Route from Wisconsin to Arizona - Summer 2012

Which side of Madison are you heading towards? It sounds a bit odd to break down an 1800 mile into something as small as the specific address, but where you're going in Madison might impact which way I'd go. If you're heading to the east side, then I'd continue on as you've planned via St. Louis, but if you're heading to the west side, I'd look at a way where you'd head up through Kansas City and Iowa.

I agree with the above posters that it is really pushing things to try to do 1800+ miles in 3 days in an RV with young kids. If you are going to try, then you certainly need to get farther than Albuquerque your first day. I'd say Tucumcari NM would be the minimum distance you need to get on the first day for the rest of your trip to be even possible. I'd also be looking about halfway between Joplin and Springfield MO for night 2. Again, I would think you will be much better off giving yourself at least another half day, but if you are going to do it, you need to keep the day even - which will likely be 13-14 hours a day in an RV. Doing a 700+ mile day will suck all the fun out of your trip, and even your more relaxed trip home could be affected by the bad memories.

Your trip back, Personally, I'd much rather stay in State and National Parks than the virtual parking lots with pools that you'll find at many KOA's and Jellystones. For example, Palasades State Park is not far from I-90 near Sioux Falls, and Custer State Park in the Black Hills is could be its own National Park that's not far from Mt. Rushmore and other area attractions.

Great feedback. I recommissioned our trip out - to go through Albuqurque, Wichita, Cedar Rapids, Or Santa Rosa, Emporia, KS, Dubuque, IA then Wis. I appreciate the feedback, I dont want to push too hard on way out to Wis. Stops along the way would be appreciated!

Way back we are adding a day between Rawlins and Canyonlands.

I was only listing Madison as a point of destination. We actually are either headed to Castle Rock Lake area, or Milwaukee, dependent upon which family we visit first. I do know the Wis area well enough to be able to revise our trip plan around the Wis piece. You bring up a great point of West (through Iowa) or East (St Louis route). We will finalize this but assume we are headed to Castle Rock area first.

Interestingly, while Madison is roughly halfway between your two destinations, it actually would not be on the direct route to either of them!

If you're going to Castle Rock (I'm assuming you're talking about the one just north of the Dells) first, then it would be quicker to go up to Iowa, but then from Des Moines head north on I-35 to I-90 via Albert Lea and LaCrosse. That would actually save you about 50 miles vs going via Madison.

If you end up going to Milwaukee first, then you'd want to take the St. Louis route, but you'd take I-43 once you cross the Wisconsin state line. That would also save about 50 miles vs going to Madison.

If you want to make this trip in 3 days, then keeping the miles as short as possible is essential. Also, if you are planning to head back to through South Dakota, it would be more efficient and avoid a bunch of backtracking to go to Milwaukee first, but we all know that planning a trip around family doesn't always mean efficient!

Yes, you are absolutely correct. We will be heading to MKE first, if at all possible, then leaving via Castle Rock - I 90. As long as family cooperates! So we will plan the trip around St Louis route. I will redo the stops on that route. Thanks for input!

I was inputting Madison as a central location in Wis, figuring since we are from Wis, I can work our route dependent upon which part of state we will be going to. We actually will never need to be in Madison!

We are getting close to leaving, and having second thoughts. I have mapped the route from Gilbert AZ to Adams WI, some services take us through Denver, some through Albuquerque..... I had planned Albuquerque to 54 Wichita to KC to Des Moines. Question... is Hwy 54 a good route for a motor home with kids, or should I be looking at less direct interstate travel. How much of 54 is two lanes? Please post your ideas. Or just ask this question - what is the most direct, 4 lane route to Wisconsin from Arizona?

So you're going to Adams first, now, and not Milwaukee?

54 is the shorter route, but it is almost exclusively 2 lanes. If you want to stick completely to freeways, then your best bet would be to continue to OKC before heading north. Going via OKC is about 30 miles shorter than going via Denver.

Taking 54 saves you about 70 miles, so the distance saved should make up for the slower travel speeds, slowdowns of taking that route. It could also save you a bit on gas. However, if you want ease of driving, then I'd stick to the Interstates.

I wouldn't take 54, I just took it from Tucumcari to Wichita back in February. It's almost exclusively 2 lane till you get near Wichita, it can be very windy and dusty out there, the stretch through Texas is rough and in bad need of repaving, and the stretch through Oklahoma is wall to wall speed traps where they pull you for 3 over the limit. Done it once, don't want to do it again, and I have a warning ticket to show for it too. I spent a night in Liberal KS, and that's also something where once is enough.

There are enough towns along that route where any apparent time savings are going to be negated and then some. The only reason to go that way is to save on gas.

My software says the fastest route is I-40/I-35/I-90, and it's usually pretty accurate. According to the software, you can save 98 miles but it will take 20 minutes longer by using US-54.

Mapping through good sam took me up i25 through colorado springs, but with the wildfires, I am going to stick with i40/i35/190. Yes, going to adams first, then couple days in mke, then couple days up in appleton. then headed out through minn and sd!

I-25 would add 30 miles and 20 minutes.