Road Trip Tips?

Hello TW, been lurking on the site since i joined just haven’t participated in much discussion.

however!

My girlfriend and I are planning a road trip from Mobile, AL to Rifle, CO in a few months and are taking the trusty taco for the journey.

Purpose of this thread is to get help on a couple topics:
1. a decent bed tent to use (short bed)- it will only be used 2-3 times for the trip but i want something quality without spending the same amount i would if we stayed at the Four Seasons.

2. a place to camp around Amarillo where we can either just park (away from the interstate) and set up for the night, or a campground where i can just pop up the tent you guys recommended above. I’ve looked at Palo Duro since it’s almost directly on our path but i don’t need electricity or water for the night. I know they offer primitive spots and that was what we were looking for but i figured we could consult the experts first.

any other 4000 mile round trip tips are appreciated as it’s going to be the farthest drive either of us have ever taken! thanks!

 

My wife and I have done several ~2500-mile trips in our taco and they have been great. I can't speak to your first two questions specifically but as "general tips" I would recommend making sure to have a few jugs/gallons of water on board as well as snacks. Being hungry is no good and fast food is well... We travel with dogs so if you are too make sure to have a portable water bowl and whatever else will make them comfy. We also try to stop every ~2 hours for 5-10 minutes to get out and move around a bit. Really helps make the long stretches less exhausting. Other than that make sure your oil and tire pressures are good before setting out and enjoy the trip! Road trips are the best.

 

Screw sleeping in the bed. My wife have been doing trips like this since 1987. Drove from Ga to Maine earlier this summer. Have done Colorado multiple times as well as Utah, Grand Canyon and Yellowstone.

You want something like this.

Kelty Bodie 6 6-Person Tent | Cabela's (cabelas.com)

I bought the same tent through Costco a couple of years ago closer to $100. A 6 person tent is about right for 2 people. Easy to set up and doesn't take up much space.

Palo Duro Canyon State Park — Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

We stayed there last summer. Highly recommend. Just be aware. Big ass tarantula spiders are all over the place. My grandkids almost stepped on 2-3 of them. I've camped in Yellowstone around grizzly and those spiders freaked me out more than the grizz.

Make sure you stop at the Cadillac ranch. It is free, just park along the frontage road west of Amarillo. Bring some spray paint and have fun.

cadillac ranch texas - Bing images

When you get over 5000' elevation gas stations sell 85 octane as regular. 87 octane is mid-grade. I'd advise staying with 87 octane even though it is more expensive.

There is a lot to do and see in Colorado. If you'll give more details about your route I'll be glad to suggest places to stop or camp.

You don't say your exact route, but the coon dog cemetery in NW Alabama is worth a visit if you're near there. Like another poster stated taking regular breaks is a good idea. My wife navigates and instead of rest stops we try to find interesting points along the way to break up the trip. The coon dog cemetery was a favorite. Much like Cadillac Ranch.

coon dog cemetery alabama - Bing images

 

There are a few forest service grasslands to the north of I-40 that allow camping. Black Kettle is east of Amarillo. Palo Duro is probably the best bet. Seems a shame to only spend a few waking hours there, but in the times I camped there it was enjoyable. Coyotes, deer and turkeys were all over the place, never saw a tarantula there so maybe they have seasonal activity.

Keep cheap hotels in mind, could be miserably hot depending on when you go.

 

I really need glasses. I first read this as "The RUSTY taco". I was like "What's a 1st Genner doing in this forum on a Friday?!"

Oh, and when you get to Amarillo, take 385 to 87 to enter into New Mexico. The views are amazing. Hell, there's so much empty land and scarcely driven roads that you could pull off onto one of the many dirt roads off the highway and sleep for the night.

 

WTF is a road trip? Oh, did you mean to say "overlanding"?

 

I have this one, but keep in mind, whatever is in your truck bed needs to come out. This could he a hassle unless you are packed light, or deciding to store everything inside in truck.

Napier Sportz Vehicle Specific Compact Short Truck Bed Portable 2 Person Outdoor Camping Tent with Optional 4 x 4 Foot Sun Awning, Blue

$300 Napier Sportz Truck Bed Camping Tent - Waterproof 2-Person Tents - Easy to Install in 15 Minutes - Storage Case - Sturdy Camp & Adventure Shelter - Spacious, Secure, Truck Accessories

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VB3W8YG

Other than that, I love it. Easy to put up, and easy to take down.

