Samak, UT → Salado, TX
35' motorhome towing a Tacoma. Routed around active wildfire zones and New Mexico, avoiding mountain passes and switchbacks, staying under 5.5 hours of driving per day.
Why this route
Avoids the fire zones
Utah's Babylon & Cottonwood fires and Colorado's Snyder, Ferris, Gold Mountain, and Aspen Acres fires are all west of this route. The Aspen Acres Fire in particular burns right along I-25 near Pueblo — this route bypasses Pueblo and Colorado Springs entirely.
Skips New Mexico
Only clips the Oklahoma Panhandle — no NM highway miles, no potholes, and no Raton Pass.
No switchbacks
I-80's high plateau and the US-287 freight corridor are wide, gently-graded roads built for trucks — no hairpins or mountain passes.
Minimal elevation swings
Mostly a steady downhill glide off the Rockies. One bigger — but gradual — drop crossing the Caprock Escarpment on Day 4.
Day-by-Day Breakdown
Gentle roll over the Evanston summit, ending around 6,755 ft. High desert plateau — wide open, no switchbacks. Main factor to watch is wind gusts, not grade.
Western Hills Campground & RV Park
Continuous, gentle downhill glide off the high plains into the Front Range foothills — no climbs, no switchbacks. E-470 (toll road) routes around downtown Denver traffic entirely.
Denver East / Strasburg KOA Holiday
Flattest, most relaxed day of the trip — steady descent across the High Plains on the wide Ports-to-Plains freight corridor, with passing lanes throughout.
Wild Bill's RV Park
Heart Bar Junction RV Park
The one day with real elevation change (~3,150 ft net descent), crossing the Caprock Escarpment between Amarillo and Childress. It's a long graded descent on a wide divided highway — not a mountain pass — but it's the longest driving day, so start a bit earlier if you can. Amarillo or Childress both have full-hookup options if you'd rather split this into two shorter days.
Wichita Falls RV Park
The flattest, easiest day of the whole trip — mostly interstate. I-35 through Fort Worth and Waco can have heavier daytime traffic, so an early or midday start helps.
Trip Summary
| Day | Route | Miles | Drive Time | Elevation Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samak, UT → Rawlins, WY | 258 | ~4h 10m | Minor roll, ~+250 ft net |
| 2 | Rawlins, WY → Strasburg, CO | 275 | ~4h 22m | Steady descent, ~-1,700 ft |
| 3 | Strasburg, CO → Boise City, OK | 269 | ~4h 16m | Gradual descent, ~-890 ft |
| 4 | Boise City, OK → Wichita Falls, TX | 340 | ~5h 24m | Biggest drop, ~-3,150 ft (Caprock) |
| 5 | Wichita Falls, TX → Salado, TX | 270 | ~4h 17m | Flattest day, ~-300 ft |
| Total | 1,412 | ~22h 25m | ||
Stop Checklist
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