Trip Advice - Flagstaff to Alamosa

Thanks for the input - it was really a toss up between Wolf Pass and Vail - I have done Vail before and didn't enjoy it so I'm thinking we will give Wolf a try - now I need to plan the stopovers - Palm Springs to Creeke over 6 days.

Taking 160 from Yuba City, AZ to Cortez, CO to Pagosa Springs, CO is an easy route. (Stop and enjoy a long soak in the Springs right in town before your next section.) From Pagosa you'll travel Wolf Creek Pass. (If you plan to do mountain driving then I would advise purchasing the 'Truckers Mountain Directory - West'. It will give you mile by mile on what to expect.) So...reading from it...eastbound you will have a 6% grade downhill for 8 miles. It is mostly 3-lane then 2 miles of 5%. You should be going 30-40 mph on the descent. We've done it multiple times in both directions and it's o.k. for us but then, we enjoy mountain driving. It really depends how you feel about it. Truckers and RVers are on it all the time.

Another route you could consider is 160 from Yuba City, AZ to New Mexico 64 into Shiprock, NM and NM 64 east to NM 285 and north to Alamosa. This is an easy drive until Tres Piedras. The Mountain Directory states "there are many short, steep hills between Tres Piedras and Tierra Amarilla, NM but there are 2 areas where they are more lengthy...a eastbound descent from MP200-1/2 to MP 208-1/2. It starts down at 3% for a couple miles and then 5-6% for 6 miles. It's 2-lane.

Personally, we would take the Wolf Creek Pass but we'd be game for the NM route if in that area. Have a great trip!

I believe the only really 'hard' pass would be Wolf Creek Pass (I've not driven it). But from What I have read it should not be all that difficult.

One could go via Shiprock to Farmington/Bloomfield to Chama to Alamosa. But there is a nice climb out of Chama as well. Plus one more pass before going down into the Alamosa area. 462 mi, 8 hours 13 mins & via Cortez 458 mi, 7 hours 52 mins.

We did the Chama to Alamosa route last summer. No real problem. Just have to drive like one is in the mountains.

Cumbres Pass, elevation 10,020 ft. vs Wolf Creek Pass (el. 10,857 ft.). Chama is at 7,871 ft. & Pagosa Springs, 7,105 feet. Durango, 6,512 ft.

I can't remember the name of the second pass between Chama & Antonito. Ah, ha, I found it, La Manga Pass (10,230').
NM/CO Route 17

There is the Cumbres Toltec Steam Train. It runs from & to Chama, NM & Antonito, CO. It is a neat one.
Heron Lake State Park, Chama, Train Photos

There is Trujillo Meadows Campground by Cumbres Pass....but it seems to be closed this summer.