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Omaha to Salt Lake City - Interstate 80

kemer
Explorer
Explorer
Looking on taking I-80 from Omaha to Cheyenne and on to Salt Lake City. Anyone driven it lately? How's the road, any BIG mountain stretches to worry about? I know Neb and Wyo are probably pretty flat..... will eventually head south from SLC to Las Vegas.

Thanks
14 REPLIES 14

Lwiddis
Explorer
Explorer
"I would not want to drive a MH in downtown Laramie"

Not really hard. Slow and careful does it.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad

mama_sylvia
Explorer
Explorer
Wyocamper coverred everything I was going to plus more. ๐Ÿ˜‰

At the top of the pass between Cheyenne and Laramie is a little rest stop with a statue of Abraham Lincoln and a really spectacular view. Also, if you have time and want more gorgeous scenery, exit Laramie and take Wyoming 130, a scenic byway through the Snowy Range. There was still snow up there when DH and I last drove it on July 4. I've driven it in a Fleetwood Jamboree class C and a Fleetwood Bounder underpowered DP class A, the road is constantly up and down so even braking wasn't an issue. I would not want to drive a MH in downtown Laramie, though.

If you are more into touristy things, there is a working bison ranch south of Cheyenne that offers a train ride through their bison herd. Overpriced of course but you will get amazing photographs of bison close up - they know the train brings them people who will throw them treats. Very RV accessible, there is a steep but short hill from the entrance level down to the train station, but my class C drove it numerous times without problem. Or you can leave the RV parked on the entrance level and walk down the hill. They have an RV park so they are very used to big rigs. The restaurant there is terribly overpriced and not that good but you can always eat in your RV. ๐Ÿ˜‰
1988 Winnebago Superchief 27'

BigRabbitMan
Explorer
Explorer
don't miss the sign for Wall Drug!
BigRabbitMan
Gas to Diesel Conversion project
76 FMC #1046, Gas Pusher became a Diesel Pusher
Discussion thread on this site
"You're never too old to learn something stupid."

jplante4
Explorer
Explorer
Don't forget to stop at Little America.
Jerry & Jeanne
1996 Safari Sahara 3530 - 'White Tiger'
CAT 3126/Allison 6 speed/Magnum Chassis
2014 Equinox AWD / Blue Ox

wyocamper
Explorer
Explorer
Hello Kemer.

No need to go home and die (if that's a typical response on this board I may be done before I really get started).


Not much of Wyoming is very flat. Coming out of Cheyenne you're at 6,000' and climb steadily to around 8,600' over 30 miles. So nothing too bad but a 40mph headwind can make it seem like Everest. At the Summit you drop down from 8,600 to 7,200 in just a few miles, so keep it geared down and don't burn up your brakes.

Elk Mountain is a bump, but in the winter it can be the nightmare from hell bump. This time of year is fine though. You'll cross the Continental Divide twice in central Wyoming, west of Rawlins, as you cross the Great Divide Basin, but no hills to worry about on this stretch.

Between Fort Bridger and Evanston you cross the Three Sisters, three very long drawn out climbs that will make you tired of the sound of your engine sucking fuel at such an alarming rate. From Evanston it's mostly all downhill to SLC.

Hope you find this to be helpful.
2015 Winnebago Vista 27N

Community Alumni
Not applicable
Yes there are three big hazards in Nebraska that can pull you in, One at La Vista another at Kearney and the last at Sidney. It is The Cabela Stores don't stop you will spend money.

Jim R :B

Lwiddis
Explorer
Explorer
Gee, btilfan, Sacramento. Did you get to meet our moon beam governor or any our spacey legislators?
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad

BigRabbitMan
Explorer
Explorer
Just be sure to use your engine braking to control speed on the down grades and all will be good. I have travelled that route several times.
BigRabbitMan
Gas to Diesel Conversion project
76 FMC #1046, Gas Pusher became a Diesel Pusher
Discussion thread on this site
"You're never too old to learn something stupid."

btilfan
Explorer
Explorer
Drove from Omaha to Sacramento last June. no problems for my gas moho.
2007 Damon Astoria Pacifica
My next hobby.

Mortimer_Brewst
Explorer
Explorer
In Wyoming there's a pass west of Laramie that's a little over 8600 ft. In addition at some point you'll have to cross the Continental Divide. In Utah you'll have to drop down to Salt Lake City. As others have indicated, nothing major, assuming you drive with a little common sense.
If ethics are poor at the top, that behavior is copied down through the organization - Robert Noyce

2018 Chevy Silverado 3500 SRW Duramax
2019 Coachmen Chaparral 298RLS

DanNJanice
Explorer
Explorer
I-80 should be fine. It may be a little rough from years of patching, but no worse than most of our interstate highway system. No major grades to worry about. The only real concern will be crosswinds, there are some wide open spaces on that stretch of road.
2015 Jayco 27RLS
2015 F250 PSD

mmccray100
Explorer
Explorer
There are a few long uphill/downhill grades from Ft. Bridger, WY to SLC, but nothing that my 1999 Winnebago can't tackle. Ft. Bridger is about 35 miles from the Utah border.

imgoin4it
Explorer
Explorer
Drove it about three years ago. Don't remember condition of highway at all, but don't think there are any steep mountain grades.
Howard,Connie,& Bella,
One spoiled schnauzer
2007 Newmar KSDP
4dr Jeep Wrangler

Lwiddis
Explorer
Explorer
Why worry? We are always going up or down in the West.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad