Denver to Amarillo Truck Route?

I've done both, and 287 is still the better option imo. Was running pretty frequently from Denver to Houston.

 

During certain conditions, you'll have more high cross winds along I-25 to Pueblo. Also have Raton summit to deal with. Otherwise Raton to Dalhart is pretty easy, plus less 2-lane than 287 option.

I prefer Raton route just for sentimental reasons I won't go into.

 

Your second option has the pass on I-25 getting to New Mexico. It will also route you through traffic getting past Pueblo, which can be an issue, depending on time of day. I might consider that route if I could run it at night, but then why not run the first route at night with little traffic?

The route through Lamar, CO can be a pain if you are stuck during daylight hours behind slow mega carriers, or Farmer Bob in a deep conversation with his dog Bo running 45 mph in his vintage pickup truck. You have to pick your poison.

 

Yea, in my personal vehicle I take 25 (I live in Denver, while wife and I have family in South Texas), but since I only ran 70 in my company truck 287 was a better fit. I also don't mind doing a few over in the small towns to get past the steering wheel holding #######es.

 

287 is the main route for that trip. It's pretty good for a trip.

Let's find out what made 287 slow to you lately? I used to do a great deal of Denver to Ft Worth and 287 was a good road with the exception of construction in the early 2000's in some of the towns along that route back then.

 

1-70, 287 thru Kit Carson and Lamar, all the way down through Dumas then Amarillo.

Why go through Raton and the mountains? It's shorter to go through Lamar and the drive is pleasant

 

X1, it's due to all of the company trucks running 63 and under. The days of hitting the shoulder (where it is more than wide enough) for a faster truck to pass you is unfortunately in the past for these new "drivers".