. Everybody wanna hear the truth, but everybody tell a lie. Everybody wanna go to Heaven, but nobody want to die. Albert King Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John and Cathy Posted August 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 Chirakawa, Definitely looking for fastest- least challenging route for our maiden voyage. Thanks much! Any recommendations on places to overnight enroute and easy access refuel point near halfway mark? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirakawa Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 Fuel is available in Moriarty on the east side of Albuquerque and in Bernalillo on the west side just after getting on US550. Bloomfield and Aztec both have plentiful fueling spots. Colorado fuel will be a little higher priced. Amarillo has numerous campgrounds/RV parks. My only suggestion is to stay on the west side so that you don't have to deal with the next morning rush hour. There are at least two large RV parks on IH40 just west of Amarillo city limits. Tucumcari, NM has about four RV parks very accessible to IH40. Santa Rosa has the Santa Rosa RV park, which I have stayed in several times and is easy to find in downtown and very acceptable. There are three or four RV parks just east of Albuquerque on IH40, but if you stop there for the night you will have to wait for Albuquerque traffic to clear the next morning. Upon entering Albuquerque from the east, be prepared for a steady 20 mile downgrade into the city. It's very doable, just use your gears and exhaust brake and keep your speed down. Campgrounds and RV parks west of Albuquerque on US550 are limited. However, if you stay in Santa Rosa overnight, you will have no problem making Durango or even Cortez for the next stop. I prefer Cortez, not so congested and better rates. Just make a reservation in one of the three Cortez RV parks. I am not a fan of KOA's, so I would stay at La Mesa or Sundance. I think La Mesa may be a Passport park, if you have that membership. There are also a couple of RV parks across the highway from Mesa Verde, which is 10 miles before you get to Cortez. Monticello has one RV park, nothing special but does have hookups. Moab has numerous and is a nice area. North of Moab, I don't have much experience, perhaps someone else will chime in on that. Everybody wanna hear the truth, but everybody tell a lie. Everybody wanna go to Heaven, but nobody want to die. Albert King Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Joyce Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 Amarillo has multiple places to camp and fuel up and is around 350 miles for a first day. Tucumcari is too far. At Amarillo you can decide to take I-40 west and follow the route chirakawa gave or continue on US287 to I-70 to Denver. If you go to Denver, take I-25 north to I-80 west and then take I-84 to Ogden. You should have little trouble with fuel stops either way. On the I-40 Albuquerque or Bernalillo (north of Albuquerque) would be 300+ miles from Amarillo and both have campgrounds. Cortez CO, Monticello UT, Moab UT and Green River UT all have campgrounds, but Moab is a tourist town and the prices are higher. All of them would put you a day's drive from Ogden. Going north on US287 I am not familiar with the route, but there is a KOA in Limon at about the right distance. Then a good day's trip will put you in Rawlins WY, where there are multiple campgrounds and you will be able to travel to Ogden the next day. 2004 40' Newmar Dutch Star DP towing an AWD 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid, Fulltimer July 2003 to October 2018, Parttimer now. Travels through much of 2013 - http://www.sacnoth.com - Bill, Diane and Evita (the cat) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2gypsies Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 September will be a perfect time for your voyage. This is the route I'd recommend and we've done it with a 40' motorhome. There are no issues and it's RV-friendly. It's 1300 miles - approx. 4 days according to the miles you want to drive daily. Out of Dallas, get on 287 and take it to Amarillo, TX. Pick up I-40 west to Albuquerque. Take I-25 north a short distance to Bernalillo, NM and pick up 550. Take 550 north to Farmington, NM, then 64 west to Shiprock, NM to 491 north to Monticello, Utah Take 191 north to I-70 west at Green River, Utah then pick up 191 north again and take it to UT6 and over to I-15 at Spanish Fork, UT Take I-15 north to Ogden. You won't have problems finding RV parks along this route. When you're about 100 miles from your stopping point, start checking ahead for RV parks. Use your Good Sam directory (available at Camping World) or online at RVParkReviews.com You don't have to look for a 'resort-type' park if just for overnight. If you want to make some 'quality' stops, you might consider Mesa Verde National Park at Cortez, NM or Arches National Park at Moab, Utah. September would be perfect weather for visiting these parks. I'd allow an extra two days minimum for each. You're full-timers now so no need to rush. Take your time and explore areas along the way. Full-timed for 16 YearsTraveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Motorhome and 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Quiet Assassin Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 YOU ARE FULL TIMERS NOW. Slow down and stop and smell the roses. 400 miles in a day is a lot especially 3 days in a row. Pick something you would like to see en route and stop there for a day or so. EG If you have not visited Mesa Verde then that would be my recommendation. You can stay in the park itself at the Morefield Campground with full hook ups [ Booking essential as there are only a few sites with h/u ] Take one or more of the ranger lead tours. FT since September 2007 Safari Trek + M/C http://johncarolandcharro.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John and Cathy Posted August 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 Great info and great advice. Thanks everone. Ya'll rock! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al F Posted August 22, 2015 Report Share Posted August 22, 2015 I would not take US-550 from Abq to the Farmington, unless you just want a scenic route. It is hilly and quite a few curves. Nothing bad, the road is a good road, it is just a bit of a slow drive. We did drive the US-550 route in June. We boondocked at Angel Peak scenic area (BLM). http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/recreation/farmington/Angel_Peak.html A faster & easier drive is to take I-40 to Gallup and then N on US-491 to Shiprock, NM & Cortez, CO. US-481 is almost level and almost no curves. There is less than 20 miles farther to go through Gallup than to take US-550. We have taken the Texas-Gallup-Cortez-Moab-SLC route about 12 times (6 in each direction) in the last 5 years. I also recommend the US-287 from Dallas to Amarillo route. By the way, we have always gone through Abq from about 9:30am to 3pm and were alway running about the speed limit. Just don't go through during rush hour. Al & Sharon 2006 Winnebago Journey 36G 2020 Chevy Colorado Toad San Antonio, TX http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirakawa Posted August 22, 2015 Report Share Posted August 22, 2015 Al & Sharon Has the highway between Shiprock and Cortez been improved in the past two or three years? I've gone that way in the past and it was so bouncy and rough that I swore I would never use it again. Everybody wanna hear the truth, but everybody tell a lie. Everybody wanna go to Heaven, but nobody want to die. Albert King Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al F Posted August 22, 2015 Report Share Posted August 22, 2015 In 2011 and 2012 they did a lot of improvements on the highway, some 4 lanes, wide shoulders. This was mostly in the 30-40 miles going south from Shiprock. I don't remember any bumps of any importance from Gallup to Shiprock. There was some bumps from Shiprock to Cortez but nothing that really concerned me or would cause me to take another route. Al & Sharon 2006 Winnebago Journey 36G 2020 Chevy Colorado Toad San Antonio, TX http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wygolfnutz Posted August 22, 2015 Report Share Posted August 22, 2015 As full timers we try to never go more than 350 miles in a day without good reason, it's a lifestyle not a vacation JMO <p>Greg and AggieLife is what happens when you're making plans to do something else ! 2010 Jeep Wrangler toad 2006 Country Coach Inspire 360 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtgeodog Posted August 23, 2015 Report Share Posted August 23, 2015 We drove 550 from Rio Rancho to Bloomfield and 491 from Shiprock to Cortez in July of this year and would recommend it. Try to pass thru Cuba at lunchtime and eat at El Brunos. ShortyO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Quiet Assassin Posted August 23, 2015 Report Share Posted August 23, 2015 2 2 2 club Sign me up. FT since September 2007 Safari Trek + M/C http://johncarolandcharro.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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