Monument Valley UT to Colorado Springs

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Scott104

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Jun 26, 2017
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We are new campers. Purchased a gently used fifth wheel in May. We have spent a few summer weekends at local campgrounds to get acclimated. This fall we are planning a trip to AZ, UT, and CO. When traveling east from Monument Valley, UT to Colorado Springs, RV Trip Wizard shows a pretty curvy route. Is this easily driven with a fifth wheel? I am sure experienced members can let me know what to expect.
 
I have driven it in a large class A. Not too bad but not great either. If you are experienced and your truck is not overloaded then you will be ok if you drive slow. However to get from MV to CS there is no easy route. You are crossing the Rockies going west to east and you must do a lot of climbing.
 
Thanks for the information. Can the trip be made in 9 hours? It's around 475 miles.
 
Yep, you will be lucky to average 40mph for the entire trip, including bathroom, lunch & fuel stops.  An estimate would be between 35 & 40 mph.  Trying to drive the 480 miles in one 12-14 hour trip is going to be extremely tiring.  Much better to make it an overnight--2 day drive.

You will have one pretty steep climb and drop going over Wolf Creek Pass, between Pagosa Springs and South Fork.  The pass is not a bad drive, but if this is your first mountain climb and decent, go slow and careful. 
 
I wonder if it wouldn't be better to take US 64 across the top of New Mexico, starting at Farmington.  It isn't all that much longer but I don't know about the road or elevation changes.  The OP did say he's new to RVing.  We've taken 64 across to Texas and it was okay.

ArdraF
 
ArdraF said:
I wonder if it wouldn't be better to take US 64 across the top of New Mexico, starting at Farmington.  It isn't all that much longer but I don't know about the road or elevation changes.  The OP did say he's new to RVing.  We've taken 64 across to Texas and it was okay.
It is only about twenty miles more but the same elevations.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Monument+Valley+UT/Colorado+Springs/@37.8453231,-109.7345142,7z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x87372f52a255883f:0x3917265594ee6825!2m2!1d-110.1734785!2d37.0042454!1m5!1m1!1s0x8713412ea1e6d22b:0x418eeb92f5e86b13!2m2!1d-104.8213634!2d38.8338816!3e1
 
ArdraF said:
I wonder if it wouldn't be better to take US 64 across the top of New Mexico, starting at Farmington.  It isn't all that much longer but I don't know about the road or elevation changes.  The OP did say he's new to RVing.  We've taken 64 across to Texas and it was okay.

ArdraF

US64 from Farmington to I-25 in eastern NM goes over a 10,800 ft pass just east of Tierra Amarillo.  West of T. Amarillo it is a tight two lane road thru the Jicarilla Apache lands.  I'd recommend US 160 from Cortez to Pagosa Springs, Co and then make some inquiries about Wolf Creek Pass versus the pass east of T. Amarillo.  We always go via US64 from Pagosa since we live in Taos but US160 via Wolf Ck Pass is much shorter going to CS.  The other option is to swing north through Moab to I70, then east via Denver to CS.  Probably longer but most of it is interstate 4 lane.  There are very few services on US64 east of Farmington.  There are fuel stations in Dulce, Chama and Taos.  If you choose to take US64, when you get to Taos, go north on Hiway 522 to Ft Garland, then east to I25 on US160.  BTW, US64 east of Taos has literally hundreds of tight twisty turns before you reach Cimarron... US160 would be much better east of Alamosa.  300 miles of this stuff at an average of 30-40mph is 9-10 hours with no stops.
 
I knew someone would have better knowledge about the US64 road than me!  Thanks for a good explanation.

Monument Valley to Crescent Junction UT (where it meets I-70) is 219 miles of mostly two lane roads,  From Crescent Junction to Denver is 323 miles but it's freeway all the way, nevertheless slow going over the mountain with an 11,000+ foot elevation at Eisenhower Tunnel.  It's also freeway from Denver to Colorado Springs, so that might be a good option because of being mostly freeway.  Anyway you look at it, it will be one long driving day!

ArdraF
 
Sjacobs104 said:
We are new campers. Purchased a gently used fifth wheel in May. We have spent a few summer weekends at local campgrounds to get acclimated. This fall we are planning a trip to AZ, UT, and CO. When traveling east from Monument Valley, UT to Colorado Springs, RV Trip Wizard shows a pretty curvy route. Is this easily driven with a fifth wheel? I am sure experienced members can let me know what to expect.
You say you are going to take this route in the "fall".  Assuming you mean 2-4 weeks or more from now, is there some reason you MUST make this a one day drive?  An overnight 2 day drive is much safer, not to mention more enjoyable.  Is there NO way to make this a 2-3 day drive?

