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I will be driving cross country in late May (east coast to west coast). I have the choice to take either interstate 70 or 80. I'm interested in taking the more scenic route and I will have time for a little sightseeing as well. Does anyone recommend one route over the other?
70 through Colorado and into Utah is pretty scenic. I you have a little time to sightsee, Estes Park, CO is nice and Glenwood Springs, CO has some great hot springs to soak in.
They are indistinguishable. Driving across the US and back on an interstate is exactly the same as driving backk and forth between Memphis and Little Rock 40 times.
I have driven back and forth across the U.S. quite a few times.
My favorite interstate first is 70 followed by 80.
This is because I was raised in the St. Louis area and prefer to go through that area to see my arch and the metro east IL area as I'm heading towards Colorado.
As another poster said it's coming up on tornado season and from what we've seen in the past couple of weeks it's already here so please be careful and pay attention to local radio and watch the skies.
Both 70 & 80 have their features, imo...neither are much fun or 'scenic', east of the Rockies.
Both may have some 'winter like' conditions, even in May, in the higher altitudes of the mountain states.
I feel I-70 offers more interesting views, and is a pretty remarkable highway in spots, for an interstate, esp in western CO, west of the Ike Tunnel, and in parts of UT.
RE: "I will have time for a little sightseeing as well."
If the OP would define what this means in terms of time, eg half an hour a day, a few days from the hard drive west, etc., it would help in terms of offering up some good scenes, views, parks, 2 lane black tops that keep one going 'west', but afford some remarkable scenery, etc. And, where on the east coast and what part of the west coast does your start/finish contain?
We did a 2 month, 13,000 mile Road Trip this past summer, but only occasionally on an interstate, though there are sections that are spectacular, and remarkable that they got built...I would not dismiss all sections of any interstate highway as 'no fun' or boring.
Thank you for your helpful responses. I'm going to take 70 since I've decided to take a day or two to explore the Moab, UT area/Canyonlands National Park. Thanks for the tornado reminders too. I will be taking a weather radio!
I hear the traffic from I-70 in my house! I live a quarter mile off it. I-70 is you're best bet for scenery. Keep in mind, it dead ends when ya hit I-15 and you'll be going up 15 to SLC when you want to continue west.
A couple notes on I-70. Road construction will be noticeable when you get past the Eisenhower tunnel, about 60 miles west of Denver. Chances are pretty good that CDOT will be doing some work on the road. Whether it's May or earlier I'm not sure. The roads take a pounding in the winter but CDOT does a good job on maintenance.
Lots of picture taking; like 20 miles west of Denver you'll see lots of tourists take pictures of all the buffalo just west of the Mother Cabrini Shrine Rd. From time to time the rocky mountain bighorn sheep can be seen off the road just west of Georgetown as you're hitting the hill coming up on Silver Plume. You're now at 9100 ft. altitude. A nice change of pace on 70 is going over Loveland Pass and stopping in Dillon to stretch your legs as opposed to going through the Eisenhower tunnel.
Glenwood Springs and the Hot Springs in town? Yeaaaa-baby! I-70 is an easy drive to Grand Junction where you'll probably spend the night. Over a dozen hotels and a half dozen restaurants are on the Horizon Drive exit. NOW!!!
Services are limited on the Utah stretch. From Fruita to Green River you have two exits five miles apart that have gasoline and that's it. Then from Green River west you have 108 miles of no services. But lots and lots of beautiful red rock country. Salina is 108 miles west of Green River, Richfield another 20 miles west. I've stayed the night in Richfield several times. Good motels, decent restaurants, and friendly folks.
Right now Grand Junction's gas prices are $3.18 for regular. Temp today was 63 degrees. We've seen what snow we'll see for the season. It's not uncommon to run into snow in the high country in May.
Safe travels to ya!
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