 

Sleeping under the stars > sleeping in a tent … just check your weather forecast…

 

It's hard for me not to put in a lot of hours/miles to get where I want to be on a trip, but when I have company on a road trip like that, I really cut down on the time in the truck if I can. It really adds a lot of fatigue/stress if you try to bang that distance out in a day or two. At least try to stop and take plenty of breaks. That's all I got. Have a great trip!

 

Check out this write-up re: Amarillo on the dyrt. I have no first hand knowledge on these sites - when I passed through north Texas I just parked the travel trailer at truck stops.

 

I've driven from Lafayette LA, to Denver a couple of times back in the day. Which route are you taking, up through Oklahoma and Kansas then over to Denver, or Across the Panhandle of Texas into New Mexico through Raton Pass into Colorado. I would recommend the 2nd option if I was doing it again. If you have the time, try and do the Pikes Peak drive to the summit, and a route through the Rocky Mt. National Park is well worth the time.

 

#1 piece of advise on a trip like that is:
DO NOT PLAN TO BANG OUT TOO MANY MILES IN A DAY.

This is the thing I always actively have to keep myself from doing on every trip. I've gotten better about it, but I still have to watch myself when I'm planning.

Trust me. You don't want to plan any more than 400-450 miles in a day (and that's still pushing it). Especially if you are going to be breaking/setting up camp every day, and if you want to stop, take in sites on the way. If you plan out too many miles per day, you'll get behind the 8 ball, and start chasing the itinerary, and everything becomes a lot less fun.

Also, remember time zones and that you are going to lose/gain daylight as you go depending on the direction.

 

Just finished a 5k trip in the same region over a couple weeks.
8 hour drive times end up as 10 hour days once you factor in gas and food stops. But if its hot/humid and you are tent camping then you dont want to finish your driving day too early anyways. Get the gas buddy app, it helps to plan your gas stops. When I need a shower I would stay at a Campground. Gas station drinksare expensive if you dont do the soda fountain. So I would dip into town and get snacks and drinks at a grocery store.

I change my oil and rotate my tires the week before I leave. Then recheck lug nut torque the day you leave. That gives me plenty of time to fix a leak or have a tire rebalanced. I check my rear diff fluid level. Top off winshield washer fluid, gas stations still arent at full inventory like precovid so when I was looking for a jug I ended going to a walmart.

Make sure your spare has proper pressure and you know how to use the factory jack. I carry a plug kit but if you havent used one it may be too much to deal with along a busy highway. I also carry a can of fixaflat and a small compressor. I was blocked in my lane and couldnt swerve so I ran over a piece of roofing and picked up nails in both tires on that side, so with just a spare I would have had a bad day.

 

Get a membership at a national gym like Planet Fitness where you can use any location to shower. It’s like $24/month and it’ll save a lot of hassle findings a hotel or rest stop to shower/shave/refresh.

They are also 24hr gyms so you can technically park there overnight if you’re not able to find another location to park.

oh and no contract so you can technically just sign up, use it for your trip, and then cancel afterwards. You only need to get 1 membership, and the other person will be the “guest”

 

use the Upside app to save money on gas. saved 45 cents a gallon on my last fillup

 

If he's going to Rifle, RMNP would be a significant detour. Pikes is probably doable if he comes up from NM. CO Springs > Buena Vista > Aspen > Rifle would be a good drive.

 

I’ve made a similar trip about 50 times over the last 30+ years because I have family in Mobile and Oklahoma and I may be biased but I’d avoid Texas. Coming out of Mobile take 98 to Hattiesburg then 49 up to Jackson Mississippi. You have a choice then to add 100 miles to your trip heading north to Memphis and catching I40 or continuing on to Vicksburg on I 20. If you go through Louisiana and southern Arkansas be advised the police there have nothing better to do than harass out of state drivers with their speed traps, I got that on Christmas Eve one time. Next you’ll hit Little Rock then Oklahoma City and finally Amarillo. I like Jackson,Vicksburg,Little Rock because of the state parks and civil war sites and you can venture off onto secondary roads through the Ozarks. Heading west it flattens out not much to see. The drive through panhandle of Oklahoma is hellish and boring but you will come out near Black Mesa and be able to see 4 states from that position. Right into New Mexico and Colorado. Pikes peak is within driving distance from there. If you went west instead you might check out Ouray Colorado and that is definitely worth looking at. Avoid brown town aka Denver. If you aren’t a member of AAA consider it because they can advise on all the things you need to know such as quickest way to get there , scenic drives, national parks,state parks, camp grounds, all the known speed traps, gas stations, food and lodging, They will plan out the entire trip to your wants and needs for free just for the asking.

