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We are traveling from North Fort Myers to Lansing Michigan in about 10 days and want to avoid Mountains as much as possible. We were told to go I75 towards Atlanta then take 275 bypass around Atlanta then I85 to Montgomery Alabama then I 69 but can't find how to do it on Google Maps. Does anyone know the best route to avoid the Mountains as much as possible?
If you want to avoid mountains so much that you're willing to add time to the trip, take I-10 to US 331 North. At about Montgomery, AL, connect up with northbound I-65 and keep going northward to Indianapolis, noting that it can be a bit hilly & congested around Nashville. On the north side of Indianapolis, you can pick up I-69 and that will take you right into Lansing.
Why are you trying to avoid the mountains? Any mountains you would encounter on the interstate in Georgia and Tennessee are not going to be much of a problem. I drive from Asheville, NC (in the mountains) to Illinois all of the time. The interstates are very scenic
I-75 North from Ft Myers into MI, or as beachmouse suggested...
Neither route has any elevations that most would consider 'mountains'.
I live on a 'mountain' ridge at 5,000 ft. Neither route is mountainous.
Nasty winter weather can/will make any interstate not much fun, and none of us can predict the weather in 10 days.
It will be a long two days: 1300+ miles/18 hours.
GL, mD
The mountains on I-75 are no more of an obstacle than are the mountains along Interstate 80 or the Turnpike in Pennsylvania, if you're familiar with either of those highways.
Speaking as a person with a trucking background, the only real concern I would have is not to start too early in the day, or go too late in the evening, as there are any number of locations in eastern Tennessee and Kentucky where fog, which has been a factor in some of the worst chain-reaction pile-ups, is known to accumulate.
And if heavy snow is anticipated, just stay put for one more day; plow crews usually clear interstate highways quickly.
The route you have listed is insane and backtracks you about 5 hours. The only real mountain interstate highway travel are I-40 or I-181 up from Asheville, none of them being really practical for your route anyways. Anything else are basically slightly elevated hills and it would be a stretch to call them "mountains".
But I don't understand what you are trying to avoid, I took the above highways all the time even in winter when I live in eastern TN. You think dragans live up there or something?
Our vehicle is older and will be loaded down. We came I75 all the way down and trying to avoid the climb with the vehicle. Also traveling with another vehicle and neither of us have done much traveling. That was my question for the person that suggested the route I mentioned it seemed silly to go all the way to Atlanta and then down to Montgomery Alabama. It seemed there had to be a better route from Fort Myers to get to Montgomery and take 65 from there. Just trying to avoid the mountains in the winter as well as the hills. My van could only go 40 in many areas on the way down. LOL an no I don't think Dragons are in the mountains just didn't like the trip down at all.
I-75 north of Knoxville goes over Jellico Mountain before the KY border - I can see why that would be very intimidating. I-24 NW of Chattanooga has a scary reputation. My advice is 75 to Tifton GA then US 82 to Montgomery and 65 north through Nashville and Indianapolis. Don't do Birmingham at rush hour as there is construction.
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