Little Rock to Big Bend N.P. routes

[Landrum]

I was hoping to get some info on road conditions between Little Rock and Big Bend National Park. We will be heading that way in a few weeks, and I'm trying to plan our route. I really just need info on routes from Dallas to Big Bend since there is really only one option for Little Rock to Dallas which is I30.

From Dallas I can continue on I20 or cut south through Brownwood and San Angelo. Does anyone have experience/opinions on those routes? If I20 is primarily concrete I would prefer to avoid since they are so uncomfortable in my TV/AS combo.

Thanks for your help.

[pago cruiser]

Just saw your post when I logged in at work whilst going over to the Land Yacht forum.

We just visited BBNP. No recommendations on the path going to, but once you are on the eastern leg (southbound) of the approach (there is an east and west entry to the park, both running north-south) , the road has a lot of "whoop de doos". Small hill, valley, small hill, valley, located very, very close together. So close your suspension can start resonating, causing serious up/down fast motions.

There is one that is particularly nasty - It's the one in a 45MPH that is preceeded with a "Caution - Rough Road" sign. I slowed to 30 - it was not enough. Our 5000 lb front end was slightly airborne, and we damaged our front end upon landing.

Other than that, a great park, in a great environment!

[Landrum]

Thanks for the tip.


Sent im no idea iurseqrom my iPhone using Airstream Forumsjer to u

[Landrum]

Wow......where the heck did my signature come from??

[CanonFan]

Landrum,

My wife and I always prefer to go to Big Bend by going down through Brownwood and San Angelo. The route we usually take is:

South on 377 from Fort Worth to Brownwood.
West on 84 from Brownwood to Santa Anna.
South on 67 from Santa Anna to I10.
West on I10 to Fort Stockton.
South from Fort Stockton on 385 which takes you directly into the north entrance to BBNP.

We went out I20 once when going out to BBNP, but we really don't like that route (even though it is a faster route). We prefer to travel more of the back roads than interstate.

Have a good and safe trip!

[Relaytest]

Some what off topic, but, last spring we were heading towards BBNP after stops in Missouri Arkansas and the Dallas area. It was getting late in the afternoon and I had had enough. I had read good reviews of The Lost Alaskan RV park in Alpine TX so we decided to head that way and call it a day.
We got ourselves situated, leveled, etc. and then opened the door. What a surprise. The sun and fresh air were streaming in through a nice hole in the roof.
We had lost one of our skylights in transit. I have no idea just where it happened but be on the lookout if you need a used skylight.

[eggman]

you may already know this , but the construction on I 30 , west bound esp., between Hope and Texarkana is horrendous... family sat dead stopped for 2hrs + Thursday. best to get off at hope and drive on old highway 67 all the way to Texarkana.

[rvb]

If you decide to go thru Dallas, I would go South on I-635 East of town which will turn into I-20 and run around the South side of Dallas & Ft Worth. I live between the cities and always prefer to go around instead of thru Dallas!

Also a little over an hour south of DFW on I-35 in Hillsboro is the North Texas Airstream Community (NTAC) and you can stay there with full hook ups if you have an Airstream. It is $15/ night if you are a WBCCI member and is probably only slightly more if not, level concrete pads, nice people, WiFi, DFW over air TV and a nice library and movies you can check out.

[Starstream]

If you want to consider another interstate route, you could take I-45 from Dallas down toward Houston. The Grand Parkway is mostly complete now. It would take you from just south of The Woodlands all the way to I-10 just east of Katy. It is a toll-road that is tag only, but it looks like Texas is getting more, not less of those. The Harris County Toll Road Authority has a website concerning their tags, so I image the Texas Toll Authority does to. It might be worth taking a look to see where in the state all the toll roads are and if any could be utilized whenever you're traveling thru Texas. The tolls are usually kept well maintained, and sometimes they have a lot less traffic than the interstates, especially when you get into the big cities. (During non-rush hour we got from Spring to Katy in about 45 minutes. That is a record in this area.)

[Landrum]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

[InterBlog]

We have been multiple times and we usually take the road south from Fort Stockton. FYI, there's a large border control station on that road, out there in the middle of nowhere. We always have our passports with us. People have different opinions on that, and some believe they should not be required to prove themselves inside their own country, yada yada, but I'm about path of least resistance myself. So we take them just in case.

[fbgairstream]

I would take 20 from Dallas to hico Tx. Then stay on 281 to Johnson city Tx. Then take 29o to Fredericksburg Tx. ( great winery between Jc and Fbg ). Then about 30miles west of Fbg you will hit I 10. The road from hico Tx to I 10 is great. And very scenic. Fredericksburg Tx is a great place to stop .

[CanonFan]

I20 is all concrete. Also, I had to travel out to Abilene earlier this year (about April) and there was a lot of highway construction between Fort Worth and Abilene. I don't know the current status of construction on that freeway since I haven't been out that way since.

[Landrum]

Sounds like good ideas. I'll likely get to try a couple of these options since we may go and come on slightly different routes. We will actually start at Fort Davis and will likely leave BBNP. Anybody know if I10 or I20 is concrete? I really hate driving on concrete interstates....

[J. Morgan]

As a rule, most Texas roads are pretty darn good, and concrete as a rule is limited to metro Interstates and metro toll roads.


Gradiens super tenui glacie.

[J. Morgan]

In my experience, all Texas state and federal highways are more than fit for travel and well maintained.


Gradiens super tenui glacie.

[CanonFan]

Both I10 and I20 are concrete.

[J. Morgan]

Parts of I-10 and I-20 are concrete, mostly in and near metro areas, but far and away, most of these two interstate highways are asphalt.


Gradiens super tenui glacie.

[rvb]

Originally Posted by fbgairstream

I would take 20 from Dallas to hico Tx. Then stay on 281 to Johnson city Tx. Then take 29o to Fredericksburg Tx. ( great winery between Jc and Fbg ). Then about 30miles west of Fbg you will hit I 10. The road from hico Tx to I 10 is great. And very scenic. Fredericksburg Tx is a great place to stop .

I-20 doesn't go thru Hico, TX. You have to take 281 and head South thru Stephenville, TX. Hico does have a nice city park with water and 30A electric hookups for $20/night. We had a rally there earlier this year.