Route 66 Road Trip
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highdesertranger
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way cool, the night time neon signs were a special treat. love that old truck camper, bet there is a great story behind that. does every rural town have a ranch house café? highdesertranger
WriterMs
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I stayed overnight in that San Jon park myself.. very early May of 2014. Wondering if they still have the Pakistani buffet at the gas station on the other side of I-40?
HDR -- I think the Ranch House Cafes are like the Wagon Wheel Motels. Once you get as far west as about OK, you'll see LOTS of them.
HDR -- I think the Ranch House Cafes are like the Wagon Wheel Motels. Once you get as far west as about OK, you'll see LOTS of them.
Tucumcari Part 2
The city has three small museums. The historical museum is housed in an old schoolhouse and several other buildings. The museum contains a large variety of artifacts but has very little historic information. After visiting all of the buildings we still knew little about Tucumcari’s history. RVs can be parked on the street.
The museum some cool stuff like these two gorgeous antiques – a 1940’s Wurlitzer jukebox and an Owl slot machine from the early 1900s.
Mesalands Community College's Dinosaur Museum is a nicely done small museum with great fossils and casts of dinosaur bones.
Small RVs will fit in the main lot. Larger RVs will fit in the additional lot across street.
The Route 66 Museum was supposed to be opened but it wasn’t. :-(
The parking lot is large enough for any RV.
A lot of cool old stuff is on display at the Tucumcari Trading Post.
The city has three small museums. The historical museum is housed in an old schoolhouse and several other buildings. The museum contains a large variety of artifacts but has very little historic information. After visiting all of the buildings we still knew little about Tucumcari’s history. RVs can be parked on the street.
The museum some cool stuff like these two gorgeous antiques – a 1940’s Wurlitzer jukebox and an Owl slot machine from the early 1900s.
Mesalands Community College's Dinosaur Museum is a nicely done small museum with great fossils and casts of dinosaur bones.
Small RVs will fit in the main lot. Larger RVs will fit in the additional lot across street.
The Route 66 Museum was supposed to be opened but it wasn’t. :-(
The parking lot is large enough for any RV.
A lot of cool old stuff is on display at the Tucumcari Trading Post.
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Tucumcari to Albuquerque
The small towns of Santa Rosa and Cuervo were totally dependent on Route 66 traffic and they’ve been slowing crumbling since the opening of the interstate.
Santa Rosa is worth a stop to see the cars at Route 66 Auto Museum. All the cars have been restored by “Bozo” Cordova and most are for sale. The museum isn’t very big with about 30 and a lot of memorabilia.
We took a short trip south of Route 66 to see the Blue Hole. Santa Rosa has many natural lakes which is unusual for the area. They form from sinkholes in the limestone bedrock. Blue Hole is the most famous and popular with divers because of it’s depth and clarity.
Many of the old motels and restaurants are still in business.
Back on the interstate billboards line both sides of the interstate for several miles in an attempt to entice travelers to stop at Clines Corners.
Clines Corners has been in this location since 1937 selling gas, food and souvenirs.
Longhorn Ranch, at exit 203, was at one time a popular roadside attraction with a motel, garage, service station, an Indian trading post with curios, a museum, an imitation cowboy town, Indian dances and a stagecoach rides. There isn’t much left now, just a motel that doesn’t rent rooms and a restaurant and bar. The large parking lot is used by truckers and the bar is topless. We spent a quiet night parked near the ruins of the trading post.
The Mountain Lodge in Carnuel was built in the 1940s and destroyed by fire in 2014 but it still has a cool sign.
The small towns of Santa Rosa and Cuervo were totally dependent on Route 66 traffic and they’ve been slowing crumbling since the opening of the interstate.
Santa Rosa is worth a stop to see the cars at Route 66 Auto Museum. All the cars have been restored by “Bozo” Cordova and most are for sale. The museum isn’t very big with about 30 and a lot of memorabilia.
We took a short trip south of Route 66 to see the Blue Hole. Santa Rosa has many natural lakes which is unusual for the area. They form from sinkholes in the limestone bedrock. Blue Hole is the most famous and popular with divers because of it’s depth and clarity.
