Austin Texas to Colorado - Montana Owners Club

cgaskins · 05-22-2011, 11:24 AM

Well our big summer vacation RV trip is almost here. (The main reason we upgraded to the the 2011 F250 Diesel and a 5th wheel camper.) We are traveling to Colorado with our Keystone Montana 5th wheel camper for 2 weeks. We will be gone for 2 weeks. While we travel a fair bit around Texas to Texas State Parks, this wil be our first long haul RV trip and our first time going through mountainous areas with the 5th wheel. So, I was looking for any advice or words of wisdom...

Here is our route info:
Travel from Austin, Texas to Caprock Canyons State Park. Here is where I need some road advice. Heading north out of Abilene, it looks like there are two choices for roads up to Caprock Canyon State Park - Texas Highway 70 or US Highway 83. Has anyone here made this treck and any advice on the best route with a 38 foot 5th wheel that weighs abou 11,500 lbs?

From Caprock Canyons we travel up to Canon City, Colorado and the Royal Gorge area. The route here is pretty straight forward (get over to I-25 and go north).

From Canon City, we go to Colorado Springs. Again, looks like like an easy treck.

From Colorado Springs we head up to Estes Park. I was planning on taking the I-25 up to Longmont then 36 into Estes Park. Any thoughts or advice on this?

Finally coming home is just a long treck back the way we came unless someone has some better ideas.

Thanks,
Chris

stiles watson · 05-22-2011, 02:03 PM

We just made a similar trip from Temple, Texas. We traveled from Amarillo to Dumas and Dahlhart, then across to Texline and into NM to Clayton and on to Raton to pick up I 25 to all points north. There was some construction along this route.

padredw · 05-22-2011, 02:25 PM

We follow the exact same route from Amarillo as Stiles has indicated. We make this route a couple of times every year.

cgaskins · 05-22-2011, 02:51 PM

Thanks for the info guys... I was looking at Google Earth and the Street View and noticed that the underpass (under the train tracks in Dalhart) is only 13 feet 6 inches... That is a little troublesome as I believe I am at 13 feet 6 inches on my 2007 3400RL (with dual AC units). Is there another way around that without driving out of the way too much?

BB_TX · 05-22-2011, 02:55 PM

We go to Colorado every summer, but starting from north of Dallas we get to Amarillo up US 287.
But a quick look at google maps streetview and also google earth, TX 70 and US 83 appear pretty much equal. You can (virtually) travel the entire route on google maps and look and judge for yourself if no one can advise from personal experience.
At Amarillo, we typically go west on I-40 to Vega and north on US 385 picking up US 87 in Hartley. Slightly further but eliminates going thru Amarillo (except on the interstate) and the lower speed limits and traffic lights at Dumas. Also heard there is some construction on US 87 as you head west out of Dumas.
If looking for a quick overnighter, there is a small RV park at the very top of Raton Pass, Cedar Rail RV Park. Great views. We typically overnight there on our way up. Only
about 25 sites and not all are long enough for you, so you might call ahead if you are interested.

BB_TX · 05-22-2011, 03:01 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by cgaskins

Thanks for the info guys... I was looking at Google Earth and the Street View and noticed that the underpass (under the train tracks in Dalhart) is only 13 feet 6 inches... That is a little troublesome as I believe I am at 13 feet 6 inches on my 2007 3400RL (with dual AC units). Is there another way around that without driving out of the way too much?

I am going to have to admit that I traveled that route 3 years pulling the Monte before I noticed that clearance sign. There are so many 5ers much larger than me that travel that route I never even considered there to be a clearance issue. I don't have a second air, but my vent covers are almost that high. A good friend with a 3295RK with second air also travels that route every year with no problem. And I have never seen any spare parts laying on or beside the highway at the location.

stiles watson · 05-22-2011, 06:10 PM

I can't remember even going under an underpass at Dahlhart. I wasn't towing on this trip, so I might have without noticing. It is always a good idea to check, but as much truck traffic as goes through there, there has to be a work around for the low clearance bridge.

One time my GPS tried to route me under a bridge with 10' 9" clearance. I caught it in time and had a place to turn around. We used plan "B".

BB_TX · 05-23-2011, 04:37 AM

Looked at google street view again. They have raised it to 13'-7" now so you have an extra inch to work with.

There are so many large 5ers go thru there I would not worry about it. But it would probably scare you death if you stood to the side and watched your rig go under at 30 mph.

kylec2 · 05-23-2011, 06:27 AM

We follow the same route Stiles described. If you are worried about clearance in Dalhart, you can detour south about three blocks in town and go under a different railroad overpass that is 14' 6 " I believe.

padredw · 05-23-2011, 08:28 AM

We have gone through that underpass more times than I can count, but my rig may not be as "tall" as some. The last time I came up from that underpass, we had smoke rising from the trailer. BUT. . . it had nothing to do with the underpass. Had a broken spring and the tires were rubbing and close to ignition.

That's another story, but remembering that underpass brings back that disturbing picture again.

timandsusan · 05-23-2011, 02:50 PM

I strongly recommend that you measure the height of the front AC with the Monty hooked to the truck. I have a front AC on my 2006 3475RL. I can clear anything higher than 13' without any problem (a few inches to spare). I use a PostIt note with the height of my Monty on it stuck on the dash of my truck. Keeps a solid reminder in front of me in case I have a senior moment at the wrong time!

sailer · 05-23-2011, 03:31 PM

Nice looking truck ;; Don't forget to take a jug of DEF with you if you run short as I did and the truck ran but the ford garage never filled the unit so the millage went down to 9 mpg and didn't run rite so now i carrey a gal jug extra with me as they say it usses more DEF when towing .. sailer

sailer · 05-23-2011, 03:33 PM

By the way did yoy add air bags yet , it will level your ride when towing with the F250 ;;; sailer

cgaskins · 05-23-2011, 04:10 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by sailer

Nice looking truck ;; Don't forget to take a jug of DEF with you if you run short as I did and the truck ran but the ford garage never filled the unit so the millage went down to 9 mpg and didn't run rite so now i carrey a gal jug extra with me as they say it usses more DEF when towing .. sailer

Yeah, I have a 2.5 gallon jug I keep in the 5er. Thanks for the tip though.

-Chris

cgaskins · 05-23-2011, 04:13 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by sailer

By the way did yoy add air bags yet , it will level your ride when towing with the F250 ;;; sailer

Yup. I installed my airbags back in February. They made a world of difference!!

-Chris

cgaskins · 05-23-2011, 04:15 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by timandsusan

I strongly recommend that you measure the height of the front AC with the Monty hooked to the truck. I have a front AC on my 2006 3475RL. I can clear anything higher than 13' without any problem (a few inches to spare). I use a PostIt note with the height of my Monty on it stuck on the dash of my truck. Keeps a solid reminder in front of me in case I have a senior moment at the wrong time!

Yeah, I need to measure again now that I have airbags and the TrailAir hitch. I wonder what other people that have a 2007 3400RL are at height wise... When I am hooked up now it looks fairly level.

-Chris

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