Question Trip routing from Houston, Tx to end up in Glacier NP

[Timjbo]

Good day everyone..
I’m looking to get some grateful insight on route best choice, expectations and challenges, comments for a August to Sept. road routing from Houston, Tx. to
* Colorado Springs, Co.
* Rocky Mountain NP,
* Grand Tetons,
* Yellowstone, NP
then on into Glacier NP, St Marys.

Tow vehicle
2018 GMC Sierra SLT
3.42 gear
GVWR 7200 lbs
Trailering equipment package
Z71 suspension Off road package.
20” wheels
SLT crew cab premium plus package
Integrated trailer brake control
9100 # towing capacity.

Trailer,
2021, 28’ Grey Wolf Black label 23MKBL
dry hitch weight 608-LBS.
unloaded vehicle weight 5063-LBS.
cargo carry capacity 2545-LBS.
GVWR 7608-LBS
axle weight 4417-LBS.

Thanks for your replies

 

[bpaikman]

We live south of Houston, and have traveled up that way many times, with and without our RV.
Same route, regardless.
We take 288 to I-59 the Harvey Toll Road in Houston, then 45 to 287 in Ennis, then 287 all the way to Amarillo. We pick up US-87 there. It's possible to skirt Amarillo, RVTW should direct you.
From there, Trip Wizard wants to route you through Channing, WHY, I don't know. Narrow, remote country road with no shoulder. Don't do it!
We've always taken 87 north from Amarillo, to Dumas (left turn), Hartley, all the way to Raton, where we pick up I-25. Several beautiful rest areas from Trinidad to Cheyenne.
There are several options after that, so here's some comments:
We try to stick to Interstate highways, (we're a motorhome towing).
If we can't use an Interstate, we try to a US highway, 4-lane divided. But in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, sometimes those are only 2-lane,, but good enough.
Houston, Ft. Worth, and Denver are no fun - be sure to time your passing through, to avoid rush hours. We just follow the route RVTW lays out through Ft Worth (no fun, watch signs, review in advance)
North of Denver, in Ft Collins, RVTW might route you on US-287 to Laramie. It's a scenic, interesting drive, decent road, but not fun for a motorhome towing going through Ft Collins downtown, so we go through Cheyenne instead.
I can give you our routes through Wyoming and Montana, but there are few options, and we had no issues with RVTW routing - it's pretty rural, and desolate in many places. Good roads. Few large cities. Wyoming and Montana are quite sparsely populated. Few places to stop and eat, or get fuel or groceries, and there's those darn mountains to contend with .. plan ahead.
- Places of note: Ayres Natural Bridge - county park in Woming - beautiful, peaceful, free camping, We would love to camp there, but 30 ft RV limit and absolutely NO PETS, can't even leave them in your car.
- (There's also a great county park in Shelley Idaho (North Bingham County Park) , if you happened to come back that route, as we did).
- We almost always stop to pay respects at the Ludlow Massacre Memorial between Trinidad and Walsenburg, a mile or so west off I-25, well marked (RVTW takes a weird route which we ignore and just take the Ludlow exit). Lovely place, good interpretive display, plenty of turnaround space, parking in shade is possible. The Ludlow ghost town is just south of the memorial, but in ruins.
We have taken several different routes through Wyoming and Montana and had no significant issues anywhere, except for finding places to eat breakfast, once.
I do strongly recommend three resources:
Google Earth to scope out roads and camping,
Rest Area app - great resource - lots of good rest areas on 287 between Fort Worth and Amarillo.
Road conditions websites: IMPORTANT: find a website for each state (they differ) to check road conditions especially construction which can delay you considerably. There is a stretch between mantras in Gunnison under construction that is extremely rough, and we lost a snap pad there (fortunately still under warranty, and they sent a replacement). there are no reasonable alternative routes and there are many 18 wheelers that take that route, even though part of the zone is VERY bumpy, hard-packed mud.

 

[Timjbo]

