Route Recommendation

I have never asked one of these questions before, and generally use Google to plan my routes.  I have answered a few on this forum.  I guess I am looking for experience around this time frame.

My plan is to travel from Austin Tx to Portland Or. between 15 April and 1 May.  Google recommends (shortest) RT 84 to I-40 to Albuquerque New Mexico, 550 thru  the SW corner of Colorado via 491, thru Utah via 191/6 to Salt Lake City. From there I-15 to I-84 thru Idaho to Portland.

Everything between Albuquerque and Salt lake City seems iffy to me.  Are these decent roads for a 36' Class A/Toad, Mountains?  Weather?  Any experience with these routes will be a great help.

As a side note we made it to Estes Park Co (8000') in mid April.  We didn't hit any snow until the day after we arrived.

    I can't tell you from personal knowledge about the route past Boise, but it is a US Interstate which usually means limited grades, and decent road conditions.  On the Austin to Boise, we have driven those roads and you should not encounter any problems.  However, you will be travelling across the high plains, which means you are at a fair altitude, so nights may be cold, or even below freezing.  We ahve encountered snow in Salt Lake City in May.
    All that said, that is some of the most spectacular scenery in the US.  We were totally enthralled with Moab, when we attended a Forum Rally.  Drives and hikes were very enjoyable.  Salt Lake City has a lot to offer tourists, and all along you will be cradled by mountains.
    Enjoy your trip.

Ed

Do you want to do any sightseeing or do you just want to get there?

Bobtop46 said:

I have never asked one of these questions before, and generally use Google to plan my routes.  I have answered a few on this forum.  I guess I am looking for experience around this time frame.

My plan is to travel from Austin Tx to Portland Or. between 15 April and 1 May.  Google recommends (shortest) RT 84 to I-40 to Albuquerque New Mexico, 550 thru  the SW corner of Colorado via 491, thru Utah via 191/6 to Salt Lake City. From there I-15 to I-84 thru Idaho to Portland.

Everything between Albuquerque and Salt lake City seems iffy to me.  Are these decent roads for a 36' Class A/Toad, Mountains?  Weather?  Any experience with these routes will be a great help.

As a side note we made it to Estes Park Co (8000') in mid April.  We didn't hit any snow until the day after we arrived.

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To much depends on how much time you have and what you want to see.
I would recommend going north on I-35 to 287 and take 287 to Amarillo. You can take 287 on up or I like to use 87 north out of Amarillo over to I-15 to Denver. Then follow I-25 north to I-80 west right into Salt Lake City. Go north out of SLC and pick up I-84 west right into Portland.
I was up there this summer. 87 is the only non freeway but good road.
That 550 rout, well you ought to look at it on Google Earth that is a pretty twisty road  through the mountains.
Bill

We have taken the DFW area starting point 5 times (really 10 times as we do round trip) in the last 5 years going to Portland, OR.

We always go up US-287 to Amarillo, I-40 to Gallup, NM, US-491 to Monticello, UT, US-191 to I-70 to Green River, UT.  From Green River we pick up US-6 to I-15, then north thru SLC to I-84 to Portland. 

All good road.  It is a little slow going from Monticello thru Moab to I-70, but that can't be avoided.  From Price, UT to I-15 there is a slow climb, max incline is no more that 5% in places (mostly 2-3%), to about 7000', but all very good road. 

Last spring (2016) we did this route from March 28-April 3.  It was a little chilly the night we spent at Red Rock Canyon just outside of Gallup.  It was 9* for about 30 minutes right at daybreak.  It was above freezing the evening before, until about 8pm, then it warmed up to above freezing by 10am.  Note: it is still early in the year, so watch the weather to be sure you can stop and wait out a winter storm and not try to drive in snow and ice. 

Keep in mind that I-40 peaks out at about 8000' at near Clines Corner about 60-80 miles east of ABQ.  Make sure you don't hit this area during a winter storm.

NOTE: I stated that we take US-491 from Gallup north instead of US-550 from ABQ to Shiprock.  We have taken US-550 twice. Once because we wanted to have a slower, but more scenic route and the other time because we visited Chaco Canyon. The US-550 is only about 20-25 miles shorter than the I-40/US-491 route.  US-550 is a very good road, but it is not a road you can turn on your cruise control and sit back and relax.  No seep hill or sharp turns.  However the road does wind and twist and has a number of hills which if you tried to keep your speed at 55mph you will downshift 1 or 2 gears.  In addition you have small towns and stop signs/red lights on the US-550 route once you get to Bloomfield all the way to Shiprock.  On the other hand, I-40 from ABQ is easy (there is a bit of a climb on I-40 about 15-25 miles west of ABQ) and US-491 is almost totally level from Gallup to Cortez.  Excellent road.  Put the cruise control on and sit back and relax.  A bit boring, but an easy drive compared to US-550. 

