Routing Suggestions from Gulf Shores to Phoenix

[Redram99]

Hi All

Looking for some route input from you professionals between Gulf Shores AL to Phoenix. Will be making the trip at the end of Nov.

Google shows 3 options that are very similar on time and distance.

The northern route is thru Fort Worth, then east to Midland/Odessa on Hwy20 and connect with #10 east to Phoenix. How is hwy20 East from Fort Worth?

Another option is NE out of Fort Worth thru Albuquerque on 40(did that last year and it was rough if I remember correctly).

The other option is #10 east direct to Phoenix.

Ive driven from New Orleans to Huston before and did not enjoy that portion of the drive(mostly just getting through Huston).

thanks for the input!!

[ocbizman1]

Originally Posted by Redram99

Hi All

Looking for some route input from you professionals between Gulf Shores AL to Phoenix. Will be making the trip at the end of Nov.

Google shows 3 options that are very similar on time and distance.

The northern route is thru Fort Worth, then east to Midland/Odessa on Hwy20 and connect with #10 east to Phoenix. How is hwy20 East from Fort Worth?

Another option is NE out of Fort Worth thru Albuquerque on 40(did that last year and it was rough if I remember correctly).

The other option is #10 east direct to Phoenix.

Ive [sic] driven from New Orleans to Huston [sic] before and did not enjoy that portion of the drive(mostly just getting through Huston [sic]).

thanks for the input!!

We are going the opposite direction, just taking the 10 out. Then planning on going north and taking the 40 back.

[Archer2]

I made the trip from Gulf Shires to Phoenix in September in a 45’ Class A with a tow. My route was Gulf Shores North on the Baldwin Beach Expressway to I-10, then I-10 all the way to Phoenix. The road conditions were generally OK with the worst parts in construction around San Antonio. Also the part of I-610 all the way around Houston was heavy traffic. Nothing really out of the ordinary.

[DC21]

The 10 is the least likely to have snow & ice issues and is most direct route. 40 is the highest risk of weather road issues

[ViperJD]

Agree with DC21. We drove from Valdosta GA to Phx (44' plus TOAD) and I -10 worked best. We managed our arrival and departure times to avoid BIG CITY rush hours. Houston, San Antonio, El Paso and Tucson were our biggest concerns. It was fine, with construction here and there. I-40 has many more hills and snow/bad weather concerns.

[Redram99]

Thanks for the input!! Appreciate everyone's thoughts!

Has anyone traveled west out of Fort Worth on 20?

thanks!

[shepardmike]

There's lots of construction on I10 around Louisiana and Texas.

[hogdriver]

About three years ago we drove from Gulf Breeze FL (next to Pensacola) to Scottsdale on I-10 the second week of January. I-10 is the most southern and most direct but probably the worst highway in the country in Louisiana and E Texas. What shocked me was after an overnight stop in Van Horn TX we’d planned two more days to get to Tucson but the forecast was for a monster blizzard to hit that day. We hustled on the road and drove in icy conditions until New Mexico. That I-10 was closed for the next 5 days. Watch for storms.

[followingsea]

Originally Posted by Redram99

......

The other option is #10 east direct to Phoenix.

Ive driven from New Orleans to Huston before and did not enjoy that portion of the drive(mostly just getting through Huston).

thanks for the input!!

What is the purpose of your trip?

I have family in the Las Vegas area and in Shreveport and make the trip every year in the Winter. I like to get off the interstate and explore.

For example, to avoid Houston I go through Galveston, take the free Ferry and camp on the GOM beach at Crystal Beach.

In NM I take NM-9 and stay at Pancho Villa State Park.

[OldBaldFat]

As far as heading north to Fort Worth - which route? I've driven all of these at different times:

1) US-98 & US-49 from Mobile to Jackson MS, I-20 to FW?

2) I-10 to I-49 at Lafayette to Shreveport and I-20 to FW?

3) I-10 to Houston and I-45/US-287 to FW?

Route 1 - I-20 across Louisiana has been rough since I drove it in 1969. Not gotten a lot better since. Take I-220 to avoid downtown Shreveport.

Route 2 - Not the worst of I-10 in Louisiana. Misses almost all of Shreveport.

Route 3 - You get the worst of I-10 construction in East Texas. Personally, I don't think I-10 across Louisiana is much worse than I-20.

My choice - With the current weather forecasts, no way I'd cross the continental divide anywhere but I-10 or NM-9. Personally, I'd use I-10 right now because if the weather gets bad, it will be patrolled more than NM-9. You have more options.

