The back of the Denver TAC where the VFR transition routes are published, is not available in Foreflight and the like, sadly. You are probably going to have to get a paper copy of the TAC. This is a problem with Foreflight and other electronic charts right now. I don't know of any that have the VFR transition routes on the back of the TAC charts.
You have a choice... plan to go around the West side, or around the East side.
They'll probably work with you, but plan to go around. Be mildly surprised when they vector you straight through. Plan for the worst, hope for better.
They're not typically that keen on directly over the top of DIA. As Greg says, the VFR routes they "like" are published on the TAC, but for an answer for ya... since if you work with them, they'll usually get you headed the right direction fairly quick... request a Bravo transition early, with final cruising altitude requested and next waypoint, and they'll usually work with ya.
(I just plotted KFNL - KDHT since you didn't say where you're going in Texas, but yup... right over the top of DIA.)
So... your options are:
- If you're in something that can climb to 13,500 from 5,016' MSL in 10 miles, you're above the Bravo. (12,000 actually, but you're eastbound VFR, I assume... so 13,500'). You can just go over the top. Talking to DEN TRACON, highly recommended. Keeping an eye out for airliners climbing out, even more recommended.
- Remain West of I-25 below the Bravo shelf, and follow the VFR southbound route published, generally West of KBJC and on down the foothills, until clear of the Bravo to the South.
- Run over to GLL and then see if they'll let you cut the corner following V611. I only mention V611, because they'll know where it is. You can ask for it and they'll know they can ignore you and you'll follow it. (Watch out at GLL, lots of Instrument students using all the approaches based off of GLL for training at GXY and FNL. Busy place in the sky up there.)
Basically, start talking to Denver Center right after departing KFNL and they'll try to work you through the Bravo with DEN TRACON. They may or may not coordinate with the TRACON to see if you can get a more direct route. Once talking to TRACON, ask politely again... it's pretty common for ZDV not to ask them for a routing through the Bravo for you. Depends on the TRACON controller that day, and which direction DIA is landing/departing.
They're quite friendly and helpful, really. Unless you're plowing through the area during a massive rush of airliners at "bank time" for DIA.
IFR, they're just going to vector you where they want you anyway. File the Denver Five and an Exit VOR, and be done with it as long as you think you can cross DEN at 11,000' MSL or above. Don't get lost if you go NORDO.
All the rest of the SIDs I've tried, they just vector you all over hell and back anyway, then drop you in the middle of an outer segment of the SID. The only one even close to the direction you want to go is the Pikes Four, and it's going to PUB, which isn't East enough.
(Doing a lookup of recently approved routes in Foreflight, it looks like the most commonly approved filing from KFNL to KDHT is direct LUFSE right off the bat, so they're just approving the straight route and expecting to vector, looks like to me. Might as well just file DENVER FIVE if they're going to do that.)
If you're non-GPS, don't get suckered into trying to fly V81 southbound. If you look at the IFR chart, the 325 radial off of the COS VOR is listed as unusable for IFR, but no warning at all on the VFR chart. The Palmer Divide apparently does something naughty blocked-signal-wise to the COS VOR north of Colorado Springs.
Why V81 is still depicted on the VFR chart when it's listed as GPS only on the IFR chart, is beyond me. I guess they don't have any way to note that on a VFR chart?
The V611 route off of GLL is "nicer" in that at least you can wander up to 9500' MSL and just continue the climb as soon as you're clear of the Bravo if they're busy. Or decide to go a little further East and pop out from underneath and on up to whatever your cruise altitude is.
You can wander along US 34 there on the north edge of the Bravo easily with outside landmarks and the big reservoir (Riverside) shows when you're past the 8000' MSL shelf to the north. So it's East over Greeley, on to the big reservoir, and then turn south. Easy-peasy.
