Route help!! Minnesota to Tucson Az

Cloudteaser · 10-21-2017, 05:32 PM

I am going to be towing my 33 ft fifth wheel for the first time from northern Minnesota to Tucson Az leaving right after Thanksgiving November 24th. Any suggested routes that would make it an easier trip at this time of the year. Will be coming back home April 1st. Thanks

Schvarak · 10-21-2017, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cloudteaser

I am going to be towing my 33 ft fifth wheel for the first time from northern Minnesota to Tucson Az leaving right after Thanksgiving November 24th. Any suggested routes that would make it an easier trip at this time of the year. Will be coming back home April 1st. Thanks

Where in northern Minnesota? Either I 35 thru Kansas City or I 29 thru Omaha more hilly terrain thru colorado that way. But if Minneapolis is on your way then Kansas City route would be the best
Here's a little more detail
I 29(Omaha) and OR I 35. to Kansas City
I 335/ I 35 to Oklahoma City
I 40 to Albuquerque
I 25 to Las Cruces
I 10 to Tucson

All interstates!!

Cloudteaser · 10-21-2017, 07:32 PM

I will be leaving from Two Harbors Mn, north east of Duluth Mn

Schvarak · 10-21-2017, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cloudteaser

I will be leaving from Two Harbors Mn, north east of Duluth Mn

Disregard the omaha route unless you really want to go to Denver and or Colorado Springs. I 40 west of New Mexico is one pot hole after another! Avoid it unless you want to go to the Grand Canyon.

Cloudteaser · 10-21-2017, 07:49 PM

Is I 40 pot holes in all of New Mexico or only west of Albuquerque?

Schvarak · 10-21-2017, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cloudteaser

Is I 40 pot holes in all of New Mexico or only west of Albuquerque?

No just I 40 in AZ. We stayed in The USA Rv Park in Gallup NM on our way to the Grand Canyon. Nice park for a reasonable cost! You'd have to navigate the Pot holes until you get to Flagstaff, Az though. [emoji16]

WFD · 10-21-2017, 07:57 PM

I-40 and I-25 to Las Cruces and to I-10 is a very good suggestion...nice Interstates...I take I29 to Hwy 50 south of Sioux Falls and go over to 81 and run it South all the way till it runs into 135 in KS to HWY61 in McPherson to catch 54 in Pratt and run it all the way to Tucumcari on I40...saves you about 175 miles instead of running to OK City...54 has a lot of 2 lane, but they have added a lot of 4 lane sections as well and there are numerous passing lanes....if you are a purely Interstate kind of driver than go Omaha to I-80 to 81 and 135 down to OK city....I would avoid I-29 to Kansas City, taking you further east.

Schvarak · 10-21-2017, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WFD

I-40 and I-25 to Las Cruces and to I-10 is a very good suggestion...nice Interstates...I take I29 to Hwy 50 south of Sioux Falls and go over to 81 and run it South all the way till it runs into 135 in KS to HWY61 in McPherson to catch 54 in Pratt and run it all the way to Tucumcari on I40...saves you about 175 miles instead of running to OK City...54 has a lot of 2 lane, but they have added a lot of 4 lane sections as well and there are numerous passing lanes....if you are a purely Interstate kind of driver than go Omaha to I-80 to 81 and 135 down to OK city....I would avoid I-29 to Kansas City, taking you further east.

He's in the far northeastern Minnesota, won't come anywhere near I 29. I used to live in Omaha.

WFD · 10-21-2017, 08:08 PM

If you are going to Tucson, no point going west of Alb. on I-40, for one thing elevation starts to climb and you can get easily hit bad weather. I-25 south of Alb down to Las cruces is a very nice highway, actually you don't even need to go to Las Cruces...take 26 in Hatch to Demming...it's 50 miles of 2 lane, but good highway, not crazy traffic , and you will cut off about 45 miles and avoid Las cruces.

WFD · 10-21-2017, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schvarak

He's in the far northeastern Minnesota, won't come anywhere near I 29. I used to live in Omaha.

Sorry...stand corrected, saw Northern MN which is where I start from, but the far west end of it right by I-29.

Schvarak · 10-21-2017, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WFD

If you are going to Tucson, no point going west of Alb. on I-40, for one thing elevation starts to climb and you can get easily hit bad weather. I-25 south of Alb down to Las cruces is a very nice highway, actually you don't even need to go to Las Cruces...take 26 in Hatch to Demming...it's 50 miles of 2 lane, but good highway, not crazy traffic , and you will cut off about 45 miles and avoid Las cruces.

I'm an interstate person, that's why I recommended I 25 [emoji4] I 40 west of Albuquerque would be a waste unless you want to go to the Grand Canyon. We just made that trip in September.[emoji847]
We also spent a couple nights at the AF Academy and Offutt AFB on our way to Lake of the Ozarks military campground (talk about pretty)!!!

WFD · 10-21-2017, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schvarak

I'm an interstate person, that's why I recommended I 25 [emoji4] I 40 west of Albuquerque would be a waste unless you want to go to the Grand Canyon. We just made that trip in September.[emoji847]

I-25 is very nice south of Albuquerque, and it often warms up quick there...if he was going to Phoenix then I-40 west of Alb to Holbrook may make sense.

Cloudteaser · 10-21-2017, 08:26 PM

Thank you very much for your help..

Schvarak · 10-21-2017, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WFD

I-25 is very nice south of Albuquerque, and it often warms up quick there...if he was going to Phoenix then I-40 west of Alb to Holbrook may make sense.

I had to switch lanes very often to avoid the pot holes. Glad there wasn't much traffic either way.

Schvarak · 10-21-2017, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cloudteaser

Thank you very much for your help..

Glad we could be a help to y'all! Have a safe trip whichever way you go. Lots of pretty country out there!!

WFD · 10-21-2017, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schvarak

I had to switch lanes very often to avoid the pot holes. Glad there wasn't much traffic either way.

We are headed to Phoenix in Feb, and was thinking I-40 to Holbrook...so does the pothole riddled highway start right after Albuquerque?

Schvarak · 10-21-2017, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WFD

We are headed to Phoenix in Feb, and was thinking I-40 to Holbrook...so does the pothole riddled highway start right after Albuquerque?

No, just after you cross the state line into AZ. My brother is an asphalt guy in Mesa I kidded him about all the potholes! New Mexico was a pleasure to drive in! Pretty scenery!!

papakilo · 10-22-2017, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WFD

If you are going to Tucson, no point going west of Alb. on I-40, for one thing elevation starts to climb and you can get easily hit bad weather. I-25 south of Alb down to Las cruces is a very nice highway, actually you don't even need to go to Las Cruces...take 26 in Hatch to Demming...it's 50 miles of 2 lane, but good highway, not crazy traffic , and you will cut off about 45 miles and avoid Las cruces.

I have taken the above route many times and highly endorse.
Pete

Grampa Jim · 10-22-2017, 12:52 PM

If you want to get out of the north before it gets too cold, I'd recommend taking IH 35 all the way to San Antonio,,,,and get on IH 10 there. Texas highways are some of the best maintained highways in the country.

Chip1955 · 10-22-2017, 09:14 PM

If you don't mind some 2 lane, you can cut more than 100 miles off the recommended I35 to OKC, I40 to ALB, and I25 South to Hatch, by taking US54 from Wichita, KS to Tucumcari, NM. There are places where the highway isn't in the best shape (OK & TX) especially, but we've driven it for years and don't mind it at all. I especially like not driving that extra 100+ miles.

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