Reader’s Corner – Jacksonville to Denver
Reader’s Corner:
This month we’re asking for your suggestions on where to stay while traveling from Jacksonville, FL, to Denver, CO. If you have any suggestions for Joe and Joni, please leave a comment.
Hi there: My husband is 84 and I’m 77. We bought a small RV about 6 months ago and now are hoping (Lord willing) to make a trip from Jacksonville FL to Denver, Co. to our granddaughter’s wedding. At our age we are hoping for some help with safe route and also some inexpensive campsites. We’re wondering if anyone who reads this has done this route that could give us some guidance. We are driving a 2004 Roadtrek and get about 18 miles to the gallon. We plan on taking our time; and not driving too long in a day. We hope to leave about the 26th of May, as the wedding is June 7th. Thanks, Joe and Joni
15 Comments »
Leave a comment
-
Recent
- How to control trailer sway – by Mark Polk, RV Education 101
- RVers share ownership of an RV with others
- Where’s your favorite camping spot?
- BBQ Festivals anyone?
- RVs can be rented directly from owners
- Vintage RV enthusiasts party like it’s 1960
- Renting RV from private owner may be good deal
- Earth-friendly recreational vehicles and accessories on the rise
- RV water system; time to sanitize
- Yellowstone sees drop in summer bookings
- Top Ten RV Fixes for 2008 Alert RVers to Most Called-About Problems
- America’s largest RV Rally set for April in Albuquerque, New Mexico
-
Links
I haven’t made this trip but many others and its always helpful to know that there is a Wal-mart store book that you can purchase. It lists all the Wal-mart and there driving locations. You can stay overnight in most of them for FREE, as long as you don’t look like you have set up camp with the chairs out and the grill. This way, if you get tired, you can always go in and buy supplies(as most of them are 24hr. stores)
Happy Travels to you!
Hello Joe
I just moved from Jacksonville to Colorado Springs, which is just south of Denver.
I drove a truck out of Denver for a while and the rout that I used is this. From Jacksonville on interstate 10 west to Goulf Port Mississippi. From there go north to Jackson Mississippi to interstate 20. This is all four lane. from Jackson go west to Dallas. Dallas is some what comlacated to get through. The route I used was 635 bypass aroung the northside of Dallas and connected with hwy 114 west to hwy 287. The interchange with 114 and 287 is well north of Fort Worth so you don’t have their traffic. However this route has become quite congested. The have chanced the intersection from Interstate 20 and bypass 635 coming into Dallas futher south so by staying on interstate 20 will take you south of Dallas and just befor you get to Fort Worth you take 820 north then onto interstte 35 north just north of Fort Worth. Then with in about 2 miles you intersect with 287. In fact the 820 and 35 are allso 287,which came up from the souht. 287 is four lane to well after Dumas Tx. and goes all the way to Denver. I find it to be a more enjoyable trip to take hwy 97 from Dumas Tx to Raton New Mexico then interstate 25 to Denver close to the frount range of the mountains.
Of corse there is allways another way to get there. This only has two hwys to rember. That is interstate 10 to hwy 287 just in Tx that will take you all thw way to Denver.
I have driven a RV for the last 15 years and was just this last Feb used the 287 to Louisiana to watch my granddaugther preform in her school play. I have used both routes in the RV and injoyed both trips. I have enough family along the way that I have no idea as to where the best campgrounds are to stay at. On long trips I generaly use a camp groung every other night. The other nights I use a RV friendly parking lot. These are becomeing less available.
Check out the state parks websites for each state you will be travelling through. We stayed in state parks in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas (we live in Texas). All the state parks have been really nice and usually not too far off a main path. Also, be sure to have your senior citizen IDs, since most of the parks give a discount. The other parks we have found that work well are Corp of Engineer parks, also available on the internet to look up locations. Lastly, we bought the $5.97 Atlas at Wal-mart. The maps were helpful showing where the state parks are located and the guide to show where the Wal-marts were located and if they had gas or groceries helped us plan our stops better. Good luck!
