Forum Discussion

trailertraveler's avatar
Sep 14, 2013

Ramah/Zuni to Silver City, NM

Has anyone driven NM-36, NM-32, NM-12, NM-117 and US-180 from the Ramah/Zuni/Grants area to Silver City. The Mountain Directory does not have any listings for these State Highways. Would appreciate information on road conditions. I drove the section of US-180 from Alpine to the cutoff to Three-Way, AZ several years ago and remember it as mostly downhill.

Thanks for any comments!
  • Well, we ended up doing it in the opposite direction, starting in Silver City. US-180 West of Silver City had some pretty rough patches. Because El Moro National Monument was closed, we took NM-12, NM-32, NM-36, NM-117 to Acoma. The Catwalk was closed indefinitely due to flood damage from the heavy rains in September. The state highways were in pretty good shape. It is a beautiful no stress drive through wide open country.
  • trailertraveler wrote:
    Wow, I'm shocked! No one has driven these roads?
    Many , many, many times.53 to 36 to 32 to 12 to 180 road is fair, bump some very open country until Quemado after that to pretty to let most folks use it, but I will let you drive it this one time.
    I went down to fence lake turn east than south again to 60, don't miss the old grocery store and old chuch in Quemadoo then west and down Apache creek to Reserve( best taco's in world two doors from Court House (watch for radar) and then at the why turn left and go down to Glenwood, go to Cat Walks for a few hours, you will not belive it, then on Siver City.
    That should be all clear now. Gas up when you start, also in Quemado. Supercharger has been everywhere.
  • trailertraveler wrote:
    Has anyone driven NM-36, NM-32, NM-12, NM-117 and US-180 from the Ramah/Zuni/Grants area to Silver City. The Mountain Directory does not have any listings for these State Highways. Would appreciate information on road conditions. I drove the section of US-180 from Alpine to the cutoff to Three-Way, AZ several years ago and remember it as mostly downhill.

    Thanks for any comments!


    SR117 is an easy two lane drive and only did a short piece of SR36 off of SR117, do fuel up before heading out, stations are far apart. SR117 has a few nature sights to see along the way.