CA to NM

[MarshaNichols]

I want to spend a week going from Barstow, CA to Santa Fe, NM. via route 66. Ideas out there? I have done some research and I am undecided about the areas around Williams. Thank you!

[MarshaNichols]

McGoo wrote:
Williams (hwy 40) is a cowboy town that I found fun, lots of food and the train to the Grand Canyon was pretty good. Going to spend a week there next year on my way east.

Looks like there are a few interesting campgrounds. Have you spent any time at any?

[pbitschura]

Most of old Rt. 66 exists as business rt. frontage to towns along I- 40.This is where you'll see carcasses of old motor lodges, restaurants, and old buildings. A nice stretch runs from just past Needles, CA through Oatman AZ to Kingman. It's a nice stretch to drive by car but a bear if you are over 40 feet. Oatman is a cute old town and many old mines are along this stretch. like.We stayed in Flagstaff for our road trip to the Grand Canyon. Then you can drop south to Sedona if you like. Santa Fe Plaza is a great place to people watch and visit street vendors and gift shops as well as view old Spanish architecture.

[DesertHawk]

Sights & Sites in Flagstaff - Gallup - Grants- to Santa Fe Plus an old post some links may not be working anymore.

This was a neat place to camp and visit (have not been to in it many years), even with a museum nearby, all close to Gallup at Red Rock/Churchrock just off of I-40 east of town. It was a state park when we used it.
http://www.campingroadtrip.com/campgrounds/campground/campground/11212/new-mexico/red-rock-state-par...

Blue Water Lake State Park, by Grants, west of Albu'que on I-40. Bluewater not a bad area, but more of a fishing site. But not at all bad for an overnight, even some hiking trails. http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SPD/bluewaterlakestatepark.html

NM State Parks are a good bargain. $10 without electric, $4 more for electric. Most have nice showers (no extra cost) & no entry fee or day fee on top of camping fee as in TX & CO. The one by Santa Fe is one which doesn't have showers.

El Morro National Monument is neat to see & has a small campground; there is a private campgound near by as well. Near Grants or can be reached from Gallup. We went from Gallup to Zuni Pueblo then to El Morro (we lingered too long at the Pueblo and didn't get to hike the trial at El Morro, got there too late in the day; its a neat trail too, we had hiked it before). Of course one could go to it from Grants as well.
http://www.nps.gov/elmo/index.htm

Bandelier might be cool enough to see, it was for us last Aug. But did use the generator some, mainly to recharge my battery...can't remember if I ran the AC or not, but had rain in the area, even at camp:
Santa Fe & Bandelier Nat'l Mon't -A Trip Report last summer.

More on the Santa Fe Area Expanded & ABQ.

More on the Sante Fe Area Plus. And Campgrounds in Santa Fe.

At the US 550, Just minutes North of Albuquerque (off of I-25, exit 242) in Bernalillo, is Coronado State Monument where Francisco Vásquez de Coronado—with 300 soldiers and 800 Indian allies from New Spain—entered the valley while looking for the fabled Seven Cities of Gold. Monument

The Coronado Campground is a Bernalillo city campground (used to be a state part) at the entrance to the State Monument. Wasn't a bad site some years ago, haven't been there in some time.

It seems Albuquerque has many old Route 66 sites & I have driven by some. The ABQ Aquarium is just off ole 66 at 2601 Central NW. A listing can be found in the links above. Central, I believe, was Route 66.

I have read reports of drives on sections of Route 66 west of Williams: Ash Fork to Seligman and on to Kingman to Topock. But have never driven any myself. Seligman Fun Run

The original alignment of Route 66, 1926-1937, from the east traveled from Santa Rosa northward to Romeroville, then westward through the villages of San Jose and Pecos into Santa Fe where it turned southward passing the Pueblos of Cochiti (off in the distance), Santo Domingo and San Felipe, through the agrarian towns of Algodones and Bernalillo, past Sandia Pueblo into Albuquerque.

Later, Route 66 ran from Santa Rosa to Albuquerque. There is another older Route 66 'spur', now NM 6 from Los Lunas to I-40. Mainly just range land along it. A good way to by ABQ if coming up from the south & needing to get to the west towards Grants, etc. Or needing to go south from I-40 eastbound.

From the bottom of the Los Lunas link above, at "Los Lunas, you will head west on New Mexico Highway 6 to continue your journey along the Mother Road. This stretch, passing through numerous rock mesas in the Rio Puerco Valley on your way to Laguna, is one of the most beautiful on all of Route 66."

Another NM Route 66 Link.

[McGoo]

Williams (hwy 40) is a cowboy town that I found fun, lots of food and the train to the Grand Canyon was pretty good. Going to spend a week there next year on my way east.