Help fast!!! I70 closed in co

[surfsammy]

We are a family of 4 on the tail end of a 2 week road trip/move from Virginia to San Luis Obispo. We are staying at relatives in Avon, CO and had planned on driving down on I70. A rock slide has closed this and it turns out we need to stop by Sacramento to pick up 2 cats (as if driving with 2 dogs wasn't enough).

Has anyone gotten to Salt Lake City on route 40? It looks like it would take about 8 hrs from here. Our other options seem to be to take a 200 mile detour to rejoin I70 in Glenwood Springs through Craig, CO; go south and over Monarch Pass to route 50 and rejoin I70 to Grand Junction; or drive back 2 hrs or so to Denver and hit I25 to I80 in Wyoming.

Any advice? We are not afraid of an adventure but do have an older car.

As soon as someone can help, the better. We need to leave in the AM.

Thanks so much,
Lisa

[Kestrel]

I looked at it again. Since you are going to Sacramento, head to Craig and then take US 40 to Salt Lake City then I80 to Sacramento. If you were heading directly to San Lois Obispo, the south to Poncha Springs, then US 50 to I 70 route would be better.

[AZBuck]

Yeah, it look like your best bet is to head north on CO-131 (about 10 miles west of Avon via I-70) through Bond, Toponas, Yampa and Oak Creek to pick up US-40 west to SLC. On the bright side that detour will take you through Vernal, UT, the gateway to Dinosaur National Monument which can be an added treat for your kids.

AZBuck

[Kestrel]

Yeah, it look like your best bet is to head north on CO-131 (about 10 miles west of Avon via I-70) through Bond, Toponas, Yampa and Oak Creek to pick up US-40 west to SLC. On the bright side that detour will take you through Vernal, UT, the gateway to Dinosaur National Monument which can be an added treat for your kids.

Unfortunately, the main quarry with the incredible wall of dinosaur bones at Dinosaur National Monument is still closed.

[glc]

It's 420 miles from Avon to SLC via Steamboat Springs and US-40, 8 hours may be optimistic due to the increased traffic, especially trucks. It's going to be a long day's drive.

[Kestrel]

It's 420 miles from Avon to SLC via Steamboat Springs and US-40, 8 hours may be optimistic due to the increased traffic, especially trucks. It's going to be a long day's drive.

The bypass traffic may slow things down on the first stretch, especially climbing out of the Vail valley on CO-131. But most of the trucks will be taking a different route from Craig to get back to I-70. The rest of the route on US-40 shouldn't have a lot of traffic.