For a trip like this, we suggest you take a route that is as short as possible and will allow you time and be on the interstate for as long as possible where you will find the most facilities. On the interstate you will pass many towns and cities where you will find Wal-Mart stores that you can stay at for free. There are also many interstate rest areas where you are allowed to overnight park as long as you do not do obvious camping. You miss out on the hookups in this manner, but there is still the option of easily finding KOA or other campgrounds to stop at for hookups.
Go to an RV dealer and pick up a Woodalls or similar book to find the campgrounds along the way. Wherever you stay, it will certainly be less expensive that almost all motels and hotels. Also, being on the interstate, you are not far from help just in case something happens enroute, such as vehicle problems or health problems.
We suggest three possible routes among so many available.
1) Take I-10 to New Orleans, I-55 north to St Louis, then I-70 to Denver.
2) Take I-10 to Houston, I-45 north to Dallas, I-35 Wichita, Kansas, I-135 to Salina, Kansas, then I-70 to Denver.
3) Take I-10 to El Paso, then I-25 north to Denver.
We would personally avoid Dallas unless you have a reason to go through there. We have driven the interstate through Dallas and it is a nightmare, especially if any part of the drive is during a rush hour time frame. You will use up a lot of time there.
There are pros and cons to any route, on or off the interstate, but for safety in the long run, we prefer the interstate.
We wish you a great trip to the beautiful state we live in (not in Denver). With the RV you are traveling in, you will have no problem with parking anywhere at a Wal-Mart, rest areas, or campgrounds.
Have a wonderfully enjoyable trip and you should have plenty of time depending on your miles per day.
Bill & Libby
We stayed at Tampa East campground, it is exit 14 off of I-4. You mentioned you didn’t want to drive too long any one day. I don’t know how far it is from Jacksonville, but I’d estimate it to be about 5 hours. But Tampa EAst is a great place to stay and right off the exit. We stayed there about 6 weeks and really had a great time.
Hello, my husband and I travel for a living and we have a 33ft travel trailer that we drag along with us everywhere we go. If you ae looking for a more scenic route and less interstate take the I10 to the 287 like Doyle WIlliams mentioned. Theres very inexpensive campgrounds in Alabama and texas, I don’t know where you intend to stop, most are anywhere from 15-30 $ a night. If you would like to spend an extra 20$ purchase a book online or at walmart that lists all rv parks across the country and their phone numbers or just do a yellowpages search for whatever city you plan to stay in and make reservations for sure being it is getting to be time for summer vacations and there will be alot of people on the road. Alot of times if you just wanna save the cost of a campground Walmarts parking lots or rest areas are usually RV parking friendly but you would have to find a truck stop or something for a shower. Also if your RV is powered by deisel fuel, plan for fueling up to be very expensive sadly to say, the truck we pull our camper with is a deisel and most deisel prices around the country now is about 4.45 a gallon. Be careful, the roads will be busy with alot of vacationners is why I recommend not taking the interstates, most people are in a hurry to get to their destinations and if you are not in a hurry then the smaller highways are the best and you see alot more things that you would on the interstates. Colorado is beautiful so enjoy the view and congrats on your granddaughters marriage!!
I will be traveling from Wilmington, NC to Fort Collins, Co.
Still searching for the perfect RV. Need a 35′ with slides. Traveling with 3 pets. Need something soon. We are closing on our home on the 28th of May and still do not have the RV. If anyone has any suggestions, please write to me. Thanks. Barbara and Ed
I am in need of some opinions about what truck to buy my wife and i have decided on the style of camper we want so the really big thing is the truck the camper is a slide in type i know that i want a duelly4×4 what company makes the overall best one for dependability 1st comfort 2nd fuel milage 3rd thank you
Hey Jomi,
If you’re in my area, and need a stop for the night (free), my bride and I will accomodate you and yours. I have nine hook-ups (from Katrina) and you can rest here. We are in southern Louisiana right off I-12. Respond by email for details. You’ll be safe and comfortable here.
Dear Joe and Joni,
You did not say which highways or roads you were planning to take. You’re not leaving yourself much time for a leisurely trip and a few days to acclimated to great change in elevation. I think your first concern will be weather. The Rockies are noted for surprise Spring snow storms so you will need to be talking to folks all along the way about the roads conditions ahead. I know this doesn’t answer your questions but weather is going to be your priority. A Wyomingnite.
