Fort Worth to Crater Lake - Route advice please

[RFP]

Linda and I are hoping to go to Crater Lake National Park and then on to Portland later this year. We intend to make this trip with a several-day stopover in the Durango, Colorado area.

As I look at the maps (God bless Google), I see that the most direct route takes us through a huge chunk of Nevada, and it's the chunk that doesn't look all that interesting (or even capable of supporting life forms, much like huge chunks of Texas!). The 'uninteresting' scenery we can live with for a couple of days, but there remain concerns of 'services' along the way... places to stay, emergency assistance, heck, even fuel stops.

Now that I've gotten old enough to be well-established in geezerhood, I actually think about all the "what ifs" when trip planning, so I'm hoping that someone (or someomes) that have made this trip can offer informed warnings or encouragement.

So, c'mon, help a brother !

Rob

[murreywalker]

How much time do you have.

If you're doing Durango, you should definitely considered Navajo Country and Southern Utah up to I-70.

Straight North, you've got The Tetons and Yellowstone, Then to Glacier and North a bit into The Canadian Rockies.

After that, head West to Crater.

Seen them all and if you're into Geezerhood, I suspect you've got the time and certainly wouldn't want to miss everything in that direction.

Good travels!

[KJRitchie]

Head over to Baker, NV and visit Great Basin NP. The basin and range topography in Nevada is great scenery. Head west on Hwy 50 to Fallon then to Fernley. You can continue west to Reno (where I went to UNR) and head north on 395 to Oregon or head north of Fernley past Pyramid lake into Oregon if you desire real solitude. Life abounds in Nevada.

Kelvin

[TG Twinkie]

If you are going to Durango first. Head north on I-25 to Walsenurg, CO, take Hwy 160 west over La Veta pass thru Alamosa. Continue on Hwy 160 thru South Fork, over Wolf Creek pass.
The Great Sand Dune NP is just north of Alamosa.
This route will be some of the most beautiful country you will drive thru.
When you are ready to leave Durango go west to Cortez then north to Moab, Utah on Hwy 666 and Hwy 191. From there head north to I-70. Then work your way to the northwest via I-15 and I-84, Hwy 6 and 191 are good roads. Hwy 20 west from Ontario, to Bend, OR is good road. Fuel is available in Burns, OR. From Bend head south on Hwy 97.
If you want to avoid Salt Lake City take Hwy 191 to Duchesne the Hwy 40 to Park City, UT.
Travel safe.

[RFP]

Originally Posted by murreywalker

How much time do you have.

If you're doing Durango, you should definitely considered Navajo Country and Southern Utah up to I-70.

Straight North, you've got The Tetons and Yellowstone, Then to Glacier and North a bit into The Canadian Rockies.

After that, head West to Crater.

Seen them all and if you're into Geezerhood, I suspect you've got the time and certainly wouldn't want to miss everything in that direction.

Good travels!

Thank you MW, for the tips! I went to your photo site, and was dazzled by many of your images, many of which brought back great memories. Actually, I've spent countless days in the glorious SE Utah area, and loved every second of it! My [grown] daughter and I have done many father-daughter backpack trips throughout that area, concentrating mainly in the BLM Cedar Mesa canyons. Also, we've spent a lot of time at Chaco, Canyon de Chelly, Navajo National Monument (near Kayenta)... all that stuff. Bluff Utah has kind of been our "home base" for many of these trips... we've been there so much we have developed great friendships with some of the locals.

Again, I really appreciated your photos!

Rob

[Richard Pope]

Take the longest way you can find. I have found that there are no "chunks" of road that don't have some kind of beauty or interest. It is all God's country as far as i am concerned including the people you meet along the way. As "they" say: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." One just has to keep an open mind and clear vision. Enjoy the trip. Crater Lake is so peaceful and beautiful. Sorry to be so philosophical but as a 79 year old geezer, I finally am realizing there are a lot of good things to experience if I take the right attitude with me.