Question about driving from Dallas to Salt Lake City

bill j

New member
I plan to drive from Dallas to Salt Lake City on my way to Seattle this fall and could use some advice on which route. Is it better to go through Denver or Albuquerque? Would snow or ice be an issue in late october/ early november. Thanks for any advice - Bill J
 
Albuquerque, then go Northwest on US 550 to Farmington, Shiprock, Cortez, Monticello, Moab, Green River, Price to Spanish Fork. It's all fast open road. We did it last year in mid November coming home from the Gulf. Got well below freezing in Green River at night, but otherwise an easy drive. If you are in the middle of a storm that's another thing as it's all such open country.

Chuck
 
US 287 from Dallas to I 40. You can go North at either Albuquerque or Gallup, depending what you want to see. The red bluffs just East of Gallup are beautiful. In Albuquerque take the tram to Sandia Crest. Go up during daylight hours, have dinner at dusk on top. As the night deepens, you can watch the city lights march across town as people turn on their lights. Beautiful.
 
Everybody is right so far :wink:

Could snow or ice be an issue. Yes Sir, but so could a tornado. You are talking western mountain terrain, high dessert, and late fall, early winter. Yes it could be an issue. Probably not, but always a possibility. If the weather blows up, wait it out. Most likely only a day or so and you are back to bare and dry. I spent 12 years doing a major portion of that road weekly and never missed a day or was late, but you do have to pay attention to the weather rock ( Sorry, local joke--if it is wet it is raining, if it is swingnig it iw windy ....etc.) :roll:

Enjoy your trip, it is some of the most beautiful hiway in the country.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

January_2010_821.thumb.jpg
 
plan on 23 hours total drive time plus or minus a wee bit. Made that drive. Doesn't matter much which route, but with decent weather along the way, you will be close to that number of hours in the seat. Utah in October isn'[t iffy weather wise. November is another story. Could be balmy, could be blizzards. However, even in November, weather shouldn't be an issue.
 
I depends on the purpose of the trip. If adventure and sightseeing is involved then go through Denver, up and across Wyoming to Jackson Hole. The turn north through the Tetons and Yellowstone. Whether permitting try the bear tooth hwy out of Yellowstone, its high and wild. You'll need a good puller.
Then travel north up to the going-to-the-sun-road in Glacier Park and over to Salt Lake.

Weather permitting that is what I would do. I would camp in the boat. Hope you have a good heater. Just my thoughts.
Chris
 
I would tend to stay South that time of the year. Go thru Albuquerque.

You cannot tow the boat over the Going to the Sun HWY--if it is open that time of year. ("Vehicles, and vehicle combinations, longer than 21 feet(including bumpers) or wider than 8 feet (including mirrors), are prohibited between Avalanche Campground and the Rising Sun picnic area parking. Vehicle and vehicle combinations over 10 feet in height may have difficulty driving west from Logan Pass to the Loop, due to rock overhangs.")

This year the highway is closed on Sept 17 for the winter for maintenance.

We have run into serious Snow in Montana in mid Sept, and can on any of the mountain passes, further South.
 
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