New Mexico info - Montana Owners Club

jrgwdenner · 01-01-2007, 04:18 AM

Okay, New Mexico experts, our trip to Carlsbad Caverns will begin next Monday. Yeah! We'll be leaving from Fort Worth on I-20. Streets and Trips shows a route that leaves I-20 on Hwy 180 at Big Bend. This is unusual for S & T because it usually keeps you on the interstate as much as possible. Is this the preferred route over going north on 285 at Pecos? When we leave, will it be okay to take Route 62 over to El Paso? I think in our earlier discussion Route 82 was not recommended.

We appreciate your help! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

adelmoll · 01-01-2007, 05:16 AM

Judy, 180 is a nice clean shot into Carlsbad. We used that route without any trouble. I must say that it was quite boring though. 82 is fine until you leave Carlsbad and go to Alamogardo. That is a great route but does get up pretty high and I am sure you would run into a lot of snow right now.

Helen

jrgwdenner · 01-01-2007, 05:19 AM

Happy New Year, Helen! I think we've decided not to take 82 to Alamogordo. I was wondering about 62 going to El Paso. We plan on staying as far south in NM as we can but don't know anything about that route. Thanks for your help.

adelmoll · 01-01-2007, 05:40 AM

62 to El Paso was easy too. No problems.

Helen

jrgwdenner · 01-01-2007, 07:09 AM

That sounds good, Helen. It's probably the way we will drive unless we hear differently. We could always go back to the interstate, I guess.

ols1932 · 01-01-2007, 08:57 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by jrgwdenner

Okay, New Mexico experts, our trip to Carlsbad Caverns will begin next Monday. Yeah! We'll be leaving from Fort Worth on I-20. Streets and Trips shows a route that leaves I-20 on Hwy 180 at Big Bend. This is unusual for S & T because it usually keeps you on the interstate as much as possible. Is this the preferred route over going north on 285 at Pecos? When we leave, will it be okay to take Route 62 over to El Paso? I think in our earlier discussion Route 82 was not recommended.

We appreciate your help! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Either route is good. We've used both routes, I-10 to 285 at Pecos, then north, and 180. Personally, I prefer the former because we can stop overnight at TraPark, a good overnight stop in Pecos.

Orv

trukdoc · 01-02-2007, 04:08 AM

The Carlesbad KOA located between Carlesbad and Artesia is a new park very clean and helpful staff. There is a hot tub and rec room. They have Propane and a store.

jrgwdenner · 01-02-2007, 06:42 AM

Good info, trukdoc. Thanks!

HamRad · 01-03-2007, 07:50 PM

Truckdoc,
Thanks for the info. We'll probably end up staying there on our upcoming visit. Hope your trip is going as well as you had hoped.

HamRad

rrheik · 01-05-2007, 11:37 AM

Sorry can't help with the I-20 route. We just came through NM a few days ago and used I-10. We stayed at Las Cruces KOA, which is always nice for a one night stay. Diesel was about 2.42 throughout NM on I-10. When we were coming through I-10 eastbound in El Paso we were detoured off of I-10 as soon as we hit town, and had to take side streets through about half of El Paso, which was not bad, just slow. Don't know if eastbound is closed yet or not in El Paso, as we came through a week ago Thursday. Have a great trip.

bob

sreigle · 01-06-2007, 05:17 PM

Judy, 82 to Alamogordo would be a beautiful drive but you'd likely get snow and/or ice, especially near Cloudcroft. For that same reason we took the southern route from Carlsbad to Alamogordo, then drove solo up to Cloudcroft.

jrgwdenner · 01-07-2007, 01:42 AM

Steve, I just check the temps for Carlsbad and Benson, AZ and it seems we're going to have to get colder before we get warmer. They both had predictions in the 20s during the night. So we'll save Route 82 for another time! We're stopping to see the Caverns and not much else on this trip as we're anxious to get to Phoenix and Quartzite.

HamRad · 01-07-2007, 10:04 PM

Judy,
I assume you are going to Phoenix before you go to Q. But if you are NOT and are going to Q first then I will suggest a route for you. As you head north our of Tucson toward Phoenix take I-8 just before Casa Grande. This will save you hours of steering wheel trauma! Head east on 8 until you get to Gila Bend. Take AZ 85 or 86.... I can't remember the exact number right now. It will connect you with I-10 on the west side of Phoenix. Much less traffic this direction.

Or if you don't want to do that then simply stay on 8 all the way to Yuma. At Yuma you can meet up with a bunch of friends and then head for Q. From Yuma take AZ 95 north into Q. This route will be a little more heavily traveled simply because a lot of folks travel between Yuma and Q.

