There is a moment, somewhere past the last Dallas exit, when the city finally lets go and US-287 and I-25 opens up ahead of you. That is the start of one of the most driven routes in America: roughly 790 miles and 12 hours of wheel time to Denver. Done right, it is not a slog. It is a string of good towns, better food stops and a couple of sights worth the detour.
Open this route in XCRSNLeaving Dallas
Aim to clear Dallas before the morning rush, or after it, never in it. Fill the tank on the edge of town where prices usually drop, set the playlist, and settle in for the first 378 miles to Amarillo.
The headline stop on this route is Cadillac Ranch. Leave real time for it; it sets the tone for the whole trip.
Amarillo
Amarillo sits about 378 miles in. It is the natural place to stop for the night: hotels are plentiful, rates beat the big-city ends of the route, and you wake up with the hardest miles already behind you.
Nearby, Palo Duro Canyon detour is worth the short detour if the day is going well.
Pueblo, the last stretch
Pueblo sits about 672 miles in. It makes a good spot to stretch, eat something that is not from a gas station, and swap drivers.
Rolling into Denver
The final 118 miles always go faster than you expect. Save a little energy for Front Range views from Pueblo north; it is a fitting finish.
By the end you will have seen Cadillac Ranch, Palo Duro Canyon detour and Front Range views from Pueblo north, and you will understand why this corridor is a classic.
When to go and how to pace it
Split the drive near the halfway mark. Most travelers sleep in Amarillo, TX, which keeps each day under eight hours and leaves time for the stops that make the trip.
Check live gas prices along US-287 and I-25 before you go; they can swing a lot from one state or county to the next. XCRSN prices every leg for your exact car.
