Need best driving route from Dallas,TX to Billings,MT (Great Falls: sales, sales tax)

[ketchikan2000]

Hello,

Looking for the best driving route from Dallas, Texas to Billings, Montana. I noted some older forums but hoping to get updated information (routes). I will be in a Corolla and towing a small u-haul trailer. Google and Yahoo maps drag me through Kansas (these routes do not seem to be a straight shot). I'm well aware that this is a 3 day trip but can't figure out why all the searched routes take me out of the way? I'm sure there is a very good reason of which I am oblivious? Is this due to the terrain and or desolation?

[ElkHunter]

I've driven the route many times.

Run over to Fort Worth and catch 287 up through Amarillo to Lamar Colorado. It's divided 4 lane for most of the trip.

At Laramar Co. Turn left on 50 and go to Pueblo. Nice country drive.

At Pueblo, turn right on I-25. I-25 turns into I-90 at Buffalo Wyoming. Just continue North on I-90 because it runs through Billings.

Total trip is right at 1364 miles.

Most of the Interstate from Pueblo CO, to Billings is posted 75. The exceptions are through Denver. The rest is clear sailing.

[ketchikan2000]

Thanks again ElkHunter...you are a wealth of information. This looks like the best route to me. Do you travel to Billings for sport or work?

Happy Independence day

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by ketchikan2000

Thanks again ElkHunter...you are a wealth of information. This looks like the best route to me. Do you travel to Billings for sport or work?

Happy Independence day

I actually live close to Sheridan Wyoming. I one time took a project to shut down a manufacturing plant in Grand Prairie. They said it would take 6-8 weeks. It took me 4 years, 6 months. All my family is in Sheridan so I would visit as often as I could from Grand Prairie To Sheridan.

I often go to Billings for my shopping because Billings has no sales tax.

[Reziac]

Is that better than going north from Amarillo to Dalhart and the over on Hwy 87 thru the northeast corner of NM to I-25? that's how I went the one time I was down that way. It's about 100 miles shorter, tho I vaguely recall a long grade near the NM/Colorado border. The part thru NM was kinda neat, high grass with cliffs in the distance, real good two lane road but absolutely no traffic.

[ElkHunter]

That is Raton Pass and is a butt kicker for just about any vehicle. If you go that way, do not use A./C, and be prepared to use lower gears, even if you have an automatic, just to keep RPM's up so the water stays cool.

Edit - Iwasn't thinking. Rez's route brings you out at Raton which is at the top of the hard stuff. I've taken that route too and didn't like it so never did it a second time. But I can't remember why. haha Might have been lack of towns with services, I don't know.

[bigskydude]

Amarillo? .. I usually tend to leave Google and the bus routes out of anything I do when traveling cross country. Especially when there are hills and mountains involved.

The best route for me, with regard to time and fuel costs has always been to get on to the plains as quickly as possible.

I recently drove my wife's car from Great Falls, Montana, to Beaumont, Texas .. it took 36 hours at an average speed of 70-75 mph, and cost $175.00 in fuel at roughly $2.36 per gallon for gas.

I took the I-15 to Helena, cut off to Townsend and down to Three Forks to catch the I-90 .. East to Billings and then south to Sheridan where just south of Sheridan, I catch the I-25 to Cheyenne, where I then hang a left on to the I-80 and head east .. after traveling east for a bit on the I-80, I get to North Platte, Nebraska, where I then turn south on hwy 83 go through McCook, Neb, cross into Kansas, and pick up the I-70 at Colby, Kansas.

From Colby, Kansas, it's a straight shot (70 mph) on the I-70 clear through to Salina, Kansas, where I then turn right on to the I-135 to Witchita .. in Witchita, I pick up the I-35, and then proceed straight to Dallas, Texas, where I then jump on to the I-45 to Houston. Once I get to Houston, I hang a left on to the I-10 to Beaumont, Texas .. badda-bing, aint nothin' but a thing.

When I travel, I don't have the time to be fighting the hills, or the mountain passes .. stopping to look at all the pretty flowers along the way is for the tourists .. I plan for fuel savings and time mostly, with and eye toward avoiding as much wear and tear as possible, and I avoid Google Maps like the plague

[Reziac]

I don't remember it being too hard tho the truck was pretty loaded, just that there was some long grade going into Colorado. But a little car pulling a trailer might want to stay out on the flat, yeah, and avoid that. Probably more headwind out on the flat, but there's always tradeoffs.

There's pretty much nothing (as in no towns, no services, no roadside ranches, no nothing) going that way from Dalhart to Pueblo, true. Real nice relaxing drive as I recall and I enjoyed the solitude, but you wouldn't want to be stuck there.

[bigskydude]

Originally Posted by Reziac

I don't remember it being too hard tho the truck was pretty loaded, just that there was some long grade going into Colorado. But a little car pulling a trailer might want to stay out on the flat, yeah, and avoid that. Probably more headwind out on the flat, but there's always tradeoffs.

There's pretty much nothing (as in no towns, no services, no roadside ranches, no nothing) going that way from Dalhart to Pueblo, true. Real nice relaxing drive as I recall and I enjoyed the solitude, but you wouldn't want to be stuck there.

The only time I ever get any real headwind at all, is when I'm heading west from North Platte, Nebraska, to Cheyenne, Wyoming.

[ElkHunter]

The original route I suggested has very little for hills until you get to Buffalo and then you can't avoid the hills between there and Sheridan no matter which way you come across the plains.