The one route you want to avoid if at all possible is I-10 from Tucson to Phoenix. It is the heaviest traveled section of road in the entire state! Take an alternative if you can. And the traffic in Phoenix is as bad as it gets. If you've driven in Birmingham, Los Angeles, or San Diego then you will have a small idea of what I'm talking about.

It's not that you can't do it..... it is like why am I doing it since I don't have to do it!

We're getting excited to get on the road and hope to see you and all the others real soon.

Dennis and Mary Kay and Bandit

HamRad · 01-07-2007, 10:35 PM

Judy,
Which side of Phoenix are you going to? If it is the east side then I'd suggest another route for you. Take I-10 to NM 70 at Lordsburg or continue west on I-10 and take AZ 191 near Bowie and Wilcox. Hwy 191 will take you directly into Safford, AZ. I used to live just north of there. Remember it well.

At Safford you will connect with hwy 70. Head west and enjoy the sites. You will go thru some mountain terrain but all small stuff compared to the Rockies and Alaska stuff you guys have been in. Between Globe and Apache Junction you will see some of the most exciting rock formations in the country. They are amazing.

At Globe you want to take Hwy 60. That will take you into the eastern edges of the Phoenix complex. Enjoy the ride whatever direction you take.

By the way there is an Indian Casino at Globe or near there. It has a huge parking lot and even has a Full hookup RV park. I think it is rather reasonable. I believe this is the San Carlos Indian Casino. It is relatively new and looks well taken care of. We visited the Casino but just took a quick look at the RV Park.

See you soon.

Dennis and Mary Kay and Bandit

jrgwdenner · 01-08-2007, 12:31 AM

Thanks, Dennis, for those recommendations. We are going to Phoenix before Q. My brother lives in Sun City so we need to get around Phoenix somehow and we'll look at your suggestions closely. We are used to Birmingham as our son lived there for 10 years or so and travel through there every time we are returning from the Midwest to Montgomery. Even drove through Atlanta during rush hour towing. Now that's a treat!

We'll pull out in a couple of hours and after a couple stops on the way, should arrive in Phoenix around the 16th. Charlie and Nila are going to give us the tour around Benson. They're only 15 miles from Tombstone so I'm sure you'll see them on your post Quartzite trip. Looking forward to seeing you guys on the 19th! Hope you've got that satellite setup so we can find you in the desert! Hope my aircard works there!

HamRad · 01-08-2007, 01:42 AM

Hi Judy,
Well Sun City is located on the west side of Phoenix so I'd take the route on I-8. At Casa Grande 10 and 8 connect. Take the 8. It is very lightly traveled and is a good road. At Gila Bend take AZ 85 north. By the way there is a CG there that is one of the best designed I've ever seen. It is called Quail Run or something like that. It also has some excellent water! Highway 85 will bring you out near the town of Buckeye. Connect with I-10 and head west a couple of miles and connect with the Sun Valley Parkway. That will take you right into Sun City and you will have avoided all the traffic in and around Phoenix.

Highway 85 is the one we take all the time unless we are going directly into Phoenix. They have been converting much of the road into a 3 and or 4 lane road but should be finished or almost finished with project by now.

Have a great trip and say hello to Bill and Helen for us. Happy Travels.

Dennis and Mary Kay and Bandit

jrgwdenner · 01-08-2007, 02:38 AM

Dennis, it's a little out of the way to say 'hi' to Bill and Helen. But we will greet Charlie and Nila.

Thanks so much for the route. Sounds like a great plan for folks who know nothing about Phoenix! Isn't this forum great?!!

HamRad · 01-08-2007, 08:43 AM

Judy,
Well, DUH! I guess I should actually READ messages more carefully!

So say hello to Charlie and Nila for us.

See you soon.

Dennis and Mary Kay and Bandit

sreigle · 01-08-2007, 01:29 PM

We towed Dennis' route from Lordsburg through Safford and Globe a couple of years ago. We found it a much more interesting and relaxing drive than the interstate and would do that route again.

jrgwdenner · 01-09-2007, 04:35 PM

We went to see the Carlsbad Caverns today (AWESOME!) and drove Hwy. 62 to El Paso. The road is very good except for some washboard just before the New Mexico/Texas stateline. But that road is so desolate. There's no or very little cell phone coverage so I don't know what we would have done if we had truck or trailer problems. The drive through the Guadalupe Mountains is quite beautiful but it doesn't last long. Mostly it's miles and miles of desert without any facilities. We were awfully glad to see the lights of El Paso.

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