Virginia to California

[esk123]

I have been stationed near Richmond, VA for a training assignment that will end later this month. I will be driving back home close to San Jose, CA. However I would also like to take scenic routes and routes that pass places of interest. I was thinking of checking out Denver and Salt Lake City and cross Nevada on US 50 ("The Loneliest Road in America") to reach Reno. Or maybe skip Salt Lake City for a more direct route to Arches National Park from Denver. I am especially interested in mountain and desert scenery.

Up to Denver the main route options appear to be I-70, I-80, or 1-76 W. The I-76 option is a bit longer but passes by Pittsburgh and Chicago. I am not under any great time pressure so I was thinking perhaps 10-15 days driving back. Any suggestions or ideas for an ideal, scenic route back home will be appreciated. Thanks.

[glc]

From Richmond, I'd probably take I-64 all the way to St. Louis, then pick up I-70 to Denver. From there, you have a lot of choices, all of which would be very scenic.

[Foy]

Hello esk123,

Leaving Richmond I'd for sure just head west on I-64 all the way through the Appalachians, thence I-70 to Colorado. If you're wanting to go to Arches, I-70 through Colorado passes through some of the best alpine scenery in the Lower 48, then out the Western Slope into UT, where Arches is around 25-30 miles to the south of the I-70 corridor in southeast Utah.

From Moab (Arches) you can continue west on I-70 and catch US 50 at Salina, UT, and head out across the Great Basin in UT and NV from there.

With that kind of time available, you can really see the sights. Have fun!

Foy

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

All fine advice so far, but one other 'side trip' to consider would be to continue south from Arches on US-191/US-163 through Monument Valley to the Grand Canyon and then use I-40 to Barstow, CA where CA-58 would connect you to I-5 up into the Bay Area. For about a hundred miles of extra driving, you'd get to experience two of the iconic locations of the American Southwest.

AZBuck