Albuquerque to Apache Junction

DW & I make the trip each April & November down from the 4 Corner to Mesa & back up and always go thru Holbrook & Payson both directions. Just gotta watch the weather.

Milo

Thanks everybody, all VERY good information! I knew I could count on you. :W

We will have to watch the weather for sure. I don't anticipate bad weather but you never know.

Thanks again.

Dan

We take that route every year and have yet to be stopped by weather. Just check weather ahead before you leave Albuquerque. They do keep the roads in very good condition. Take your time and enjoy the scenery.

Your route is the our preferred route take it several times a year.

"Just a few miles north of there is place called SNOW FLAKE... Wonder how it got it's name..."

It's name comes from the two gentlemen who founded it.... Mr. Flake and Mr. Snow. One of Flakes grand (or great grand), children is the Senator from Arizona. Show Low (6,000') does not get a lot of snow, usually a few inches several times a winter. It takes a major front and they are easy to forecast. Between Show Low and Payson you will find yourself at nearly 8,000' and there can be heavy snow on that stretch of 87.

We've driven the Salt River Canyon dozens of times and the road is so well engineered I don't see it being anything but spectacular.... as long as you have enough truck. :B
Dropping down/or climbing the Mogollon Rim is just was steep as the Salt River Canyon and also a spectacular drive. From Payson down to Mesa on 87 you will encounter lots of steep grades but nothing that you should not be able to negotiate at 50-55.

As always.... Opinions and YMMV.

:C

Have done the ROUTE 60 many times back in the late 70s and early 80s as well to get to the Phoenix area...

The roadway is OK but what we would run into was finding gas stations along the way - You really have to plan this out especially if you are only getting 6-8 MPG.. We always carried two 5-gallon Jerry cans in the back of the truck bed just to be safe. Our trucks were getting 15MPG and we had big gas proplems. It will be hard to get from one major town to the next with this situation of US60.

Weather in the winter months should also be a big issue... Especially the towns in the NATL FOREST areas. SHOW LOW is also known for lots of SNOW. Just a few miles north of there is place called SNOW FLAKE... Wonder how it got it's name... GLOBE is right on the edge of dropping out of the High Desert country heading down hill into the Apache Junction area.

Picking up Route 60 South of Albuquerque on I25 is definitely the most direct route. We were all DOD workers on the Electronics at the Elephant Butte Space Track location just east of Truth or Consequences... In the summer months we always took the Route 60 to get to the Phonnix area where another Space track station was located in the town of Maricopa... In the winter months we would drop down to Las Cruces and pick up I10 to head West.

I10W to US60E in MESA to Apache Junction is good road without alot of congested traffic... It is out of the way but not really all that much different in the total miles. Roads are more on the straight runs as well with REST stops and GAS stops.

Roy Ken

The route you described through Payson is our preferred route. Did it both ways last year and no problems.

No issues as long as weather is cooperating.

Albuquerque is always our first and last night going to and from Arizona. We've traveled all three routes mentioned in the last several years in the MH and toad.

We don't like the Flagstaff route due to the traffic on I40 and I17. The normal north to south or west to east winds can be a real bear on I40. Also lots of truck traffic and aggressive drivers between Flagstaff and Phoenix metro. Just be sure to do it during non rush hours.

The route from Globe to Holbrook is our preferred route. Yes, it is a slow, long and twisty descent and pull out of the Salt River Canyon and you can get snow around Payson and Sho Low, but it is a good road. We just watch the weather and run between storms. You could get a spring storm in early April, but it would melt quickly.

This year we went south on I25 to Hatch and Deming. I25 was an easy route and had surprisingly light traffic. We took this route in December to stay at Tombstone Territories for 10 days. The traffic around Tucson and up to the Phoenix area is pretty heavy. Don't see how it could be a safer route, and it would be significantly longer than Globe.

Watch the weather, we've done that trip a lot and its easy driving most of the way. We go through Globe occasionally but tend not because of the pull up out of the Salt River canyon.

Dave