We live south of Houston, and have traveled up that way many times, with and without our RV.
Same route, regardless.
We take 288 to I-59 the Harvey Toll Road in Houston, then 45 to 287 in Ennis, then 287 all the way to Amarillo. We pick up US-87 there. It's possible to skirt Amarillo, RVTW should direct you.
From there, Trip Wizard wants to route you through Channing, WHY, I don't know. Narrow, remote country road with no shoulder. Don't do it!
We've always taken 87 north from Amarillo, to Dumas (left turn), Hartley, all the way to Raton, where we pick up I-25. Several beautiful rest areas from Trinidad to Cheyenne.
There are several options after that, so here's some comments:
We try to stick to Interstate highways, (we're a motorhome towing).
If we can't use an Interstate, we try to a US highway, 4-lane divided. But in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, sometimes those are only 2-lane,, but good enough.
Houston, Ft. Worth, and Denver are no fun - be sure to time your passing through, to avoid rush hours. We just follow the route RVTW lays out through Ft Worth (no fun, watch signs, review in advance)
North of Denver, in Ft Collins, RVTW might route you on US-287 to Laramie. It's a scenic, interesting drive, decent road, but not fun for a motorhome towing going through Ft Collins downtown, so we go through Cheyenne instead.
I can give you our routes through Wyoming and Montana, but there are few options, and we had no issues with RVTW routing - it's pretty rural, and desolate in many places. Good roads. Few large cities. Wyoming and Montana are quite sparsely populated. Few places to stop and eat, or get fuel or groceries, and there's those darn mountains to contend with .. plan ahead.
- Places of note: Ayres Natural Bridge - county park in Woming - beautiful, peaceful, free camping, We would love to camp there, but 30 ft RV limit and absolutely NO PETS, can't even leave them in your car.
- (There's also a great county park in Shelley Idaho (North Bingham County Park) , if you happened to come back that route, as we did).
- We almost always stop to pay respects at the Ludlow Massacre Memorial between Trinidad and Walsenburg, a mile or so west off I-25, well marked (RVTW takes a weird route which we ignore and just take the Ludlow exit). Lovely place, good interpretive display, plenty of turnaround space, parking in shade is possible. The Ludlow ghost town is just south of the memorial, but in ruins.
We have taken several different routes through Wyoming and Montana and had no significant issues anywhere, except for finding places to eat breakfast, once.
I do strongly recommend three resources:
Google Earth to scope out roads and camping,
Rest Area app - great resource - lots of good rest areas on 287 between Fort Worth and Amarillo.
Road conditions websites: IMPORTANT: find a website for each state (they differ) to check road conditions especially construction which can delay you considerably. There is a stretch between mantras in Gunnison under construction that is extremely rough, and we lost a snap pad there (fortunately still under warranty, and they sent a replacement). there are no reasonable alternative routes and there are many 18 wheelers that take that route, even though part of the zone is VERY bumpy, hard-packed mud.

Awesome,
Thanks so much for the info. Good to hear from you. Stay well

 

[DKRITTER]

I completely agree with bpaikman.​

A few notes;
There is a nice City Park in Henrietta and Dumas. For a quick stop over if needed.
Out of Amarillo several Maps will tell you to take 1061 (Boys Ranch Road) to 385 and up to Hartley, don't do that. Go up to Dumas and then over to Hartley, much , much better road for a camper.
If you have a Toll Tag, use it.

 

[Timjbo]

I completely agree with bpaikman.​

A few notes;
There is a nice City Park in Henrietta and Dumas. For a quick stop over if needed.
Out of Amarillo several Maps will tell you to take 1061 (Boys Ranch Road) to 385 and up to Hartley, don't do that. Go up to Dumas and then over to Hartley, much , much better road for a camper.
If you have a Toll Tag, use it.

Thank you very much

 

[bpaikman]

I completely agree with bpaikman.​

A few notes;
There is a nice City Park in Henrietta and Dumas. For a quick stop over if needed.
Out of Amarillo several Maps will tell you to take 1061 (Boys Ranch Road) to 385 and up to Hartley, don't do that. Go up to Dumas and then over to Hartley, much , much better road for a camper.
If you have a Toll Tag, use it.

Do you mean Hapgood RV Park in Henrietta and Texhoma RV Park in Dumas?
And I totally agree about avoiding Channing, our maps lead us north on 287(87) out of A,arillo toward Dumas, but just north of Masterson, it tries to turn us left onto 354 and head west to Channing, then north to Hartley. It makes zero sense.
We think someone employed by Google maps has relatives in Channing, and is trying to direct business that way.

 

[DKRITTER]

Do you mean Hapgood RV Park in Henrietta and Texhoma RV Park in Dumas?
And I totally agree about avoiding Channing, our maps lead us north on 287(87) out of A,arillo toward Dumas, but just north of Masterson, it tries to turn us left onto 354 and head west to Channing, then north to Hartley. It makes zero sense.
We think someone employed by Google maps has relatives in Channing, and is trying to direct business that way.

Yes, I think there is a fee for Hapgood but, Texoma is free from what I hear.

I agree taking 354 doesn't make any sense. Go to Dumas and then turn left. 87 between Dumas and Hartley is an excellent road.

 

[bpaikman]

Yes, I think there is a fee for Hapgood but, Texoma is free from what I hear.

I agree taking 354 doesn't make any sense. Go to Dumas and then turn left. 87 between Dumas and Hartley is an excellent road.

darn I wish I had known about Texhoma being free - we have stayed one night at the Corral RV park in Dalhart - nice park but not free.