I'm going to be heading to Denver/Aurora in a couple of days to deliver a young friend to grad school. On the return drive, never having driven the Colorado mountains before, I'd like to take the scenic route. So, would highway 40 or I-70 be the better option? I have a little bit of a time constraint with about three days to make the trip back to Portland (including sleeping time).

If I-70, should I cut NW from Green River on 191/6/89 to Provo, or just take I-70 all the way to the junction with I-15 and scream up the interstate?

I never take the scenic route, I just take I-80 across Wyoming and cut down to Ft Collins before Cheyenne. That seems to be the fastest. If you've never been to the Moab area you may want to look at the I-70 route. It's a pretty unreal area. How much time do you have? That will make a difference in how "scenic" you want to get.

There is construction on many roads in Salt Lake County. Unless you like traffic jams, avoid rush hour on I-15.

My motorcycle traveling in that part of Colorado have been on US50 or US160. I tend to avoid the Interstate highways due to traffic, construction or the need for repair.

I'd probably go I-70 to Hwy 40, through Winter Park, then Steamboat Springs and over to Dinosaur.

We'll take taking I-80 through Wyoming on the trip to Aurora, mostly because it should be faster. It's the return trip (by myself and without the auto transporter trailer) that I'm talking about here.

Follow-up question: Neither Wyoming nor Colorado honor my Oregon CCW permit. From my reading on handgunlaw.us, it appears that in Wyoming I'm OK as long as the gun is visible, i.e., sitting on the back seat or somewhere, not in a case. For Colorado it sounds like anywhere in the vehicle is fine as long as it stays inside the vehicle. Does that match what you guys who live in those states understand?

While there are places along I-70 that are certainly pretty enough, if you want to experience the beauty of the Colorado Rockies—get off the interstate. Right off the top of my head, US 285 through South Park, pick up US Hwy 50 west over Monarch and Wolf Creek Passes—and that’s still pretty direct.

Due to some massive fires in the area, I would avoid southern CO now. CO 160, HWY 12, and HWY 69, are closed currently.

I have driven I80 a few times, desolate, but beautiful. And closer to Denver/Aurora. Going back, without a trailer, would definitely take I70. Very pretty drive.

As to carrying, yes, legal to carry a loaded handgun, anywhere in vehicle, with or without CCW in CO. Denver has some wonky restrictions, but otherwise, gtg.

If you've never been to Yellowstone, you may want to go the northern route. Maybe go through Garden City (Bear Lake) on your way to I-15. Traffic isn't too bad this far North. Take I-80 to 89/91 up through Evanston, Wyoming. Take that all the way to I-15. Some really pretty country.

I've been to Yellowstone many times (grew up in Montana), although never down to the Tetons. Unfortunately I won't have time for a lot of sightseeing on this trip, I just wanted to optimize the return trip a little for scenery while keeping as quick a line as possible between Denver and SLC/Ogden.

I can recommend US-50. I stopped in Telluride, Colorado to see Bridal Veil Falls, then continued to Monarch Pass and took the Tramway.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/...s/72157631545442569/
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flashguy

Depends how much you want to add...

285 off of 470, go through Connifer, Bailey. North out of Grant, go over Guanella pass. Get on I-70, go back east to 40, route 1967Goat suggested.

If willing to add more, I'll suggest a few other routes.

The stretch from Green River to Provo on US89 is probably the ugliest stretch of road I've ever driven (until you reach the mountains around Price, that is). I try to avoid it whenever possible. It's just...brown...as far as the eye can see.

quote:

Originally posted by offgrid:
Depends how much you want to add...

285 off of 470, go through Connifer, Bailey. North out of Grant, go over Guanella pass. Get on I-70, go back east to 40, route 1967Goat suggested.

If willing to add more, I'll suggest a few other routes.

FWIW, I live just off of Hwy 285 in Conifer if you need anything.

