Phoenix to Gallup

Mountain roads always have hills and curves.
You can make it ok.

427435 wrote:
How are Arizona Hwys 87 and 260 going to Gallup, NM from Phoenix? Will I be able to maintain 55-60 mph or lots of grades and curves?

Thanks.

These are excellent roads, mostly divided highways with two lanes each direction. There are some grades and curves, as from Phoenix, around 1100' elevation, you will climb to 7700' at the top of the Mogollon Rim, where in fact, is a beautiful campground we camp at regularly in the summer, a couple of beautiful lakes, and spectacular views from the edge of the Mogollon Rim (turn off toward Woods Canyon Lake, and there are three viewpoints along the way -- this diversion from your trip would only take a few minutes). From the top of the Rim, elevation very gradually drops as you drive toward I-40, but I don't know what the elevation of I-40 is.

As to whether you can maintain 55-60 mph, I couldn't possibly predict that, having no knowledge of your rig, how heavily loaded, towing something or not, etc etc. For reference, I tow an 8000-9000 lb TT with a stock 2004 Ram diesel, and have no problem maintaining 55-65, with the minor exception of a couple of curves here and there. The scenery is quite beautiful, and is currently very green.

x2 crcr's comments. Been that way to I40 many times with our MH pulling our Liberty, never an issue. On 260, take 277 north to 377, then on to I40 at Holbrook, beautiful drive as well. Piece of cake!

Have made a many trips back in my Jeep days pulling a utility and more recently my F150 Truck pulling my OFF-ROAD POPUP trailer out of APache Junction up past all of the big Lakes NE of Phoenix andthen taking 188 at Roosevelt Lake up to 87. Sometimes we use 87 to get back to Scottsdale and back home. Other times we have gone on up to Payson and picked up 260 to get over to I17 and bring that back to Phoenix.

I have run the 87 out of Payson up to Winslow to I40 but we always headed for Flagstaff after visiting many outstanding sites along I40.

You definitely will not get very far out of Apache Junction in a big rig as the Fish Canyon will eat your lunch big time...

I never ran into any many curves and switch backs on 87 out of Mesa Scotsdale heading up to Payson and then on up to Winslow. The bad areas on this road is around Strawberry up to where 260 splits off from 87.

260 EAST out of Payson seems to be a great highway and I understand it actually becomes two separate one way roads farther up the mountains...

If I was driving a big rig I would probably take 277/377 out of Heber Overgaard amd head up to Holbrook and get on I40. It looks like 260/60 winds around to the East alot and eventually gets you to I25 at Socorro NM. Of course this is the road the NRAO Very Large Array Radio Observatory is located and that is neat site to see... This is about 50 miles West on US60 out of Sorocco NM...

Too much to see and not enough time in this part of the country for sure...

Roy Ken

Thanks for the info. May stop and spend a night at the Woods Canyon campground.

You can make it, but I don't know about maintaing those speeds or saving time. When I did it in a compact car, travel time was not better than using I-17 to I-40, but the trip was more enjoyable.

427435 wrote:
Thanks for the info. May stop and spend a night at the Woods Canyon campground.

There are a number of campgrounds thereabout. The two biggest and most well known are Aspen and Canyon Point. Aspen is close to Woods Canyon Lake. Canyon Point is a few miles away, higher elevation (7700') and entry right off the highway. Canyon Point is nicer, has some electric sites (if you're lucky enough to snag one on short notice) and has hot showers. Re lakes, Willow Springs Lake is not as well known as Woods Canyon Lake, but has many less peeps, and has much clearer water than Woods Canyon Lake. The lakes are not that far apart. Willow Springs Lake is only about a mile off the highway, Woods Canyon is maybe 4-6 miles off the highway.

Re the road past Payson, what one poster said is correct -- it does become a divided highway with two lanes each direction not that far past Payson.

Personally, I would take this route as opposed to I-17 to Flagstaff and then I-40. I can travel this route faster, even towing, and the scenery is much better. Also, there are longer and steeper grades, with some fairly tight curves for an interstate highway on I-17 to Flagstaff than on this route.