Many of the old motels and restaurants are still in business.
Back on the interstate billboards line both sides of the interstate for several miles in an attempt to entice travelers to stop at Clines Corners.
Clines Corners has been in this location since 1937 selling gas, food and souvenirs.
Longhorn Ranch, at exit 203, was at one time a popular roadside attraction with a motel, garage, service station, an Indian trading post with curios, a museum, an imitation cowboy town, Indian dances and a stagecoach rides. There isn’t much left now, just a motel that doesn’t rent rooms and a restaurant and bar. The large parking lot is used by truckers and the bar is topless. We spent a quiet night parked near the ruins of the trading post.
The Mountain Lodge in Carnuel was built in the 1940s and destroyed by fire in 2014 but it still has a cool sign.
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Albuquerque
Route 66 (Central Ave.) runs east to west through Albuquerque and wasn’t completely bypassed by the interstate until 1970 so many of the old motels, restaurants and businesses are still standing.
We drove along this section of 66 in mid-afternoon, directly west, so my photos aren’t very good. The signs are artistically designed and colorful. The street must look really great when the neon is lit up at night!
Most of the motels are low rent with weekly and monthly rates but the buildings have kept their original designs from the 1930s and 40s.
The 1927 Kimo Theater has been completely restored and hosts both live performances and movies.
The neighborhoods along the eastern section of Central Ave. are kind of rough but farther west it goes through the Nob Hill neighborhood with many locally-owned shops, galleries and restaurants. Old Town, the original 1706 Albuquerque town site, has shopping, restaurants, art galleries and museums.
We’ve visited Albuquerque many times. This time we just drove through so I’m posting about some of the attractions that we visited on previous trips.
New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science – visited in 2011
The museum traces the natural history of New Mexico from the big bang to the ice age 10,000 years ago. Start on the second floor to follow the timeline correctly.
There are large parking lots for this museum and several other nearby museums. Most RVs will not fit in the lots but free parking is available along the side streets.
The Albuquerque Museum of Art & History - visited in 2011
One floor of the museum is dedicated to New Mexico art and the other floor to four centuries of Albuquerque history starting with the first Spanish expeditions into New Mexico.
RVs can be parked along 19th street.
Albuquerque Biological Park Garden
An aquarium, a Japanese garden, a heritage farm, a butterfly pavilion, a miniature outdoor railway display, a great play area for kids, two conservatories and numerous plants, flowers, and trees – this garden has a little bit of everything. Each section is fairly small but they’re all very nicely done.
RVs can be parked across the car spaces. A sandy lot is also available for overflow parking.
Albuquerque Biological Park Zoo - visited in 2011
Like most zoos that were founded in the early part of the 20th century (1927 for the ABQ BioPark ) this zoo has some outdated exhibits with enclosures that are too small and boring for the animals. The newer sections are very nice and the landscaping is beautiful with many large, old cottonwood trees. Pick up a zoo map so that you don’t miss anything. Although the pathway makes a loop there are side trips and it’s easy to get lost.
RVs can be parked in the bus section of the parking lot.
![048_thumb[1].jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/vanlivingforum/data/attachments/25/25133-5fe26105281445bd5d46b0c1b17f475c.jpg "048_thumb[1].jpg")
http://www.cabq.gov/culturalservices/biopark/zoo#LHO
Route 66 (Central Ave.) runs east to west through Albuquerque and wasn’t completely bypassed by the interstate until 1970 so many of the old motels, restaurants and businesses are still standing.
We drove along this section of 66 in mid-afternoon, directly west, so my photos aren’t very good. The signs are artistically designed and colorful. The street must look really great when the neon is lit up at night!
Most of the motels are low rent with weekly and monthly rates but the buildings have kept their original designs from the 1930s and 40s.
The 1927 Kimo Theater has been completely restored and hosts both live performances and movies.
The neighborhoods along the eastern section of Central Ave. are kind of rough but farther west it goes through the Nob Hill neighborhood with many locally-owned shops, galleries and restaurants. Old Town, the original 1706 Albuquerque town site, has shopping, restaurants, art galleries and museums.
