Need BEST highway route from

[BlasterBob]

I'm looking for the BEST highway route from the far South end of Colorado (on I-25) to Northern California (near San Fran/Oakland) utilizing the Interstate system. I get kinda antsy about using I-70 due to unpredictable weather which may close off the tunnel. Not looking for the ultra fastest route, just the very best route.
Here I am, needing [Help] again! Thanks!

[porfiriozg]

after a wreck on i-70 i use i-25 south to i-40 about 19 hours

check mapquest for more detail

[BushMasterBoy]

Take US160 west from Walsenburg. Go west on US160 to Cortez,CO. Get on the the US491 to Monticello,UT. At Monticello,UT get on US191 to I-70 at Crescent Junction,UT. Head west on I-70. Make a right turn on on US6/SR191 just after Green River,UT. Stay on US6 all the way to Spanish Fork,UT, then head north on I-15 thru to Salt Lake City, then head west on I-80 to California.

[2ndChildhood]

Why not just head north to I-80, it's only 2 hours North of Denver, then it's a straight shot west to San Francisco.

Oops, i see you are in Trinidad, it's a lot farther from there to I-80...
You can't get there from where you are

[car-15]

after a wreck on i-70 i use i-25 south to i-40 about 19 hours

check mapquest for more detail
+1

[Half Live]

Just take I-25 south to I-40. Head west to I-15. Keep west to CA-58 then follow to I-5. Head north to San Fran. About 20 hours.

[BlasterBob]

THANKS for all the good suggestions. I'll have to decide and then keep a close eye on the predicted weather. The hell of it is that this weather is really not very predictable.

[streetglideok]

If you're going to northern california, ie the *** bay, or sacremento, then I-80 is your best option. Head up to wyoming, get on 80, and stay on it thru utah, and dont hit any casinos or brothels in nevada,lol. Weather can get iffy on 80 in wyoming at times. Worst places are across sherman pass between laramie and cheyenne, and elk mountain, west of laramie.

[Great-Kazoo]

If you're going to northern california, ie the *** bay, or sacremento, then I-80 is your best option. Head up to wyoming, get on 80, and stay on it thru utah, and dont hit any casinos or brothels in nevada,lol. Weather can get iffy on 80 in wyoming at times. Worst places are across sherman pass between laramie and cheyenne, and elk mountain, west of laramie.

going over reno into CA is horrendous if the weather gets bad. you could be there an extra day or so.
the best best due to your location is 25-40 to 58 to bakersfield up the 99 then over the 580 into oakland. we run 99 from bakersfield and you can hook it up vs taking the 5. the 5 can be a real horror show as it is the primary N/S road running up central CA. traffic on 99 usually runs 60-65 unless you get behind a row of trailers, locked in @ 55 going through 58/ mojave up the hill.

[BlasterBob]

Many thanks for all of the suggestions. I believe Jim has listed the way I was kinda leaning toward going. The I-25 to I-40 @ Albq thence I-40 to Barstow, CA58 to Bkfld and North on CA99 sounds like just about the best/easiest to me. Hopefully Flagstaff won't dumped on with snow.
Sounds like the only part of the drive that WON'T be a "piece of cake" will be the drive North from Barstow to Bakersfield and up North to our actual destination of Rocklin, CA.
Jim, can you please advise how long it "should" normally take a passenger car to make that trip from Barstow up to the Sacramento area??
Thanks to all again!

[Great-Kazoo]

Many thanks for all of the suggestions. I believe Jim has listed the way I was kinda leaning toward going. The I-25 to I-40 @ Albq thence I-40 to Barstow, CA58 to Bkfld and North on CA99 sounds like just about the best/easiest to me. Hopefully Flagstaff won't dumped on with snow.
Sounds like the only part of the drive that WON'T be a "piece of cake" will be the drive North from Barstow to Bakersfield and up North to our actual destination of Rocklin, CA.
Jim, can you please advise how long it "should" normally take a passenger car to make that trip from Barstow up to the Sacramento area??
Thanks to all again!

we can do barstow to fresno in 2.5- 3 hours. NAS LeMoore area to oakland SF is another 3-4 if that,depending on time of day, etc. Again the mojave drive is the shitty part. you encounter 2 lane traffic and the RV's & trailers cannot go over 55. got to love passing gear. The Teachapi Summit is interesting as you can see the wind turbines for miles. Usually going into the hills you run into CA HP. they get you hauling ass down hill consistently.

[Tweety Bird]

It's almost May. I know weather can be fickle but it's not like you're going in January.

US 50 is a fun drive across Utah and Nevada. 2-lane blacktop the whole way, hardly a soul in sight for miles and miles, which means there are NO TRAFFIC JAMS!! (Make sure your car is reliable, though). Many signs along US 50 in Nevada proclaim it to be the "Loneliest Highway on Earth", or something like that.

