Dallas to Denver road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time

Planning a Dallas to Denver road trip itinerary

The Dallas to Denver drive takes you from north Texas to the capital of Colorado.

Dallas has plenty of high quality cultural attractions. These include the Nasher Scupture Center, Pioneer Square and the Perot Museum of Science and Nature.

But for many visitors, the main reason to visit Dallas is the JFK assassination. Yes, you can go up to the Book Depository where Lee Harvey Oswald supposedly took his shot from.

Top Dallas experiences include a JFK Assassination and Museum tour, the GeO-Deck at Reunion Tower and a self-guided scavenger hunt.

Good places to stay in Dallas with a pool include the sassy Kimpton Pittman downtown and the historic Warwick Melrose near Turtle Creek.

The best way to combine the JFK sites in Dallas is a special themed tour. This takes in the JFK Memorial, Dealey Plaza and the Grassy Knoll before heading to Lee Harvey Oswald’s rooming house. It finishes in the Sixth Floor Museum of the Texas Book Depository. On the way, expert guides take you through the assassination facts and theories. Find out more here.

Top Denver experiences include Rocky Mountain National Park day tours, downtown Denver food tours and chilling guided ghost walks around the Cheeseman Park cemetery.

Also worth considering are whiskey and history tours, guided mountain hikes and craft beer tours.

Memorable Denver accommodation options include the charming Queen Anne Bed and Breakfast and the strikingly stylish Ramble.

Dallas to Denver distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Dallas to Denver is 793 miles. That makes for a driving time of around 12 hours and eight minutes. The quickest route is largely along the US-287, US-87 and I-25.

The best stops to add to a Dallas to Denver road trip itinerary are Wichita Falls TX, Amarillo TX and Raton NM.

For more suggestions, read the guides to the Dallas to Amarillo drive and Amarillo to Denver drive.

Best stops between Dallas and Denver: Wichita Falls TX

The ‘falls’ in Wichita Falls is a man-made waterfall in Lucy Park. Artificial or not, it still looks pretty cool. But there’s more to see in this North Texas city.

If you want serious, there’s the Museum of North Texas History. If you want fun, there’s the Castaway Cove Water Park. And, for a touch of nature, plump for the River Bend Nature Center.

Dallas to Denver drive: Amarillo

Amarillo is a classic stop on Route 66. Highlights include Cadillac Ranch, an art installation featuring 10 brightly-painted Cadillacs buried nose-first in the ground. You’ll also find the Texas Air and Space Museum here, and the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame. For the great outdoors, Palo Duro Canyon State Park is just to the south-east of the city.

Interesting Amarillo activities include Route 66 walking tours and scavenger hunts.

For high quality Amarillo accommodation, try the historic Barfield or the spacious Embassy Suites Amarillo Downtown.

Dallas to Denver road trip attractions: Raton NM

Raton NM lies just to the south of the scenic, 7,834ft-elevation Raton Pass, which straddles the Colorado/ New Mexico border. This was once one of the key points on the Santa Fe Trail. There’s a scenic overlook on the Colorado side, and a camp and café on the New Mexico side.

Raton is also the gateway to the Sugarite Canyon State Park, which offers all manner of outdoor activities and plenty of wildlife viewing.

Denver, Colorado.
Denver, Colorado. Photo by Chachpond/ Pixabay.

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