# Looking For Best Route From I-40 (out West) To Destin, Fl



## Wolfpackers (May 31, 2007)

We'll be heading to the SE Outbackers' rally near Destin, FL in several days and I can see several routes to take from where we are now (in Utah/Arizona/SW Colorado). Some of the routes use non-interstate highways, so would prefer to hear from someone familiar with them prior to using them.

We want to avoid blistering heat, traffic jams, 2 lane routes and unnecessary extra mileage. This would be our first time towing a long distance on non-interstate highways, so not sure if it's a good or bad idea. I'm not concerned about holding up traffic as I can move on out with the Duramax when I need to. I am concerned about being held up on two lane roads by slow, local traffic and having to go thru a lot of small towns with stoplights/stopsigns.

Here are the options:
1. Head south at Amarillo on route 287 to Dallas. Concerned about heat & traffic & going thru Dallas. Shortest route, but could take longer if traffic is a holdup.

2. Head south at Oklahoma City on I-35. Goes near Dallas, but not thru. May still hit heavy traffic ?? 100 miles further than #1 but probably a lot faster with major interstates and missing Dallas.

3. Head south at Henryetta, OK on Indian Nation Turnpike (toll road??) to Hugo, TX, route 271 to Mt Pleasant, TX, route 49 to Jefferson, TX and I-20 and other interstates from there. 80 miles further than #1.

4. Head south at Little Rock, I-530 to Pine Bluff and route 65 from there to I-20 just west of Vicksburg and major interstates from there. 40 miles further than #1.

5. Head south at Memphis I-55 to Jackson, MS, route 49 to Hattiesburg, route 98 to Mobile, AL and major interstates from there. 130 miles further than #1.

Original plan was to spend two days in Nashville, but that adds 250 miles and we can do Nashville from home at a later date.

So, can anyone advise good or bad on any of the above routes and maybe good campgrounds on that route ? I appreciate any and all input you may have.

Outbackers are great !
Thanks,
Brent


----------



## W4DRR (May 17, 2005)

The only one I can help you with is #5 (Memphis-Jackson-Hattiesburg-Mobile). The last time we went that way, it was an OK route. I remember Memphis was a little bit of a pain, but not too bad. That was back in our Coleman pop-up days.

Bob


----------



## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

> Jackson-Hattiesburg-Mobile


When we went to Destin from Abilene in 03, we went from I-20 to Jackson, then down through Hattiesburg, then down to Mobile to catch I-10. Pretty good route if I remember right. We then took the coast highway instead of I-10 somewhere around Pensacola. We were hoping for a more scenic route but there wasn't much to see. Until we got to Fort WaltonBEach, then we had a good view of the ocean.

Hope you have a good trip.

Mark


----------



## Tom W. (Jun 6, 2007)

Wolfpackers said:


> We'll be heading to the SE Outbackers' rally near Destin, FL in several days and I can see several routes to take from where we are now (in Utah/Arizona/SW Colorado). Some of the routes use non-interstate highways, so would prefer to hear from someone familiar with them prior to using them.
> 
> We want to avoid blistering heat, traffic jams, 2 lane routes and unnecessary extra mileage. This would be our first time towing a long distance on non-interstate highways, so not sure if it's a good or bad idea. I'm not concerned about holding up traffic as I can move on out with the Duramax when I need to. I am concerned about being held up on two lane roads by slow, local traffic and having to go thru a lot of small towns with stoplights/stopsigns.
> 
> ...


Hi,
I just returned to Colorado Springs from New Orleans last Wednesday. My wife and I followed I-40E to OK City from NM and took the bypass around OK City to follow I-35S to Dallas. There is some construction on I-40E just to the East of Santa Rosa NM but the delays are minimal. My experience on driving in Texas even on US Routes (non-Interstate) has not been good. Shorter doesn't equal faster and definitely the road conditions, e.g., pot holes, are usually a worse when travelling off the Interstates. Around Dallas we took the I-635 bypass toward Mesquite when heading east toward New Orleans. I hate to tell you this but no matter which direction or Interstate you travel in Dallas the traffic is very heavy so plan on taking your time. There are also occasional construction areas on I-635. We then followed I-20 to Shreveport. There is some construction but it was not bad. Hope this helps. And mind the weather in the TX and OK as this is the time of year for severe thunderstorms and tornados...both of which we experienced on our way to and from...not to mention hail that damaged my wife's car (glad I wasn't driving my truck!)


----------



## Reverie (Aug 9, 2004)

mswalt said:


> > Jackson-Hattiesburg-Mobile
> 
> 
> When we went to Destin from Abilene in 03, we went from I-20 to Jackson, then down through Hattiesburg, then down to Mobile to catch I-10. Pretty good route if I remember right. We then took the coast highway instead of I-10 somewhere around Pensacola. We were hoping for a more scenic route but there wasn't much to see. Until we got to Fort WaltonBEach, then we had a good view of the ocean.
> ...


I ran this route, with a tailer, many years ago. What I remember is thinking that there weren't a lot of gas stations but there were enough.

Reverie


----------

