Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Lots of variables here; are you looking to make time or do you want to see somthing along the way? Will you be making the trip soon or is there a possibility that you'll be doing this with a chance of encountering snow in the mountains? (Snow in the Rockies is a very real possibility even in September). I-80 (or at least some part of it) is the most direct route to Boise, ID. Give us more info to go on...
I-70 is great till you get to Denver. From Denver pick up I-25 north connecting to I-80 in Cheyenne.
Why? I-70 ceases to be a highway west of Denver. It goes through some of the highest passes in the Colorado Rockies and is nothing but hours and hours of tight switchbacks, turns, and steep grades. It's a white knuckle drive.
Both I-80 to the north and I-40 to the south bypass the high elevations of the Rockies. They are both good interstate freeways with gentle grades.
I-75 to I-24 to I-57 to I-64 to I-70 (CAUTION: MAJOR construction in St. Louis area) to I-29 into Iowa. Take IA 2 at Exit 10 into NE. Follow NE 2 into Lincoln. Get on I-80 West in Lincoln. Follow I-80 to just East of Salt Lake City. Take I-84 West to Boise.
IMHO, I'd avoid Denver entirely unless you want to stop there to visit or sightsee.
Last edited by Crew Chief; 09-02-2008 at 12:36 PM..
Thank you both for your insight. I never even considered the switchbacks in the Rockies, thanks azoria. Crew Chief, This will be a one way, one-time trip as we're relocating to the Boise area. Is there such a thing as a time saving scenic route? Would you figure 600-700 miles a day is reasonable? How difficult is it to find pet friendly hotels along the way?
Fdtrainer, IMHO, all of the roads you'll take to The City of Trees are scenic in one way or another... I'll have to say that I find the scenery a lot more interesting from Wyoming westward. But every state has something to offer. Just some states have more than others. It'd be quite a ways out of route, but I've always loved the trip where you'd take I-40 West thru AZ, cut over to Las Vegas on US 83 or US 95, seeing the Hoover Dam along the way then taking I-15 North thru NV & UT, where it is really scenic, IMHO. As a truck driver, about 650 miles or so is all I can legally drive between breaks, so that may be about right. But then I'm not hauling pets or kids... I'm sure there are websites that list pet-friendly lodging. I just don't have any experience in that area.
Just off the top of my head, you might want to stop for:
The Gateway Arch (St. Louis)
On I-80 in NE, there's a large monument that arches over I-80 in Western NE (I don't recall the name of it; was still under construction when I trucked out there.)
There's plenty ,ore to see, but it's been a long night at work. Maybe others can help me out...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
