Next 7 departures
- SatOct 3
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 63–83°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Rain showers likely71°F Decatur8 AM CDT Rain showers likely65°F Wichita Falls9:15 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers64°F Childress10:45 AM CDT Partly sunny64°F Amarillo12:45 PM CDT Partly sunny63°F Texas–New Mexico line1:30 PM MDT Sunny71°F Raton Pass3 PM MDT Mostly sunny67°F Pueblo4:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny83°F Colorado Springs5:15 PM MDT Sunny75°F Denver6:15 PM MDT Partly sunny80°F - SunOct 4
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 65–79°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Slight chance of light rain showers71°F Decatur8 AM CDT Mostly cloudy65°F Wichita Falls9:15 AM CDT Partly sunny67°F Childress10:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny67°F Amarillo12:45 PM CDT Mostly sunny68°F Texas–New Mexico line1:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny70°F Raton Pass3 PM MDT Sunny65°F Pueblo4:30 PM MDT Sunny75°F Colorado Springs5:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny72°F Denver6:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny79°F - MonOct 5
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 65–83°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Mostly sunny66°F Decatur8 AM CDT Mostly sunny65°F Wichita Falls9:15 AM CDT Sunny66°F Childress10:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny65°F Amarillo12:45 PM CDT Sunny68°F Texas–New Mexico line1:30 PM MDT Sunny74°F Raton Pass3 PM MDT Sunny68°F Pueblo4:30 PM MDT Sunny82°F Colorado Springs5:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny76°F Denver6:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny83°F - TueOct 6
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 61–83°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Sunny63°F Decatur8 AM CDT Sunny61°F Wichita Falls9:15 AM CDT Sunny63°F Childress10:45 AM CDT Sunny69°F Amarillo12:45 PM CDT Sunny73°F Texas–New Mexico line1:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny80°F Raton Pass3 PM MDT Sunny69°F Pueblo4:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny83°F Colorado Springs5:15 PM MDT Slight chance of thunderstorms76°F Denver6:15 PM MDT Partly sunny79°F - WedOct 7
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 61–81°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Mostly sunny61°F Decatur8 AM CDT Sunny61°F Wichita Falls9:15 AM CDT Sunny65°F Childress10:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny71°F Amarillo12:45 PM CDT Mostly sunny74°F Texas–New Mexico line1:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny78°F Raton Pass3 PM MDT Sunny66°F Pueblo4:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny81°F Colorado Springs5:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny76°F Denver6:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny81°F - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 61–80°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Mostly sunny63°F Decatur8 AM CDT Sunny61°F Wichita Falls9:15 AM CDT Sunny66°F Childress10:45 AM CDT Sunny73°F Amarillo12:45 PM CDT Sunny75°F Texas–New Mexico line1:30 PM MDT Sunny79°F Raton Pass3 PM MDT Sunny66°F Pueblo4:30 PM MDT Sunny80°F Colorado Springs5:15 PM MDT Sunny75°F Denver6:15 PM MDT Sunny80°F - FriOct 9
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 65–80°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Sunny66°F Decatur8 AM CDT Sunny65°F Wichita Falls9:15 AM CDT Sunny71°F Childress10:45 AM CDT Sunny73°F Amarillo12:45 PM CDT Sunny75°F Texas–New Mexico line1:30 PM MDT Sunny77°F Raton Pass3 PM MDT Sunny65°F Pueblo4:30 PM MDT Sunny80°F Colorado Springs5:15 PM MDT Sunny75°F Denver6:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny80°F
The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
The route, stop by stop
Checkpoints in order, with driving time from Dallas (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Dallas, TXStart 452 ftelevation
- Decatur, TXMile 66 · 1 h 3 min 1,102 ftelevation
- Wichita Falls, TXMile 140 · 2 h 9 min 985 ftelevation
- Childress, TXMile 248 · 3 h 52 min 1,876 ftelevation
- Amarillo, TXMile 367 · 5 h 43 min 3,665 ftelevation
- Texas–New Mexico lineState line · Mile 486 · 7 h 29 min 4,744 ftelevation
- Raton Pass, NMMountain pass · Mile 586 · 9 h 5 min 7,834 ftelevation
- Pueblo, COMile 684 · 10 h 31 min 4,663 ftelevation
- Colorado Springs, COMile 728 · 11 h 11 min 6,009 ftelevation
- Denver, COMile 796 · 12 h 16 min 5,276 ftelevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with an inch or more of snow, at Dallas, Raton Pass and Denver.
| Month | Dallas 440 ft | Raton Pass Lake Maloya station · 7,400 ft | Denver 5,228 ft | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | |
| Jan | 58° / 38° | 0 | 42° / 11° | 3.4 | 49° / 21° | 2.4 |
| Feb | 62° / 42° | 0.3 | 43° / 12° | 3.5 | 49° / 22° | 2.6 |
| Mar | 70° / 49° | 0.1 | 50° / 20° | 4.3 | 58° / 30° | 2.5 |
| Apr | 77° / 57° | 0 | 57° / 27° | 3.6 | 64° / 36° | 1.5 |
| May | 85° / 66° | 0 | 66° / 36° | 0.6 | 73° / 46° | 0.3 |
| Jun | 93° / 74° | 0 | 75° / 44° | 0 | 85° / 56° | 0 |
| Jul | 97° / 78° | 0 | 78° / 49° | 0 | 91° / 62° | 0 |
| Aug | 97° / 77° | 0 | 76° / 48° | 0 | 90° / 60° | 0 |
| Sep | 90° / 70° | 0 | 71° / 41° | 0.1 | 82° / 51° | 0 |
| Oct | 80° / 59° | 0 | 60° / 31° | 1.3 | 68° / 38° | 0.8 |
| Nov | 68° / 48° | 0 | 50° / 21° | 3.0 | 56° / 28° | 1.6 |
| Dec | 59° / 40° | 0.1 | 42° / 13° | 3.3 | 47° / 21° | 2.2 |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: DALLAS LOVE FLD (USW00013960, 440 ft); LAKE MALOYA (USC00294742, 7,400 ft); DENVER WATER DEPT (USC00052223, 5,228 ft). Snow days are days with at least 1 inch of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Road conditions
Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for Texas, New Mexico and Colorado rather than repeat them.
- Texas · TxDOTDriveTexas road conditions
- New Mexico · NMDOTNMRoads conditions and cameras
- Colorado · CDOTCOtrip conditions and cameras
- Colorado · winter rulesTraction and chain laws
Check the official National Weather Service forecast and each state's road report before you leave.
Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there
Road Travel plans the drive from Dallas to Denver with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.
Questions about this drive
How long is the drive from Dallas to Denver?
796 miles, about 12 hours of driving without stops, by way of US-287 and I-25. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
Raton Pass, at 7,834 ft. It comes at mile 586, about 9 h 5 min of driving after you leave Dallas.
Does it snow at Raton Pass in November?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, Lake Maloya (7,400 ft), averages 11.0 inches of snow in November, with about 3 days of 1 inch or more (1991–2020 normals).
How cold is Denver in January?
Denver averages a high of 49°F and a low of 21°F in January (1991–2020 normals).