Community Forums

SkatePunk · 10-24-2017, 05:35 PM

Hello All,

My wife and I are planning a trip from San Francisco, CA to Nashville, TN and back. This will be from March 17th through April 1st, 2018. For this trip, we are looking for a direct route.

Google Maps recommends heading to SoCal on I-5 and CA-58 and then staying on I-40 for the rest of the way. Google's second recommendation uses I-80 all the way through Nebraska and then a combination of I-29, I-70, I-64, and I-24 to Nashville.

We are familiar and comfortable with the I-40 route as far as Texas but our experience is limited to trips in the late Spring. We would like to see something new so the I-80 route is appealing. However, we haven't pulled our trailer over the Sierra Nevadas in early Spring or past Reno ever.

We would greatly appreciate any words of advice from those of you familiar with the relative ease of travel, common hazards, and anything else typical of these routes in early Spring.

Thanks in advance from the San Francisco Bay Area.

**TonyDi** · 10-24-2017, 08:21 PM

Having done both ways although not as far as SF. Both are easy drives. Just look at the weather in the Sierra Nevada's when you start the trip. I80 and I40 do not cross steep mountains like I70.
Go one way return the other. Plenty of sights to see both ways.

Happy Trails!!!

Waiter21 · 10-26-2017, 12:54 PM

I've traveled both routes a couple times a year.

Either route is good. They both have some good climbs to deal with.

In mid March you could see snow along the northern route through the Sierras and Rockies. I tend to avoid the northern route during the winter months.

The southern routes is good, Again, mid march snow storms through New Mexico could slow things down.

Take the southern route going east then the northern route when you return home.

Carry chains or be prepared to stop. If I remember right, its chains on drives and drags through the Rockies. (drive wheels and trailer axle).. May not be to risky in Mid March.