Indian Wells to Santa Fe then on to Houston

charming wrote:
Thanks for all the great suggestions for our trip west. After we leave Indian Wells on 3/11 we have until 4/4 to get to Houston. We plan to head north (we may or may not visit relatives in Gilbert, AZ) to Santa Fe, NM before working our way to Houston.

Heading north is it better to take I-17 up to Flagstaff then head west or to go east on I-10 then take I-25 north at El Paso? I wish we had time to go to the Grand Canyon again, it's been years since we've been there, but we will have to save somethings for another day and time. When I put Santa Fe in my Good Sam trip planner it sends us up hwy 87 through AZ.

On our Fall trip we visited Amarillo, Lubbock, San Angelo, Fredericksburg, and San Antonio, so we are open to routes up to Santa Fe and then over to Houston.

I hope we won't be too late for the Blue Bonnets and we will try to find time to visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the U. Texas at Austin. Plus, DH really wants to see a rodeo and I want to spend a day or two in the Waco area. A lot to see and do in a short period of time.

So many questions, so many things to see and do, so little time!

charming wrote:
I was hoping folks on the boards with experience rv'ing in western states could help an easterner get around. I avidly read any posts about Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico trying to apply the info to our upcoming trip.

Thanks to posts on different topics we have a good portion covered.

Being the tenderfeet we are we've decided to head back east to Phoenix and North by interstate to Flagstaff instead of heading north and hitting I-40 at Kingman. Of course instead of taking I-17 we can see the countryside on hwy 260. At this point we are planning on Phoenix to flagstaff.

We now are plotting how to get from Santa Fe to Ft Worth. Roswell? Lubbock? Wichita Falls? As our waypoint.

BTW, we spent several days in Lubbock last fall.

On our Fall trip we visited Amarillo, Lubbock, San Angelo, Fredericksburg, and San Antonio, so we are open to routes up to Santa Fe and then over to Houston.

I hope we won't be too late for the Blue Bonnets and we will try to find time to visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the U. Texas at Austin. Plus, DH really wants to see a rodeo and I want to spend a day or two in the Waco area. A lot to see and do in a short period of time.

Busskipper" wrote:



IMHO, you should think about moving up a little further north on the return, and I'd take time to see Arizona and New Mexico as you head to Houston.

Maybe something like THIS - Catchin the Grand Canyon - Page - Monument Valley - Canyon de Chelly - Window Rock - Carlsbad Caverns - Then the Long Boring Drive to Houston.

You have three Weeks - Easy,

JMHO,

padredw wrote:

On our Fall trip we visited Amarillo, Lubbock, San Angelo, Fredericksburg, and San Antonio, so we are open to routes up to Santa Fe and then over to Houston.

I hope we won't be too late for the Blue Bonnets and we will try to find time to visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the U. Texas at Austin. Plus, DH really wants to see a rodeo and I want to spend a day or two in the Waco area. A lot to see and do in a short period of time.

Using your desired destinations, here is one possibility from Santa Fe to Houston. I'm not sure of your typical driving day, but I'll assume 350 to 400 miles. Santa Fe to Caprock Canyon State Park, Texas-- 355 miles. Caprock Canyon to Waco -- 380 miles; Waco to Austin -- 102 miles; and Austin to Houston -- 165 miles.

This route also totally avoids DFW which I would much prefer.

If you are interested in such a route I can give highway numbers. This assumes travel from Santa Fe Skies RV Park to a Texas State Park. In Waco we prefer the Airport RV Park on Lake Waco, COE.

charming wrote:

Busskipper" wrote:



IMHO, you should think about moving up a little further north on the return, and I'd take time to see Arizona and New Mexico as you head to Houston.

Maybe something like THIS - Catchin the Grand Canyon - Page - Monument Valley - Canyon de Chelly - Window Rock - Carlsbad Caverns - Then the Long Boring Drive to Houston.

You have three Weeks - Easy,

JMHO,

lol, Sounds like another trip west.

I suggest you consider a more direct route from Waco to Houston that avoids I-35 and Austin. US highways and state highways in Texas are usually very good.

TX-6 through College Station, on to US 290 into Houston.

Busskipper wrote:


IMHO, you should think about moving up a little further north on the return, and I'd take time to see Arizona and New Mexico as you head to Houston.

Maybe something like THIS - Catchin the Grand Canyon - Page - Monument Valley - Canyon de Chelly - Window Rock - Carlsbad Caverns - Then the Long Boring Drive to Houston.

You have three Weeks - Easy,

JMHO,