West - Best route from Eugene Oregon to Boulder Colorado

Hello! I have been a long time lurker but this is my first post. I driving out to Boulder Colorado in a few weeks from Eugene Oregon and am looking for suggestions on what route to take and where to spend the night along the way. So far my plan is to stop in Boise Idaho the first night and Grand Junction Colorado the second night however I would love to hear other ideas/suggestions on places to visit, stop over along the way.

Thanks!

Google Maps will tell you to go North through Portland, but I'd recommend heading East through Bend and Burns. If you're doing a round trip, you might do I84 one way, but the Bend/Burns route shows you a part of Oregon that a lot of people never see.

Google Maps will tell you to go North through Portland, but I'd recommend heading East through Bend and Burns. If you're doing a round trip, you might do I84 one way, but the Bend/Burns route shows you a part of Oregon that a lot of people never see.

Thanks! I wanted to do that route but we have to stop in Portland to leave a car there (my fiancee is flying back to PDX and then driving back home after my move out to Boulder).

You're soooooo close to Grand Teton National Park (and close but not sooooo close to Yellowstone) - if you haven't been to either, now could be your chance. You might not pass this way again, eh?

You're soooooo close to Grand Teton National Park (and close but not sooooo close to Yellowstone) - if you haven't been to either, now could be your chance. You might not pass this way again, eh?

Thanks for the tip! I was thinking about stopping at one of these but didn't know if it was worth the extra driving time. I'm looking at the Grand Teton park now!

In normal weather, Jackson, WY (S. of GTNP) to Boulder is driveable in one day, but it is a long day. With 2 nights in Jackson, you can get a taste of both parks. There are places near Moran, WY (about 30 miles northeast of Jackson) which would be a little more central to both park as well as being on an easy route to Colorado, though still a long day.

From Salt Lake City, accidents and construction aside, I-80 to I-25 should get you to Boulder faster than dropping down and picking up I-70 and going by Grand Junction. Though for speed, I would take either of those routes instead of US 40.

...except that I-80 is perhaps the most boring scenery drive in the West and I-70 is perhaps the most spectacular.