What is wrong with New Mexico??

Well, I can tell you by experience: the semi-s donot
avoid I-40.

And more to the point of this thread. We have been over many of the highways in New Mexico and have found them to be in pretty good shape.

The North/South interstate is I-25.

By area size, New Mexico is the 5th largest. By population size, its 36th. And only one interstate passing thru east to west. Add mountains to cross. I suspect that's why the semis might want to avoid it.

There's nothing wrong with New Mexico!! Come down and spend some money in the Alien City!!

GGeorge wrote:
No specific reason for needing a Motor carrier road, but I know if the semi's are driving it, my motorhome will not be in danger of hairpin turns, really bad roads, elevations, and trees growing out scrapping my motorhome or low bridges.

A 2 lane road is hard to turn a 38 foot motor home around on.

Thanks for everyones input.

GGeorge

Semi trucks drive on the Million Dollar Hwy 550 north of Durango. Many RVers will not drive it. (We have multiple times) It has extremely high elevations and hairpin turns. So does I-70 west of Denver. I guess my point is not to rely solely on those kinds of publications. Check out other ways of judging roads like the state sites or Google Earth. You've done good by also checking this forum. :) Have a great trip!!

Just stay off of roads marked as scenic, or ones that cross a shaded area that indicates National Forest. The forests are in the mountains. But then you'll only see the less interesting flat lands.

With online and gps map programs you can examine routes down to the finest detail. You can zoom in enough to see every curve. You can see the terrain. Most paved routes have Google Maps 'streetview' images - 360 views of the road as you would see it while driving.

We have been all over New Mexico in our Motorhome & past 5er and never found a road that was not usable for a big rig. We enjoy the side roads in New Mexico than the freeways.

rocmoc n AZ/Fld/Baja

No problems with that route. US64 between Angel Fire and Taos is actually the slower, more mountainous part of that route. But, it is a nice scenic drive. Also, you don't actually go through Taos. Taos is bad to drive through on the weekends during the summer, but otherwise OK. At one time they were going to build a bypass road.

If you are coming down from north of Raton, we would take US160 at Walsenburg. But we have taken the long way using I25 through Santa Fe to Los Alamos (similar to going to Espanola). Since it doesn't take much longer if at all. Although driving through Santa Fe is annoying also.

David

No specific reason for needing a Motor carrier road, but I know if the semi's are driving it, my motorhome will not be in danger of hairpin turns, really bad roads, elevations, and trees growing out scrapping my motorhome or low bridges.

A 2 lane road is hard to turn a 38 foot motor home around on.

Thanks for everyones input.

GGeorge

There's absolutely nothing wrong with New Mexico. It's awesome and RV-friendly. :) We've never used the Motor Carrier atlas for our 40' motorhome so don't know what it's saying.

If this is your planned route, we've driven it a few times with our 40' MH towing the Jeep.

From Raton take 64 to Cimarron to Eagle Nest to Angel Fire to Taos and 68 to Espanola. There are RV parks along the way so yes, RVers drive this route. Enjoy! It's a beautiful drive.

68 over the gorge is fine - pulled my 33' Toy Hauler over it many times.