I-10/I-12/ Baton Rouge - there is this long muddy think called the Mississippi River that really limits your options to cross to the other side. I like taking I-10 to New Orleans, I-310 across the creek and US-90 to Lafayette. But I have cousins who live on the West Bank near Luling and in Lafayette. I've liked that route better since I got my driver's license.

Houston - the trick is to hit the city about 9:30 am or 2:30 pm and go straight through.

San Antonio - current best choice is to take the northern 1604 loop.

Alternate across western LA and Texas as far as Boerne - US-190 (I would take LA-12 at Ragley, back on US-190 at Jasper or Woodville, TX) At Huntsville, TX - take TX-30 / TX-90 / TX-105 to US-290 at Brenham. Then west on 290 to TX-21 @ Paige. At Bastrop take TX-71 to cross south of the main part of Austin, then rejoin US-290 through Johnson City, Fredericksburg and join I-10 between Kerrville and Junction.

You could also follow TX-21 to San Marcos, a short drive on I-35 to TX-46 at New Braunfels and over to I-10 at Boerne (pronounced Bernie).

Another option, US-90 from San Antonio to Van Horn. A much more pleasant drive than I-10.

[jtovo]

I-10 going thru Lake Charles to Beaumont should be closed !
I absolutely will never go that way again until the ridiculous construction is finished.
I am leaving Austin Sunday Dec 8 north to 20 than east to Shreveport, 49 to 190 East back to Florida.

[creativepart]

Another Vote for I-10. You can bypass San Antonio entirely if you want to. Just exit I-10 at Hwy 46 in Seguin just east of SA and travel it from Seguin>New Braunfels>Spring Branch>Boerne and back on I-10.

For the most part that's all open road through all 4-growing areas. It's also shorter and vastly less traffic.

[Shadow5501]

Originally Posted by OldBaldFat

As far as heading north to Fort Worth - which route? I've driven all of these at different times:

1) US-98 & US-49 from Mobile to Jackson MS, I-20 to FW?

2) I-10 to I-49 at Lafayette to Shreveport and I-20 to FW?

3) I-10 to Houston and I-45/US-287 to FW?

Route 1 - I-20 across Louisiana has been rough since I drove it in 1969. Not gotten a lot better since. Take I-220 to avoid downtown Shreveport.

Route 2 - Not the worst of I-10 in Louisiana. Misses almost all of Shreveport.

Route 3 - You get the worst of I-10 construction in East Texas. Personally, I don't think I-10 across Louisiana is much worse than I-20.

My choice - With the current weather forecasts, no way I'd cross the continental divide anywhere but I-10 or NM-9. Personally, I'd use I-10 right now because if the weather gets bad, it will be patrolled more than NM-9. You have more options.

I-10/I-12/ Baton Rouge - there is this long muddy think called the Mississippi River that really limits your options to cross to the other side. I like taking I-10 to New Orleans, I-310 across the creek and US-90 to Lafayette. But I have cousins who live on the West Bank near Luling and in Lafayette. I've liked that route better since I got my driver's license.

Houston - the trick is to hit the city about 9:30 am or 2:30 pm and go straight through.

San Antonio - current best choice is to take the northern 1604 loop.

Alternate across western LA and Texas as far as Boerne - US-190 (I would take LA-12 at Ragley, back on US-190 at Jasper or Woodville, TX) At Huntsville, TX - take TX-30 / TX-90 / TX-105 to US-290 at Brenham. Then west on 290 to TX-21 @ Paige. At Bastrop take TX-71 to cross south of the main part of Austin, then rejoin US-290 through Johnson City, Fredericksburg and join I-10 between Kerrville and Junction.

You could also follow TX-21 to San Marcos, a short drive on I-35 to TX-46 at New Braunfels and over to I-10 at Boerne (pronounced Bernie).

Another option, US-90 from San Antonio to Van Horn. A much more pleasant drive than I-10.

In San Antonio there is significant construction on Loop 1604 near I-10 on the west side of the city. Significant slowdowns are common and the ramp from 1604 to I-10 can be problematic. I would suggest remaining on I-10 through the city for the easiest/fastest drive at present. Or taking US90 west from San Antonio - it’s a nice drive though much slower.

I would also discourage using TX71 & US290 through Austin. Bastrop is essentially an eastern suburb of Austin these days with commuter traffic to match. There is significant construction on US 290 from the infamous 290/71 Y on the west side of town, including lane shifts, narrow lanes, and concrete walls. I would not rate it as RV friendly at the moment.

I live in Fredericksburg and have driven both of these routes within the last 10 days.

[Redram99]

Thanks for the input.

We ended up travelling directly on I10 the entire way. We wanted to spend some time in San Antonio.

Overall, I10 is in excellent shape. I was very impressed. Bit of construction here and there but good overall. The roughest section was in AZ.