Going via I-70 takes this from a 480 mile drive to a 560 mile drive.  Trying to do either of these in a single day in an RV is really, really tough.  It is no fun, but doable in a car, but not a truck pulling a 5th wheel.
 
We just went from Colorado Springs to Durango then to Cortez a couple of weeks ago. We went from Colorado Springs down I-25 to Walsenburg(sp?) and caught 160 to Durango, I believe that Wolf Creek Pass is about 11,000 feet, but I missed seering the elevation signs.
Our class C pulling our 4 door Jeep went over the pass at about 33 to 35 MPH at the slowest. Good road.  It took about 6 or 7 hours to get to Durango. Long enough for a one day trip.
 
That is a really nice three day drive (Monument Valley to CO Springs)
A tough 2-day drive.
A nearly impossible 1 day drive.
 
azwinne said:
We just went from Colorado Springs to Durango then to Cortez a couple of weeks ago. We went from Colorado Springs down I-25 to Walsenburg(sp?) and caught 160 to Durango, I believe that Wolf Creek Pass is about 11,000 feet, but I missed seering the elevation signs.
Our class C pulling our 4 door Jeep went over the pass at about 33 to 35 MPH at the slowest. Good road.  It took about 6 or 7 hours to get to Durango. Long enough for a one day trip.
My computer map shows Colorado Springs to Durango as 311 miles.  Averaging 50 mph with fuel, restroom and lunch stops on this route is moving very fast, that would be 6 hours.  At 7 hours that is 45 mph average, sill moving very quickly. 

I don't drive that fast on roads like that. 
 
AStravelers said:
My computer map shows Colorado Springs to Durango as 311 miles.  Averaging 50 mph with fuel, restroom and lunch stops on this route is moving very fast, that would be 6 hours.  At 7 hours that is 45 mph average, sill moving very quickly. 

I don't drive that fast on roads like that.
Well no lunch stops, only a fast fuel stop and a quick restroom stop. Other than some two lane sections it is a pretty good road.
I used to do a lot of 500 mile days, but those were mostly on the intrerstate routes. Not in such as hurry these days. Longest trip with the RV some years back was 582 miles on I-40, but no more.
 
taoshum said:
US64 from Farmington to I-25 in eastern NM goes over a 10,800 ft pass just east of Tierra Amarillo.  West of T. Amarillo it is a tight two lane road thru the Jicarilla Apache lands.  I'd recommend US 160 from Cortez to Pagosa Springs, Co and then make some inquiries about Wolf Creek Pass versus the pass east of T. Amarillo.  We always go via US64 from Pagosa since we live in Taos but US160 via Wolf Ck Pass is much shorter going to CS.  The other option is to swing north through Moab to I70, then east via Denver to CS.  Probably longer but most of it is interstate 4 lane.  There are very few services on US64 east of Farmington.  There are fuel stations in Dulce, Chama and Taos.  If you choose to take US64, when you get to Taos, go north on Hiway 522 to Ft Garland, then east to I25 on US160.  BTW, US64 east of Taos has literally hundreds of tight twisty turns before you reach Cimarron... US160 would be much better east of Alamosa.  300 miles of this stuff at an average of 30-40mph is 9-10 hours with no stops.

I know this is an old post, but I think you're talking about a route similar to the one I have questions about, and hopefully you or someone else can help.

We won't be in an rv, but I'm learning that rv or trucker forums are the ones who go into the most detail about curvy or rough roads, and that's what I need help with. I get motion sickness very easy and get scared at high, twisty roads with drop-offs or where you can look out and see how high you are (like you're on the edge of a cliff).

We'll get to Farmington, NM, via Texas to visit relatives, then wanted to drive up to Denver in a minivan. It looks like the least problematic route for me is to take US 64 E to Walsenburg, Co, then 1-25 North to Denver.

In the post above, it says "US64 from Farmington to I-25 in eastern NM goes over a 10,800 ft pass just east of Tierra Amarillo.  West of T. Amarillo it is a tight two lane road thru the Jicarilla Apache lands." That sounds like it could be real problematic for me; am I right in understanding that is what I'd be driving over on my trip? Anyone know of video of someone driving that area? Or have any tips about it in general? Or a better route for me?