Hey, Joni,
Gary’s offer sounds pretty nice. If you drive to Destin, FL. Henderson State Park is one of the most beautiful campsites on the gulf. You’ll probably need reservations. I think it is about $21 per night. It is off Highway 98, so you could take the I-10 west to the Destin exits and then Hwy 98 to Henderson St. Park. There is also a Wal Mart nearby.
I would then take Hwy. 98 west to Pensacola and then I-110 North and catch I-10 west to the I-12 exit near New Orleans.
I sold my RV, but drive from Destin to Omaha regularly and go through New Orleans. We take I-55 north from New Orleans to Jackson, then you can take I-20 west. We go west to Hwy 65 and north on Hwy 65 in both northeast Louisiana and southeast Arkansas. Somewhere along there near Lake Village in southeast Arkansas is a campground in a pecan grove across from a lake. It looks lovely with shade, a view of the lake and cool breezes.
We continue on 65 thru Pine Bluff. North of Pine Bluff, Hwy 65 becomes I530 and you can take that thru Little Rock and catch I-40 north of Little Rock. You can stay on I-40 to Ft. Smith and take Interstate 540 north to the Missouri border. A beautiful, winding 4-lane road. In Missouri, it becomes Highway 71 and you can stay on Highway 71 north to I-435 KC bypass which will take you to I-70 west all the way to Denver.
I would stay away from large cities such as Dallas and St. Louis. This route would take you to Denver without going through anything larger than Jackson and Little Rock.
Good luck, and drive safe. All those people who mentioned Wal Mart were right. It’s a great place to stay safely for free and most of them have a deli where you can pick up a breakfast sandwich.
Colleen
Good Sam’s will plan your trip for you giving a very detailed trip. Just go
to Good Sams. com
Cherylene Sorrells
Just a follow-up to my suggestions from before. You did not indicate how experienced in RV traveling. I got the impression that you may be new to this. Also, as to the weather in Colorado, if you are not going to the mountains, you should not have much to worry about. Denver is a mile high, and you may have some shortness of breath, so just take it easy. It is beginning to get a lot warmer here on the Colorado plains and the chance of snow is highly unlikely, though not impossible. We get more stormy weather this time of year into June, but do be prepared for very cool or possibly cold evenings and nights. Bring at least one heavy coat and lighter jacket or sweater. Better prepared than not. The suggestions for staying in Wal-Mart lots are good, but keep in mind that if you plan on using your RV as an RV, you will have no hookups at Wal-Mart, not even electricity, and especially not water, and no place to drain that bad water. You would then have to search for dump sites in the area, probably at nearby campgrounds, most of which you would have to pay to dump. The same type of considerations for rest areas and many state parks. Hookups are not guaranteed. So, it depends on what amenities you are looking for and what you need. My wife and I are younger seniors than you, and we even like to be more comfortable most of the time. With some of the suggestions from others, you may have to do a lot of research before you hit the road. All their ideas are great, but it sounds like you would just prefer a comfortable and speedy trip. And my wife and I wish you a comfortable and safe and memorable trip. Happy camping.
Bill & Libby
I don’t know if you are an Elks Member, but many Elks Lodges have camping available as well as food.
My Husband is 77 and we just got back from a trip in out 30′travel trailer with a large slide. Your age will not hold you back, it is only a number. With good health on your side, and an insurance policy that will help you if you do happen to have health problems, you should be able to enjoy your trip safely. Their are many tow policies that will cover your engine and your health if you need help with either.
Enjoy your trip. Try and take your time coming home. Congratulations on your purchase and have many happy trips.
My wife and I have been hosting at Eisenhower State Park North of Dallas for almost a year now. Everytime I suggest moving on she says “I want to stay here”. Park is right on Lake Texoma about 30 miles from I35 at Gainesville. 60 miles north of Dallas along I75. If you take the Dallas route and would like to get off the intersate a couple of days its a great place to relax. Weekends are FULL but almost no one but hosts during the week. check http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/eisenhower/ for more information.