Winter Trip

[LadyCharli]

Hello all! My family and I are planning a road trip from OK to WA in mid-Dec. We are looking for route and attraction ideas. We were thinking of going the following route: I-35, I-135, I-70, I-80 and finally I-84 into Washington. Any thoughts?

[DonnaR57]

Hi, and welcome to RTA!

Some questions before making any comments: is this a round trip? And how long do you have for the drive?

Now for the comments: at 2000 miles from OKC to Seattle (since you didn't get specific about where in OK and WA), it's about a 4-day drive in good weather, one way. Having an alternative route and an extra day is helpful in case weather holds you up some place. Carrying paper maps or an atlas, is also necessary for the same reason.

As far as attractions go, we don't know much about your interests. Many places of interest are on paper maps, but you should add extra time for stops at attractions. Once we have a little more information from you, we can make suggestions of places to stop.


Donna

[Foy]

And may we assume you're considering I-25 from the Denver area to connect to I-80?

Be aware that I-80 sees some of the worst weather of any Western US Interstate. It runs at elevations in excess of 7,000' nearly all the way from Cheyenne to Rawlins, including one 8,640' pass, and between 6,000 and 7,000 feet most of the remainder of the distance to the UT line near Evanston. Just watch the weather closely and it the "snow hits the fan" be prepared to wait it out for a half-day or a day. Reaching I-80 from the Denver are can involve "cutting the corner" by use of US 287 from Fort Collins to Laramie. If the weather is clear, US 287 is a very nice drive.

Depending on where you're headed in WA, many will suggest that you go on up to I-90. I-90 mainly follows river valleys at elevations around 3,500 to 4,000'. The three passes, Bozeman, Homestake, and Lookout, are short in duration and low in elevation (5,700', 6,700', and 4,700' respectively). The scenery is terrific--forested snowcapped mountains as far as you can see in every direction once you get a little west of Billings. I-90 has more and larger towns/cities for stops and services than I-80 does, too. Both Bozeman and Missoula are college towns and full of fun restaurants and bars within walking distance of motels. Missoula's walking paths along the Clark Fork River are particularly enjoyable.

Foy