Here is the google map of the route I think we'd take:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Farmington,+NM/Walsenburg,+CO/Denver,+CO/@38.1914409,-108.6571272,7z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m20!4m19!1m5!1m1!1s0x873b8f00ad0c7ec7:0xc823b1b63b534e1a!2m2!1d-108.2186856!2d36.7280583!1m5!1m1!1s0x87115bd1b7a8432d:0x61fb1b675a3d97dd!2m2!1d-104.7802645!2d37.6241793!1m5!1m1!1s0x876b80aa231f17cf:0x118ef4f8278a36d6!2m2!1d-104.990251!2d39.7392358!3e0
 
I drove most of that route in the opposite direction last fall in my motorhome.  There's nothing to worry about, just don't be in a big hurry.  Most of the route is through gently rolling hills or flat farmland.

Tierra Amarilla is south of Chama, you'll turn north there so you won't be going anywhere near that 10,800 pass or the tight, two lane road over it.

Between Chama and Antonito you'll roughly follow the Cumbres and Toltec steam train line.  You do climb a mountain in between but there aren't any scary dropoffs that I can remember.  Mostly you're travelling through forests.  40 ft. tour buses make that run several times a day without trouble, people take the steam train one way and then take the bus back to their departure point.
 
Lou Schneider said:
I drove that route in the opposite direction last fall in my motorhome.  There's nothing to worry about, just don't be in a big hurry.  Most of the route is through gently rolling hills.

Tierra Amarillo is south of Chama, you'll turn north there so you won't be going anywhere near that 10,800 pass or the tight, two lane road over it.

Between Chama and Antonito you'll roughly follow the Cumbres and Toltec steam train line.  There is a pass in the middle, but no scary dropoffs that I can remember.  Mostly you're travelling through forests.  40 ft. tour buses run along there several times a day without trouble, people take the steam train one way and then take the bus back to their departure point.

Wow, thank you so much! I have learned folks who rv know an awful lot about roads (my grandparents used to go in a small motorhome all over the US & parts of Canada, and had a CB to get all the details about road conditions and weather from others - that was before the Internet!).

This helps a lot, I was contemplating cutting the Denver arm of the trip. Hate to, because we love Denver (but when we went before, we drove from Missouri through Kansas to get there, and it was pretty flat and straight going). On that trip we went up to Boulder and my husband wanted to go up the Flatirons. We got maybe a few turns past the first lookout point, and I needed to turn around (that was more about me getting nervous of the height; motion sickness hadn't kicked in yet). I've been very afraid of ending up on a route for hours that has portions even remotely like that, so I've been searching all over for specific info about the route from Farmington to Denver. I realize the roads wouldn't be like going up the Flatirons, but that's just an example of what I can't take for long. Once the motion sickness kicks in, hard to make it go away until you get out of the moving vehicle (for me, anyway).
 
scaredycat said:
Wow, thank you so much! I have learned folks who rv know an awful lot about roads (my grandparents used to go in a small motorhome all over the US & parts of Canada, and had a CB to get all the details about road conditions and weather from others - that was before the Internet!).

This helps a lot, I was contemplating cutting the Denver arm of the trip. Hate to, because we love Denver (but when we went before, we drove from Missouri through Kansas to get there, and it was pretty flat and straight going). On that trip we went up to Boulder and my husband wanted to go up the Flatirons. We got maybe a few turns past the first lookout point, and I needed to turn around (that was more about me getting nervous of the height; motion sickness hadn't kicked in yet). I've been very afraid of ending up on a route for hours that has portions even remotely like that, so I've been searching all over for specific info about the route from Farmington to Denver. I realize the roads wouldn't be like going up the Flatirons, but that's just an example of what I can't take for long. Once the motion sickness kicks in, hard to make it go away until you get out of the moving vehicle (for me, anyway).
Would it be possible for you to put on a sleep mask, or blinders, or even a damp wash cloth over your eyes at the beginning of the scary parts.  The when the bad parts go away you can look out the windows again.  The bad parts seldom last more than 15-20 minutes.  Maybe in a really long streach 30 minutes.
While I don't have any experience with people having real serious problems with heights and drop offs I have read enough to know it gets really, really bad for some people.  It is not something to take lightly. 
 

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