Quickest Driving Route from Maryland to Colorado?

[Merlander]

I-70 is definitely the most direct route.

Yes, it can be treacherous during the winter. If you're flexible with the travel dates, you can save yourself major headaches by watching the forecast(s) and planning your trip during a lull in the winter storms.

[tallguy924]

ya go with what everyone is saying, find your way to I-70 and then just stay on it because it goes straight to Denver, unless you dont like interstates you can take U.S. 50, but that will take a really long time....

[Tesaje]

Done it several times. By myself and a little dog; no reservations; no trouble finding a place to stay.

I-70 to I-68 to I-70 is the most direct BUT from PA to St. Louis, almost every other vehicle is a semi truck. Heavy traffic and there seems to always be long stretches in OH that are under construction and one lane. I don't recommend taking I-70 toll road in PA - very heavy traffic and expensive. It thins outs west of St. Louis. Weather can be treacherous in Kansas - eastern CO. I encountered blowing snow that were practically white-out conditions that slowed me way down in the winter. And the freezing rain, if you encounter it, is really awful.

I took the I-70 to I-68 then south to Charleston, WV to I-64 thru KY to St. Louis, then I-70 to DEN and preferred that route. Considerably less traffic and it was only about 20 additional miles. Being southern isn't necessarily better in the winter - remember the big ice storm last week?

Either way, it can be done in 2 long days, stopping on the other side of St. Louis (~ half way). It is more comfortable to make it in 2 1/2 days. Just try to time it so you are not going thru St. Louis or KC in rush hour.

I-80 makes no sense. It is much further and you have to go thru Cleveland and Chicago.

[arkuner]

Looking to head to Boulder with 4 kids (call me crazy!!!). We are going to RV it. Any suggestions on worthwhile stops and best way to map it out?

[gp123]

I think the systems are saying to take I-80 because the speed limit in Nebraska vrs Kansas is 75 vrs 70, which would be a quicker commute, but not mileage wise, and would expensive since 80's a toll road from Ohio to Chicago.

70 is best and quickest. Unless you are really brave and like winding roads where it will take 2 hours to go 80 miles, avoid US 50. I learned that the hardway when I thought I would take a shortcut to Cincy, OH. The part of 50 between Winchester and Grafton, WV is brutal.

[ki0eh]

I-68 from Hancock, MD to Morgantown, WV is more scenic with lighter traffic and no tolls vs. I-76/PA Turnpike. But I-68 goes up, down, up, down, up, down a lot more than the PA Turnpike that both has tunnels and crosses ridges at a lower elevation. (Yes, the highest point in MD is higher than in PA, strange to say!) I-68 also has relatively few services compared to the PA Turnpike.

[cpterp]

There's this humoruous (I think so anyways) highway sign on I-70 heading West out of Balt. It gives you the distances to 4 cities along the route the third being one in Colorado, and the last in California, and it tells you how many thousands of miles it is to those places.

[gehrankm]

hey guys im goin from maryland to oregon..someone said if i take I 68 into west virginiaand then i-79 into Pa and then I-70to indiana and across?? i will be in my 23 ft 1986 coachmen rv..should i go this route to avoid the tolls on 80? Are the roads that bad or am i good driving that way? Dont know how much the tolls are for an rv?? thanks