National Parks off I-80?

[imported_Nicole]

I have five days to get from Chicago to San Francisco next month, and I'm hoping that on one or two of the days, I can spare a couple of hours for some sight-seeing. Specifically, it looks like I'll have time to spare in Nebraska, Wyoming and Utah. However, all the parks I've considered (Arches, etc.) seem to be at least a 180-mile detour from I-80. Are there any sights close to the highway? I only have a few hours to spare on any day. (Also, I have a dog, but I would assume that's probably not a big deal if I'm pretty much just running in and out of these parks.)

[imported_Bob]

Along I-80, there are a number of sites associated with the Oregon and California Trails -- in Nebraska, for example, there is a Pony Express station near Gothenburg and along the Platte River in the far western part of the state, there's Chimney Rock -- a well known landmark to those who traveled west in wagon trains in the 1840s and 1850s. Wyoming has other similar attractions -- if you're interested in history. In western Wyoming, you might check out Flaming Gorge Recreation area -- if you enter the name as a search on the internet, you'll come up wuith a couple of good sites that describe it and some photos. You can take the doggie for a walk! He'll have lots of energy after being cooped up in the car all that way! When you get to California, the area around Truckee is beautiful -- you might take a short detour and check out Squaw Valley (site of the winter Olympics at least once). Bob

[imported_Kevin]

Is Donner Pass, the site where the Donner Party was snowed in during the winter of 1846-7 and resorted to cannibalism. There is a nice little museum and nature area, and Donner Lake is very nice. I'm sure there are campgrounds in the area.

What if you took I-75 down to Denver and then took I-70 across Colorado. You will drive thought some beautiful mountain areas. Just past Grand Junction you can drive thought Colorado National Monument and then pick up I-70 again. At Cisco, Utah take scenic Hwy 128 into Moab, Utah. Dogs are not allowed on trails in the National Parks and I wouldn't leave him/her in the car in the heat, but you can see a lot of the scenery of Arches by just driving in and out. Take Hwy 191 back up to I-70. After Green River you will pass the thought the San Rafeal Swell area and this is very scenic. Take Hwy 50 to I-15. Here you have two choices. Go north to Salt Lake City and take I-80 across Nevada (2405 miles) OR take Hwy 50 across Nevada (2280 miles) Taking I-80 all the way I came up with 2132 miles.

Utahtea

[Mark Sedenquist]

Utahtea,

I am shocked that a semi-pro roadtripper like yourself could admit to finding any stretch of road boring. Actually, I like your alternative routing, the only problem is that if speed is really an issue, zooming over the Colorado Rockies is much slower than doing I-80.

I like both routes -- I have probably driven them 20-30 times in the last couple of decades. I find I-80 very pleasant -- hammer down and enjoy wide plains vistas!

Mark

traveling any road is better than sitting at home! I do enjoy the open road.

Nicole had 5 days to make the trip and wanted to see some scenic sites so I thought she would have plenty of time to do I-70 and Hwy 50. Especially if she pushes it for the first couple of days.

Utahtea