For handguns, in CO, your automobile is considered an extension of your home. You can carry a loaded handgun WITHOUT a permit. Now, I don't know if this applies to resident only or not.

Offgrid's suggestion is great. Rather than backtrack on I-70, you could go further west, through Eisenhower tunnel and turn right at Silverthorne.

quote:

Originally posted by 1967Goat:
I'd probably go I-70 to Hwy 40, through Winter Park, then Steamboat Springs and over to Dinosaur.

Having personally driven this route, this is your answer.

US 40 will take you all the way to Heber City, UT. From there, you'll have to take US 189 down Provo Canyon where you can eventually pick up I-15.

You'll cross the Continental Divide twice before you get to Steamboat Springs. You'll drive past Dinosaur National Monument, which is absolutely stunning high desert scenery. Once you're into Utah, the Uinta Mountains will be your companion off in the distance to the north. Eventually you'll come to the Wasatch Range, and the scenery goes from high desert back to the mountains.

I took two days to do that crossing, due to sightseeing and camping, but you can easily do it in a day.

I'd absolutely rank it as one of the top scenic drives I have ever done.

quote:

Originally posted by g8rforester:

quote:

Originally posted by 1967Goat:
I'd probably go I-70 to Hwy 40, through Winter Park, then Steamboat Springs and over to Dinosaur.

Having personally driven this route, this is your answer.
...

I've done this route before and it's great. It would be my choice as well.

quote:

Originally posted by bigeinkcmo:

quote:

Originally posted by g8rforester:

quote:

Originally posted by 1967Goat:
I'd probably go I-70 to Hwy 40, through Winter Park, then Steamboat Springs and over to Dinosaur.

Having personally driven this route, this is your answer.
...

I've done this route before and it's great. It would be my choice as well.

Yeah, that's looking like a pretty good option. Of course I'm just a liable to change my mind at the last second, but for now this is probably it. Thanks everybody for the input.

Take I70 all the way thru co and thru ut. Head north on 15. There is some amazing scenery, rockies, desert, north side of coral reef and then the wasatch. 40 thru winter park, granby, and thru vernal is ok, not spectacular like i70.

If you want to get real crazy, look up hwy12 in ut, thru all the canyons and mesas. Very cool.

Screw 80, that's for truckers and trains. You can go fast, but it sucks scenery wise. Unless you like LOTS of Antelope

quote:

Originally posted by Expert308:

quote:

Originally posted by bigeinkcmo:

quote:

Originally posted by g8rforester:

quote:

Originally posted by 1967Goat:
I'd probably go I-70 to Hwy 40, through Winter Park, then Steamboat Springs and over to Dinosaur.

Having personally driven this route, this is your answer.
...

I've done this route before and it's great. It would be my choice as well.

Yeah, that's looking like a pretty good option. Of course I'm just a liable to change my mind at the last second, but for now this is probably it. Thanks everybody for the input.

This^^

I'm a trucker who lives in UT. I've driven between SLC and Denver hundreds, daresay thousands, of times. For raw speed, nothing beats I84/I80 to WY, straight across WY to Cheyenne, then south on I25.

For a nice drive, I'd choose the US40 route. Stay on 40 to Heber, then take US189 up to Park City, then I80 to I15, north to I84 at Tremonton, then straight on back to Portland.

I70 from Golden to Glenwood Springs used to be a nice drive. It has been developed so much in the last two decades that it is often choked in traffic. I hate that drive now.

Neither Wyoming nor Colorado honor my Oregon CCW permit. From my reading on handgunlaw.us, it appears that in Wyoming I'm OK as long as the gun is visible, i.e., sitting on the back seat or somewhere, not in a case. For Colorado it sounds like anywhere in the vehicle is fine as long as it stays inside the vehicle. Does that match what you guys who live in those states understand?


That is correct. You can also have CCW in your hotel or home without a valid permit in Colorado.

I would recommend I70.