 

If you're going through Amarillo then you are probably heading NW from there toward Raton NM. If you're wanting to get to Rifle ASAP stay on I25 until Denver, then I70 west to Rifle. If you want a more scenic route get off the interstate in Walsenburg and head west on 160. Lathrop state park is a good place to spend a night.

Lathrop State Park (Walsenburg) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (tripadvisor.com)

A few miles west is the Great Sand Dunes NP. Rent a surf board and enjoy.

Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

A little farther west there is plenty of free national forest camping near South Fork

Microsoft Bing Travel - South Fork

Take a detour north from South Fork to see Creede. Bill Ford (the guy who killed Jesse James) was murdered in Creede in a revenge killing. He was buried there, but his body has since been moved.

creede colorado - Bing images

Drive Bachelor loop road. It is a loop that comes back to Creede. It is a dirt road. There is one spot where it is steep on loose gravel where 4X4 might be helpful, but for the most part is 4X2 accessible.

bachelor loop creede - Bing images

Cross Wolf Creek pass into Pagosa Springs. Very scenic and one of the steepest passes in Colorado.

C.W. McCall - Wolf Creek Pass - YouTube

Drive to Durango then north on 550 to Silverton

silverton colorado - Bing images

Then the Million Dollar highway to Ouray. Lot of steep drops, no guardrails.

million dollar highway - Bing images

Enjoy the hot springs in Ouray. You'll need to relax after the drive from Silverton.

ouray colorado hot springs - Bing images

Or if you're more adventurous a clothing optional hot spring just a little north in Ridgeway. I've never personally been but know people who have.

Home - Orvis Hot Springs

If you are really adventurous there are tons of 4X4 trails in the Silverton/Ouray area. Yankee Boy Basin is one of the milder runs

ouray colorado yankee boy basin trail - Bing images

Or there is black bear pass

Jeep Wrangler Falls off BLACK BEAR PASS ! - Bing video

From Ouray head north to Montrose then back to I70. Then east to Rifle. The ride from Rifle back to Denver is pretty scenic for an interstate. It is pretty common to see big horn sheep close to the road. Glenwood Springs is a decent place to rest. Doc Holliday is buried there. The 1st exit eastbound is a rest area and trailhead to Hanging Lake. A worthwhile hike.

hanging lake colorado - Bing images

Then back to Denver and home. Or you could do the loop in reverse. It just depends on how much time you have.

 

this is the route that we planned. not 100% stuck to it as we want to kinda see a few things with a few detours along the way if we are up to it we may go with RMNP.

AAA was one of the first things in our list!
wanted to avoid some of that super boring drive in Oklahoma but it’s definitely an option to keep open since it heads to Black Mesa.

i use it for work since i drive about 600 miles a week and will definitely be using it on the trip! still a somewhat unknown gem!

we are going to get a plug kit and i’m carrying a small portable electric compressor since i can almost fit it under the seats. been i’ll make sure to brush up my knowledge on the jack with the truck before going along with fluids! thanks!

i’m glad you put it in massive bold caps because i would have definitely tried to soldier out 500-600 miles a day. we will probably swap every stop or every other stop to keep fresh and charged. didn’t mention but we will have our dog with us and want to keep her comfortable and not cramped up as well. thanks for drilling it in haha!

We plan on taking the trip in late September/early October so really anything less than 90 degree weather and 90% humidity sounds great honestly

 

Marshall has some pretty good tips for the Colorado part of the trip. Great off-roading in the SW part of the state. First time I did Black Bear was in a Gen 1 Taco in '97, I think. Last time I was wheeling in the area I did Imogene, but that was in my Rubicon. Did it years earlier in a Mitsubishi 4WD pickup too.

If you get to Palo Duro, make sure you do the Lighthouse hike. Great mountain biking there too. Hot though, although tolerable when you'll be there.

Take some time and enjoy yourself while you're there, but if you're young, don't be afraid of longer days. I tend to be goal oriented, so I will push through on a drive to get to the destination. But then, I've always been a robot behind the wheel.