We’ve visited Albuquerque many times. This time we just drove through so I’m posting about some of the attractions that we visited on previous trips.
New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science – visited in 2011
The museum traces the natural history of New Mexico from the big bang to the ice age 10,000 years ago. Start on the second floor to follow the timeline correctly.
There are large parking lots for this museum and several other nearby museums. Most RVs will not fit in the lots but free parking is available along the side streets.
The Albuquerque Museum of Art & History - visited in 2011
One floor of the museum is dedicated to New Mexico art and the other floor to four centuries of Albuquerque history starting with the first Spanish expeditions into New Mexico.
RVs can be parked along 19th street.
Albuquerque Biological Park Garden
An aquarium, a Japanese garden, a heritage farm, a butterfly pavilion, a miniature outdoor railway display, a great play area for kids, two conservatories and numerous plants, flowers, and trees – this garden has a little bit of everything. Each section is fairly small but they’re all very nicely done.
RVs can be parked across the car spaces. A sandy lot is also available for overflow parking.
Albuquerque Biological Park Zoo - visited in 2011
Like most zoos that were founded in the early part of the 20th century (1927 for the ABQ BioPark ) this zoo has some outdated exhibits with enclosures that are too small and boring for the animals. The newer sections are very nice and the landscaping is beautiful with many large, old cottonwood trees. Pick up a zoo map so that you don’t miss anything. Although the pathway makes a loop there are side trips and it’s easy to get lost.
RVs can be parked in the bus section of the parking lot.
http://www.cabq.gov/culturalservices/biopark/zoo#LHO
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mockturtle
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Great photos, you guys! Thanks again for taking us on your Route 66 adventure!
You're welcome Mockturtle. We're really enjoying the trip but it's getting cold. We may be moving quickly through Arizona!
mockturtle
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Maybe you should take a side trip down here to Organ Pipe National Monument where it will be in the 70's all week!
Santa Fe
When Route 66 was planned in 1926 it went through Santa Fe. Everything was fine until 1927 when New Mexico Governor A. T. Hannett lost the re-election. He blamed the politicians in the capital city of Santa Fe and vowed to get even with them. He started a road project that would cut straight across New Mexico from Santa Rosa to Albuquerque and completely bypass Santa Fe. By 1937 the new route, NM 6, was paved and approved to become part of Route 66. A straight, less mountainous route makes sense but Santa Fe is much too pretty and interesting to skip so if you have time take the old alignment to Santa Fe.
Santa Fe was laid out using a tradition Spanish town plan centered around a central plaza. It's a fairly compact city so walking is the best way to see it. The architecture is Spanish Pueblo Revival giving even the new buildings a much older look. Since the economy is very dependent on tourism, shops, restaurants and lodging are abundant. We've spent hours just wandering in and out of the shops looking at the beautiful artwork produced by local Santa Fe artists and Native Americans who live in the four corners region.
Parking around the plaza is very limited. RVs may park a few blocks south east in the lot on the corner of Alameda Street and Cathedral Place. The parking fee is high – $20.00 for a RV- but that’s for 24 hours and if your RV is self contained you can stay overnight, something almost unheard of in a city. Free parking is available at the government offices where Paseo De Peralta turns west. The spaces are short so weekends, when the buildings are closed, may be best for RV parking. Parking
We spent a week visiting a good friend in Santa Fe and didn’t go to the city at all so the information below is from previous visits.
State Capitol Building Art Collection
Almost 600 pieces of art work, all by New Mexico artists, are displayed along the hallways, lobbies, rotunda and in the governor’s office. Even the seating in the lobbies are works of art. All the art is contemporary and covers a wide range of mediums. And it’s free to visit!
New Mexico History Museum
This is an excellent museum, newly opened in 2009. The admission ticket is also good for the Palace of the Governors but we spent so much time in the museum that we missed visiting the Palace. If you’re planning on spending several days in Santa Fe buy a four day pass – $20.00 to visit four museums, the Museum of International Folk Art, the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, the New Mexico Museum of Art and the Palace of the Governors/New Mexico History Museum.
http://www.nmhistorymuseum.org/
Four museum are located a few miles south of the city on Museum Hill.