We always hit ABQ in the 10am to 2pm time frame so have never had traffic problems in ABQ. 

If you are really constrained for time and will totally not be able to stop for 2-4 days in the rare chance of a winter storm, then take I-10 to CA and I-5 to Portland.  Only one pass on this route and that is right after entering Oregon on I-5. 

Bobtop46 said:

I have never asked one of these questions before, and generally use Google to plan my routes.  I have answered a few on this forum.  I guess I am looking for experience around this time frame.

My plan is to travel from Austin Tx to Portland Or. between 15 April and 1 May.  Google recommends (shortest) RT 84 to I-40 to Albuquerque New Mexico, 550 thru  the SW corner of Colorado via 491, thru Utah via 191/6 to Salt Lake City. From there I-15 to I-84 thru Idaho to Portland.

Everything between Albuquerque and Salt lake City seems iffy to me.  Are these decent roads for a 36' Class A/Toad, Mountains?  Weather?  Any experience with these routes will be a great help.

As a side note we made it to Estes Park Co (8000') in mid April.  We didn't hit any snow until the day after we arrived.

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RVs similar to yours use those highways every day along with lots of commercial trucks. I've driven the route hundreds of times having lived in the general area for many years.

The roads do go through the mountains but no major passes that will make your butt pucker on the route you describe.

The stretch you describe will provide you a good taste of some truly special scenery. There are many who would center an entire vacation on just a small part of that 'iffy' route.

If you get a bit of weather at that time of year it is normally gone the next day, just park and enjoy the scenery.

I agree that 550 over the mountains of SW Colorado is a spectacular ride! Other than grade which though somewhat steep on both sides with switchbacks, it should be no problem. The switchbacks are not tight and there are steeper grades in Colorado.  Just keep an eye on the weather forecast. Should weather be a factor or you just don't want to deal with the mountains, take 160 out of Durango to Cortez. Then 491 over to Monticello, Utah. 191 North through Moab and on to I70. Recalculate route from there.  Weather no factor...enjoy the scenery!

Thanks for all of the input.  I will look at each route.  I have been toying with the idea of I-10 to Phoenix, then 60/93 to Las Vegas and then 93 all the way to Twin falls Idaho, from there 84 the rest of the way.  It does not look like there is much on the "Great Basin Highway" but was thinking the route has less elevation and maybe the weather would be better in eastern Nevada?  Less chance of snow or rain.

dosxx said:

I agree that 550 over the mountains of SW Colorado is a spectacular ride! Other than grade which though somewhat steep on both sides with switchbacks, it should be no problem. The switchbacks are not tight and there are steeper grades in Colorado.  Just keep an eye on the weather forecast. Should weather be a factor or you just don't want to deal with the mountains, take 160 out of Durango to Cortez. Then 491 over to Monticello, Utah. 191 North through Moab and on to I70. Recalculate route from there.  Weather no factor...enjoy the scenery!

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NOTE:There is no discussion of taking US-550 through Colorado.  The discussion is US-550 from ABQ to the Farmington area in New Mexico. 

There are no mountains or difficult driving on 550 in NM. 

I have not done Austin to Portland, but I have done Phoenix to Sacramento, CA lots of time. If I was going from Phoenix to Portland I would go one of two ways, depending on the day of the week you are traveling.  If you will hit LA on a weekend, I would take I 10 to HW 57 in CA to I 210 to I 5 to Portland.  Only one bad pass which is the Grapevine.  Weekdays, I would go from Phoenix to Kingman to Needles to Mohave to Bakersfield to I 5 and on to Portland.  Lots of campgrounds and gas along the way.

Bobtop46 said:

Thanks for all of the input.  I will look at each route.  I have been toying with the idea of I-10 to Phoenix, then 60/93 to Las Vegas and then 93 all the way to Twin falls Idaho, from there 84 the rest of the way.  It does not look like there is much on the "Great Basin Highway" but was thinking the route has less elevation and maybe the weather would be better in eastern Nevada?  Less chance of snow or rain.

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So IMO
1) those highways in NV are about the loneliest highways in America. In fact that's the actual nickname for hwy 50 in NV, which you will cross if you go that way. Flatter? yeah some. Better/safer? Nope.
2) in April if there's significant snow on the route from ABQ to SLC via Moab, there's bad weather on 93 in NV and probably between Boise and Pendleton.
3) If you're going as far as PHX because of snow you may as well take the 10 to the 5 then turn north