Route 66 RV Road Trip #3: New Mexico
Still Getting our Kicks on Route 66
So far we’ve taken you on an epic Route 66 RV road trip through California and Arizona. In this third installment, we’re heading east into the Land of Enchantment: New Mexico.
Route 66 is a magnet for nostalgia lovers. Covering over 2000 miles between L.A. and Chicago, this was more than a highway. It was an economy-boosting connection for the many small towns on its path.
Now, Route 66 has turned into a segmented historic highway, a place to revel in Americana. It’s also narrow and winding in some places, making it hard for larger motorhomes and travel trailers to traverse. Check your route carefully if you have a big coach.
As you travel you’ll see the remains of original Route 66 motels, diners, service stations, and roadside attractions. You’ll also find increasingly rejuvenated towns, museums, and even renovated original destinations.
RV Maintenance
Whether you’re driving the entirety of Route 66 or just traveling through New Mexico, make sure your RV goes to the shop for thorough maintenance before you hit the road. If you love to DIY your maintenance, check out our Parts Store to find everything you need to prepare for your RV trip.
The Land of Enchantment
There are 604 miles of The Mother Road in New Mexico. The high desert scenery is gorgeous. You need a good map for all of your Route 66 travels since the original highway is now split into pieces. It’s especially important in New Mexico because the road loops around on itself.
New Mexico Route 66 Maps
• A good basic map from newmexico.org that clearly shows the loop
• This one from theroute-66 has every little town marked
• Jump to a nice Google map from route66roadtrip.com
• Check out this interactive map of all of Route 66 from route66roadtrip.com
Gallup
Our first stop in New Mexico is the small town of Gallup. Like many Arizona and New Mexico Route 66 towns, Gallup combines the Americana of The Mother Road with Native American traditions and attractions and the history of the old west.
From vintage hotels to a variety of trading posts to museums and cultural centers, Gallup is a fantastic place to begin your New Mexico Route 66 road trip. Don’t miss the El Rancho Hotel, a Route 66 and Hollywood Golden Age classic that’s still in operation.
More Gallup Attractions
• Richardson Trading Post
• Bill Malone Trading
• The Gallup Cultural Center
• The Rex Museum
RV Accommodations
Try the USA RV Park. Take a break from your Route 66 RV road trip with full hook-ups, free Wi-Fi, paved roads, a dog walk, a putting green, and a convenience store. They have plenty of space for larger RVs and active members of the military stay for free.
Directions
USA RV Park is right on Route 66 a couple of miles before you get to downtown Gallup. It’s on the right, just before the Howard Johnson’s.
Continental Divide
No matter where you cross it, stopping at the continental divide is special. It marks the crossing of America’s watershed—on the west, water drains into the Pacific Ocean, and on the east into the Atlantic.
If you can do so safely, pull your rig over and get a photo at this spot on Route 66 which is the geological division between east and west. It’s not flashy, but it’s been an important spot for the people of the continent for centuries.
Just past the Continental Divide, you’ll pass Roy T. Herman’s Garage and Service Station in the town of Thoreau. This Route 66 classic is on the National Register of Historic Places. Its unassuming façade hides a history that began in 1935.
As Route 66 was realigned, this building moved with it. It has stood in three separate locations. Roy T. Herman still owns the building he bought in 1950, operating it as a repair garage with his son.
Grants
A lot of the service stations, motels, and diners in Grants are gone now, but you’ll find some remnants of signs as you drive through town. Two in particular, one for the Sands Motel and one for Grants Café, have been very well preserved and restored.
That’s not all you’ll find in Grants. There are two excellent photo ops in this little town. The first is the Route 66 Neon Drive Through. It’s not vintage, but it captures both the neon nostalgia and the community’s Route 66 spirit. This one is best seen at night.
While you’re in Grants, stop at the Junkyard Brewery. It used to be an actual junkyard, now it’s a craft brewery. Using old cars and other memorabilia, the brewery captures the retro vibe of Route 66.
Take note: The Junkyard Brewery has a great big parking lot where trucks and RVs are welcome to stay the night. It has no amenities.
Alignment
As we head toward Albuquerque you have some route choices. The original Route 66 dipped south coming into the city and shot north to Santa Fe. In 1937 a more direct route was adopted that follows the current I-40.
Albuquerque
Albuquerque’s Route 66 is urban and chock full of interesting things to see and do. The city has a good interactive map as well as several guides to Route 66 attractions. Here are a few highlights.
• The (possibly haunted) KiMo Theatre
• The Dog House Drive-In
• The Jones Motor Company (now a popular brew pub)
• The 66 Diner
• Tewa Motor Lodge
• American Rattlesnake Museum
• El Vado Motel
• Old Town Plaza
RV Accommodations
Campgrounds and RV parks and resorts are plentiful around Albuquerque, but try Enchanted Trails RV Park and Trading Post. Sitting on the western edge of the city, this is a great jumping-off point for the many Route 66 attractions. It was a trading post in the 1940s. Now it has expanded to a full-service RV park with 30 and 50-amp hookups, bathrooms and showers, laundry, free Wi-Fi, meeting rooms, and pull-through sites.
This pet-friendly, kid-friendly park also features vintage RVs that guests can rent, adding to the retro flavor of the whole place.
Directions
To get to Enchanted Trails exit Historic Route 66 at Atrisco Vista Blvd before you enter the city. Follow the signs to the Frontage Road NW and head a mile or so west. Enchanted Trails will be on your right.
The Original Route
If you decide to drive the original Route 66 it will take you up through Santa Fe. Since it was only part of The Mother Road for a short time, there isn’t as much Americana here as in other places.
The main draw for this leg of our New Mexico journey is the beautiful city of Santa Fe and its wealth of Native American history and culture. Some of this roadway may be challenging if you’re driving a large vehicle on your Route 66 RV Road Trip.
If you’re mainly interested in Route 66 attractions, the direct route on I-40 is probably a better option.
Santa Rosa Area
The northern loop joins back up with I-40 as it heads into Santa Rosa. This stretch of the highway is a treasure trove of Route 66 Americana You’ll find neon signs, motels, diners, historic buildings, and a natural wonder: the Blue Hole.
The Santa Rosa Blue Hole is a deep natural pool called a cenote formed by a collapsing cavern. Its clear, cold, spring-fed waters are popular with locals and tourists alike. This oasis in the desert has been around for centuries and makes a great stop for geography buffs.
More Santa Rosa Area Attractions
Joseph’s Bar and Grill
Route 66 Auto Museum
The Blue Swallow Motel
Tee Pee Curios
RV Accommodations
There are plenty of places to stay on Route 66 between Santa Rosa and the next town to the east, Tucumcari. If you want to be near the auto museum or the Blue Hole, try La Loma RV Park. It’s been around since 1943 and isn’t fancy, but it has a very retro vibe.
Directions
La Loma is right on Route 66 in Santa Rosa, just past the Magistrate Court.
If you’d like to stay down the road a ways, try the Blaze-In Saddle RV Park in Tucumcari. This highly rated, pet-friendly park has 50 sites, some with pull-through access for larger RVs. They have restrooms and showers, full hookups, laundry, Wi-Fi, a store, a dog run, and horse stalls.
Directions
Blaze-In-Saddle is also on Route 66. You’ll find it on the right as you head east out of downtown Tucumcari.
Everything’s Bigger in Texas!
Route 66 goes through Northern Texas and that’s where we’re headed in the next installment of our Route 66 RV Road Trip. See you in the Lone Star State!