Museum Hill has a fairly large lot for cars and vans. RVs will fit in the gravel lot located across the street.
Museum of Indian Arts & Culture
This museum has an amazing collection of artifacts, many of them over 1,000 years old and in very good condition. As you progress through the museum, the stories of the Indian tribes of New Mexico are told by tribe members through short videos and written accounts. The temporary exhibits include contemporary art and exhibits of artwork from other native cultures.
http://www.museumhill.org/
![001_thumb[1]a.jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/vanlivingforum/data/attachments/25/25177-2c20d68c21fbbfb6f1762270f07e34cc.jpg "001_thumb[1]a.jpg")
Museum of International Folk Art
The main exhibit area in this museum houses the collection of one man, Alexander Girard, an architect and designer. He and his wife donated their folk art collection with the stipulation that the exhibits be displayed in spaces designed by Girard. Houses, people, animals and plants made of clay, wood and other materials have been gathered together to make entire village scenes.
This is a just a small sampling of the attractions in Santa Fe. Check the city’s website for more – link.
When Route 66 was planned in 1926 it went through Santa Fe. Everything was fine until 1927 when New Mexico Governor A. T. Hannett lost the re-election. He blamed the politicians in the capital city of Santa Fe and vowed to get even with them. He started a road project that would cut straight across New Mexico from Santa Rosa to Albuquerque and completely bypass Santa Fe. By 1937 the new route, NM 6, was paved and approved to become part of Route 66. A straight, less mountainous route makes sense but Santa Fe is much too pretty and interesting to skip so if you have time take the old alignment to Santa Fe.
Santa Fe was laid out using a tradition Spanish town plan centered around a central plaza. It's a fairly compact city so walking is the best way to see it. The architecture is Spanish Pueblo Revival giving even the new buildings a much older look. Since the economy is very dependent on tourism, shops, restaurants and lodging are abundant. We've spent hours just wandering in and out of the shops looking at the beautiful artwork produced by local Santa Fe artists and Native Americans who live in the four corners region.
Parking around the plaza is very limited. RVs may park a few blocks south east in the lot on the corner of Alameda Street and Cathedral Place. The parking fee is high – $20.00 for a RV- but that’s for 24 hours and if your RV is self contained you can stay overnight, something almost unheard of in a city. Free parking is available at the government offices where Paseo De Peralta turns west. The spaces are short so weekends, when the buildings are closed, may be best for RV parking. Parking
We spent a week visiting a good friend in Santa Fe and didn’t go to the city at all so the information below is from previous visits.
State Capitol Building Art Collection
Almost 600 pieces of art work, all by New Mexico artists, are displayed along the hallways, lobbies, rotunda and in the governor’s office. Even the seating in the lobbies are works of art. All the art is contemporary and covers a wide range of mediums. And it’s free to visit!
New Mexico History Museum
This is an excellent museum, newly opened in 2009. The admission ticket is also good for the Palace of the Governors but we spent so much time in the museum that we missed visiting the Palace. If you’re planning on spending several days in Santa Fe buy a four day pass – $20.00 to visit four museums, the Museum of International Folk Art, the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, the New Mexico Museum of Art and the Palace of the Governors/New Mexico History Museum.
http://www.nmhistorymuseum.org/
Four museum are located a few miles south of the city on Museum Hill.
Museum Hill has a fairly large lot for cars and vans. RVs will fit in the gravel lot located across the street.
Museum of Indian Arts & Culture
This museum has an amazing collection of artifacts, many of them over 1,000 years old and in very good condition. As you progress through the museum, the stories of the Indian tribes of New Mexico are told by tribe members through short videos and written accounts. The temporary exhibits include contemporary art and exhibits of artwork from other native cultures.
http://www.museumhill.org/
Museum of International Folk Art
The main exhibit area in this museum houses the collection of one man, Alexander Girard, an architect and designer. He and his wife donated their folk art collection with the stipulation that the exhibits be displayed in spaces designed by Girard. Houses, people, animals and plants made of clay, wood and other materials have been gathered together to make entire village scenes.