I drove it the other way many years ago. Left SFO in the late afternoon, spent the night in Reno. Drove out to highway 50 and saw one lonely little whorehouse just outside of Carson City and that was about it the rest of the way, except for some fun watching the Navy flyboys showing off out there somewhere.

Live on the edge. Go see something besides the interstate highway and its billboards, fast food and truck convoys. Real America is out there, just waiting to be discovered.

[BlasterBob]

US 50 is a fun drive across Utah and Nevada. 2-lane blacktop the whole way,
Live on the edge. Go see something besides the interstate highway and its billboards, fast food and truck convoys. Real America is out there, just waiting to be discovered.

Thanks but before I retired, I had a really great highway traveling job for a major railroad (Santa Fe RR), I have seen quite a bit of America already and I do kinda enjoy the apparent monotony of Interstate travels. We have a funeral to take part in out in Rocklin, CA and it'll certainly start without us so I'd really like to get moving quickly with plenty of time to spare. Here we go.

[Storm]

My 2 cents. Rocklin is on I-80, going south to I-40 is adding a lot of miles to your trip. IMHO, I'd run up I-25 to Cheyenne and take I-80 into Cali. It may not be the most direct route, but it's interstate all the way.

Have a good and safe trip.

[Great-Kazoo]

My 2 cents. Rocklin is on I-80, going south to I-40 is adding a lot of miles to your trip. IMHO, I'd run up I-25 to Cheyenne and take I-80 into Cali. It may not be the most direct route, but it's interstate all the way.

Have a good and safe trip.

he's just an hour hour and a half away from 40. going north than west is a waste of time and fuel. the gas prices, while not much cheaper once you are west of ALB, are running $3.99 and up in wyo. rock springs in wyo is $4.00. getting through laramie even in may is still snow and or white out conditions. Reno through the other side of the hill in CA is snow storm season. I have people out there who sent us pictures of one of their "spring" snow storms. 4' of wet and heavy kept them in for 2 days.
With the clock running 40-58-99 is easier weather wise and less dear or elk who may want to stop in and say hello.

[BlasterBob]

OUCH, here I thought our fuel prices in Trinidad were too damn high. Lowest priced fuel at Barstow was $4.69. Took just at 15 hours to go from Trinidad to Barstow, CA. Not bad for an almost 75 year old OLD fart. Was really a piece of cake drive and traffic was almost nothing for that entire segment of the trip. Took 58/99 yesterday and there was a LOT of 18 wheelers but they all moved great.
Jim, I'm leaning heavily on taking I-5 from Sacrament to the LA area. I wonder why Mapquest recommends 99 down South to hook up with I-5 about 40 or 50 miles South of Sacramento. What's wrong with just taking I-5 right out of Sacramento??????????? Hope to see your answer to that question today if you have the time.....
Thanks!

[Great-Kazoo]

OUCH, here I thought our fuel prices in Trinidad were too damn high. Lowest priced fuel at Barstow was $4.69. Took just at 15 hours to go from Trinidad to Barstow, CA. Not bad for an almost 75 year old OLD fart. Was really a piece of cake drive and traffic was almost nothing for that entire segment of the trip. Took 58/99 yesterday and there was a LOT of 18 wheelers but they all moved great.
Jim, I'm leaning heavily on taking I-5 from Sacrament to the LA area. I wonder why Mapquest recommends 99 down South to hook up with I-5 about 40 or 50 miles South of Sacramento. What's wrong with just taking I-5 right out of Sacramento??????????? Hope to see your answer to that question today if you have the time.....
Thanks!

because you will be sitting in traffic for an extra 2 hours, depending on what time you leave. it is a wild ride not unlike driving from COS-DEN the same day both the donkeys and nuggets are playing.
Run the 5 down until you get to 46, take that into the 99 south into bakersfield then back on to 58

you did good time to barstow. considering you're 3-4 hours south from me i can do NOCO over 70 through utah/arizona into vegas in 14 flat then another 1.5 tops to barstow.
safe driving

[BlasterBob]

Jim, thanks for getting back so quickly. I guess maybe I did not make it very clear that we want to get to the LA area, not Barstow.
We are going to Upland, CA tomorrow and doubt if we'd want to take 58 to Barstow. If you still get this tonight, maybe you'll still be able to comment on exactly how to get down to Upland,CA. tonight yet... Many thanks.[Beer]
Bob

[Great-Kazoo]

yeah didn't realize you are heading to LA. just take the 5. after that you are on your own. my idea of LA is landing at the airport then Leaving......

[BlasterBob]

Thanks again Jim. Looks like we'll just take I-5 out of Sacramento and go all the way down to the 210 and hopefully it'll go real smooth. We will be leaving Sacramento about 6AM so with luck will make our destination prior to rush hour down on the I-5 and I-210 split. We will let you know how it worked out for us. Our nephew, a San Diego resident, advised that the worst thing about the I-5 is that it is boring as hell but this will NOT bother us as we just want to make the destination without a lot of sightseeing.
Bob