Las Cruces, NM to Carlsbad, NM via US70-82-285

Thanks for all the input. We will try the route through Ruidoso and Roswell next time around. We are in Carlsbad after taking I10 to TX375 to US62. It was a beautiful trip with good roads.

BB_TX wrote:
You might consider US 70 to Ruidoso to Roswell and US 285 to Artesia and Carlsbad if you want to avoid El Paso. That route is fine for towing. And if you happen to be going to the Carlsbad KOA it is between Artesia and Carlsbad.

Do this! Great route, all 4 lane.

Agree with this route. We did it in 2014, only in reverse. Drove up from Ft Stockton in Texas to Carlsbad on US285. Then up to Roswell and across US70 by Ruidoso and to Tularosa on US54. Drove south on US54/US70 to just below White Sands and continued on US70 to Las Cruses.

Was a great drive pulling our travel trailer.

BB_TX wrote:
You might consider US 70 to Ruidoso to Roswell and US 285 to Artesia and Carlsbad if you want to avoid El Paso. That route is fine for towing. And if you happen to be going to the Carlsbad KOA it is between Artesia and Carlsbad.

You might consider US 70 to Ruidoso to Roswell and US 285 to Artesia and Carlsbad if you want to avoid El Paso. That route is fine for towing. And if you happen to be going to the Carlsbad KOA it is between Artesia and Carlsbad.

Thanks for the replies. I think we will go via El Paso. So, now the question is this: What is the best way through or around El Paso? Is TX375 to US62 a good choice? I really hate big city traffic and have been known to drive way out of my way to avoid it.

The road from Alamogordo to Cloudcroft is a little narrow in places, a little steep in places, but generally a decent road as you climb quite a bit in elevation.

From this NM road web site:

US 82 between Cloudcroft and Alamogordo descends 5,000 feet in 16 miles! STEEP GRADES, NUMEROUS TIGHT TURNS AND ONE TUNNEL. Trucks without retarder brakes and/or longer than 65 feet in length are PROHIBITED on this section of US 82. Consider using an alternate route - US 62/180 or US 70. This is a permanent alert.

From there we turned north back toward Ruidoso where we were staying, so can't comment the rest of the way to Artesia.

I have driven those roads and 70 is fine to Alamogordo. The main issue I see is taking 82 out of Alamogordo which leads you through Cloudcroft and the Lincoln National Forest.

It is quite a climb with many curves from Alamogordo to Cloudcroft and for someone who is towing it is not an ideal route. Once through the forest the rest of 82 is OK and 285 from Artesia to Carlsbad is not a problem.

Not sure where you are staying if visiting the Caverns but an alternate route would be to take 10 to El Paso (time it to avoid rush hour) and take 62 to come up the backway to Carlsbad. I'm not saying 82 isn't doable, just tasking for both driver and truck.