This is a just a small sampling of the attractions in Santa Fe. Check the city’s website for more – link.
Attachments
Albuquerque to Gallup
Route 66 Casino , west of Albuquerque, is a good place to spend the night. The RV parking is in a large lot with long spaces, separate from the truck lot. It’s still a little noisy because it’s sandwiched between the truck lot and the interstate.
Even if you don’t stay at the casino stop for the photo op of the giant arrows and the big fuel pump sign posts. See Tony?
Farther west Route 66 passes through a several small Indian reservations. The scenery of red cliffs and distance mountains makes this a pretty drive which can be fully appreciated while driving slowly along the old road.
If you look at it carefully Owl Rock does look a bit like an owl.
Ruins of stone buildings, evidence of long gone businesses, blend into the rock strewn hillsides.
The Budville Trading Company, now closed, was built in 1938 by Flossie and Bud Rice.
The Whiting Brothers was a family owned chain of gas stations operating in the southwest from 1926 until the 1980s. There were at least forty along Route 66.
Santa Maria de Acoma Church sits high above Route 66 in the little town of Mccarty. The church, built in 1933, is a half size replica of the mission church in Acoma Pueblo.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acoma_Pueblo
There's not much happening in happening in Grants but it does have some great old neon signs.
Welcome to Paradise Acres…
Attachments
Gallup
About 25 miles east of Gallup Route 66 crosses over the continental divide. It’s such a gradual grade, passing through a wide valley, that it’s hardly noticeable. Of course the bright yellow and red signs of the “Indian Market” are hard to miss!
The road follows along the southern border of the Navajo Nation, the largest Indian reservation in the US, covering 27,000 square miles. This is a just portion of the traditional homeland of the Navajo who were permitted to return to the area after a forced removal to southeastern New Mexico in 1864 proved to be a dismal failure.
Route 66 in Gallup, which is the largest town between Albuquerque and Flagstaff, is lined with old motels and trading companies. Navajo and other Native American tribe members come to Gallup to buy supplies and sell their artwork so the shops are full of silver and turquoise jewelry and hand woven rugs.
During the 1930s and 40s over 100 movies were filmed in the Gallup area and the stars stayed at the El Rancho Hotel. The hotel is still a popular Route 66 stop.
Gallup has two small free museums. The Gallup Cultural Center has a Native American history gallery and an art gallery with changing exhibits. RVs will fit in the lot.
The Rex Museum houses artifacts donated by local families. Many deal with the coal mining industry of the early 1900s. All of the items are carefully labeled but very little history of the city or the artifacts is given.
Don’t miss the art in Babe Ruth Park on the north side of the city. RVs will fit in the parking lot.
Across the street from the park is another park with a giant kachina.
We stayed for two nights a few miles east of Gallup, once at the Fire Rock Casino and once at Red Rock State Park. Red Rock campground is surrounded by beautiful red rock cliffs. The sites are fairly close together with little privacy. Some sites are large enough for any RV.
A very nice, free museum is located at the park offices. Exhibits include beautiful blankets, baskets, pots and other art; historic information; and wonderful, large carvings of Native Americans.
The lot farthest west at Fire Rock Casino is used by trucks so we parked in the east most lot where it was quieter.
About 25 miles east of Gallup Route 66 crosses over the continental divide. It’s such a gradual grade, passing through a wide valley, that it’s hardly noticeable. Of course the bright yellow and red signs of the “Indian Market” are hard to miss!
The road follows along the southern border of the Navajo Nation, the largest Indian reservation in the US, covering 27,000 square miles. This is a just portion of the traditional homeland of the Navajo who were permitted to return to the area after a forced removal to southeastern New Mexico in 1864 proved to be a dismal failure.
Route 66 in Gallup, which is the largest town between Albuquerque and Flagstaff, is lined with old motels and trading companies. Navajo and other Native American tribe members come to Gallup to buy supplies and sell their artwork so the shops are full of silver and turquoise jewelry and hand woven rugs.
