San Diego to Phoenix - Driving recommendations wanted

[JavaBrewer]

We're going to PHX on March 27 for a baseball tournament. I've done the trip many times and always did the standard I-15 North to I-215 N to I-10 E. I'm looking for a different path this time and on google found that I-15 S to I-8E out to Gile Bend then 85N to I-10 is roughly the same distance. Anyone have comments on that route? What are the road conditions and traffic going 85 N to I-10 with an expected arrival time of 4-5 pm?

Is there anything to see in the Sonoran Desert National Monument that would be worth driving through on the way home?

Thanks!

[Rick Lee]

I might be passing you, going the opposite direction. I'm considering Rt. 94/Campo Rd. I PM'ed Nostatic about a route that way and this is what he sent me:

Don't know 94. What I would suggest is going past/through Glamis on hwy 78:

http://www.glamisonline.org/directions.asp

If you've never been to serious sand dunes it is worth the side trip. Amazing place, and this is a great time of year to pass through.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Go the I-8. Very cool drive with all the big giant "rockpile" formations and everything. It's not (or at least it didn't used to be) a highly-travelled route either. It's a fun drive as I recall.

[charleskieffner]

you will get to see beautiful weldon situated along the scenic gila river outside of yumma. also aqua caliente, hyder(sons of gestapo amtrak unsolved train wreck), the aqua culture shrimp farms. if its night and during week should be able to see super duper secret night ops from marines/seals/army/air force over gila bend gunnery range. beautiful fan belt capital of the world gila bend. the space age motel there(spacey) and then the gila bend aux field with static display vietnam livery camo warbirds. then on to the medium security sam lewis prison. and then a stretch above prison where sheriffs office has a whole sh!!load of dead mexican illegals that are unexplained murders all the way to beautiful buckeye. then you get to I-10 and east to phx. the only way to do this is to haul ass! it aint scenic!

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I might be passing you, going the opposite direction. I'm considering Rt. 94/Campo Rd. I PM'ed Nostatic about a route that way and this is what he sent me:

Don't know 94. What I would suggest is going past/through Glamis on hwy 78:

http://www.glamisonline.org/directions.asp

If you've never been to serious sand dunes it is worth the side trip. Amazing place, and this is a great time of year to pass through.

Did he tell you abut Lyons County Road?

[RKC]

If you're North - go in past Mt. Palomar on 76 to 78. If you're in the city, I-8 to 79 (trees, Mt. Laguna on your right - sweepers with a feel like Germany), 79 to 78 (down great curves to the desert floor - not as good as the Palms to Pines Hwy. to Palm Desert but less traffic - or at least there was 15 years ago!) After the Salton Sea you're on your own - but it looks like you can get up to I-10 or down to I-8 easily. We always turned around after a drink of water in Borrego Springs (water was free in the desert back then) and tore back upto Solana Beach where I lived.)

Ex-San Diegan, current Chicagoan (car might come out of the garage Monday if the rain washes the salt away - been warm for three days!)