During the 1930s and 40s over 100 movies were filmed in the Gallup area and the stars stayed at the El Rancho Hotel. The hotel is still a popular Route 66 stop.
Gallup has two small free museums. The Gallup Cultural Center has a Native American history gallery and an art gallery with changing exhibits. RVs will fit in the lot.
The Rex Museum houses artifacts donated by local families. Many deal with the coal mining industry of the early 1900s. All of the items are carefully labeled but very little history of the city or the artifacts is given.
Don’t miss the art in Babe Ruth Park on the north side of the city. RVs will fit in the parking lot.
Across the street from the park is another park with a giant kachina.
We stayed for two nights a few miles east of Gallup, once at the Fire Rock Casino and once at Red Rock State Park. Red Rock campground is surrounded by beautiful red rock cliffs. The sites are fairly close together with little privacy. Some sites are large enough for any RV.
A very nice, free museum is located at the park offices. Exhibits include beautiful blankets, baskets, pots and other art; historic information; and wonderful, large carvings of Native Americans.
The lot farthest west at Fire Rock Casino is used by trucks so we parked in the east most lot where it was quieter.
Attachments
Ohh.. I forgot about fry bread! The last time we came through this way we stopped at a roadside spot where a Navajo man was selling barbecued lamb with roasted peppers on fry bread. Really good! But it's a little too cold for that now. :-(
wagoneer
Well-known member
I have fond memories of Santa Fe in my younger years working as a gigolo often stayed at the La Fonda. Ha great times.
highdesertranger
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wagoneer, I am shocked. haha not. highdesertranger
Okay, we need more stories wagoneer! :-D
wagoneer
Well-known member
Only if you behave, and around a fire pit.
Into Arizona
Savor last few miles through New Mexico on old Route 66. Most of eastern Arizona involves interstate driving with frequent turns at the exits to visit small segments of the old road.
The giant metal teepee of the Teepee Trading Post sits just over the state line.
Ortega's Indian Market on the other side of the interstate is no longer opened.
The big Fort Courage complex is right off of the interstate at exit 348. Most of us who grew up the 1960s remember the corny TV show but apparently it doesn’t resonate with the public any more. The entire place is closed.
An abandoned Valentine Diner sits in a overgrown lot in Sanders at exit 339.
Visiting Petrified National Forest and Painted Desert is a must for any Route 66 road tripper. From exit 311 it’s a 50 mile trip through the park to rejoin the road at Holbrook. The photos are from a previous trip since we skipped it this time.
Charles Stewart opened Stewart's Petrified Wood Shop in 1994 and starting building giant dinosaurs and animals to attract the attention of interstate travelers. Charles has retired but the shop is opened. Even though some of the creatures could use a little sprucing up, this quirky place is still worth a stop.
On the opposite side of the interstate, the Painted Desert Indian Center , another gift shop has very colorful teepees and ferocious dinosaurs.
Savor last few miles through New Mexico on old Route 66. Most of eastern Arizona involves interstate driving with frequent turns at the exits to visit small segments of the old road.
The giant metal teepee of the Teepee Trading Post sits just over the state line.
Ortega's Indian Market on the other side of the interstate is no longer opened.
The big Fort Courage complex is right off of the interstate at exit 348. Most of us who grew up the 1960s remember the corny TV show but apparently it doesn’t resonate with the public any more. The entire place is closed.
An abandoned Valentine Diner sits in a overgrown lot in Sanders at exit 339.
Visiting Petrified National Forest and Painted Desert is a must for any Route 66 road tripper. From exit 311 it’s a 50 mile trip through the park to rejoin the road at Holbrook. The photos are from a previous trip since we skipped it this time.
Charles Stewart opened Stewart's Petrified Wood Shop in 1994 and starting building giant dinosaurs and animals to attract the attention of interstate travelers. Charles has retired but the shop is opened. Even though some of the creatures could use a little sprucing up, this quirky place is still worth a stop.
On the opposite side of the interstate, the Painted Desert Indian Center , another gift shop has very colorful teepees and ferocious dinosaurs.
