Amarillo to Las Cruces, NM

Bayfield · 02-17-2019, 08:36 PM

We will be traveling with our 21 ft travel trailer from NW Wisconsin to Tuscon mid-March and planning our route. We know that weather could be an issue during that time and want to get as far south as needed before turning west.

We are thinking of taking Hwy 60/70 from Amarillo, Clovis, Roswell, etc to Las Crusces rather than I40 to Albuquerque then I25 south. Assuming the weather is good, is that stretch of hwy OK? Or should we not go that route and add more miles and stay on I35 to DFW and then west on I20?

Thanks in advance.

**creativepart** · 02-17-2019, 10:47 PM

Whatever you do stay away from Hwy 285 between Carlsbad and Fort Stockton. It an oil road used and abused by hundreds and hundreds of oil drilling and supply trucks. The roads are in bad shape, covered in dirt and oil, and dangerous as the trucks don’t mix well with traffic.

We’ve done this a number of times in the past, but have decided to never go that way again. There are LOTs of posts on here from others about this stretch of the road.

buford · 02-18-2019, 05:29 AM

The roads from Amarillo to Roswell are good, then Hwy 54 from Roswell to Alamogordo is also good ...there is some construction as you approach Tularosa/Alamogordo where you need to slow to 45 MPH but only for about 10miles...then it is free sailing to Las Cruces on Hwy 70 ...Have a nice trip! Karl.

Cooperhawk · 02-18-2019, 08:08 AM

We did the trip a few years back and went through Carlsbad and stopped at the Caverns. The highway wasn't that bad then and the Caverns were very interesting.

I believe we followed hwy 62 from Lubbock all the way to I10. Course we went through Lubbock and went home through Amarillo.

Bayfield · 02-24-2019, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buford

The roads from Amarillo to Roswell are good, then Hwy 54 from Roswell to Alamogordo is also good ...there is some construction as you approach Tularosa/Alamogordo where you need to slow to 45 MPH but only for about 10miles...then it is free sailing to Las Cruces on Hwy 70 ...Have a nice trip! Karl.

Thanks Buford.
Is the whole route four lane? And are there any places of interest, other than "aliens" and "spaceships"

?

rgvtexan · 02-24-2019, 08:23 AM

It's not all 4 lane, most is 2 lane. Use Google Earth to scope out the roads.

S. of Amarillo is Palo Duro State Park the Grand Canyon of Texas. Carlsbad Caverns. Ruidoso, White Sands, and Tombstone.

luvlabs · 02-24-2019, 09:03 AM

Our March is not like your March. Spring is well underway and the chance of snow or weather delaying your trip is pretty low. The biggest weather events here result in high winds but if you limit your travelling to mornings, you should be OK.

Anyway you come, you are going to go over some mountains and hit a lot of 2 lane road (but no traffic). My favorite route would be I-40 West to Santa Rosa and then South on US-54. Your highest point would be in Corona, NM. You will eventually run into US-70 in Alamagordo and the rest of the trip is 4 lane.

An alternative route would have you take I-27 South in Amarillo to US-60 towards Clovis and Roswell. You pick up US-70 in Clovis and it is 4 lane all the way into Las Cruces. You do have to go over the mountains in Ruidoso but the roads are well maintained.

Bayfield · 02-24-2019, 12:09 PM

Spring! Sounds wonderful! We are in a full-fledged blizzard right now in Bayfield, WI. Near record snow here for February. We are rural and our 1/4 mile private road is totally socked in. Hope my Kubota/blower can handle it.

Thanks for everyone's assistance. This will be our first long haul towing our Micro Minnie Winnie and looking forward to the trip and spending time in Arizona,

greg126 · 02-25-2019, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgvtexan

It's not all 4 lane, most is 2 lane. Use Google Earth to scope out the roads.

S. of Amarillo is Palo Duro State Park the Grand Canyon of Texas. Carlsbad Caverns. Ruidoso, White Sands, and Tombstone.

+1 for White Sands if you're in close. If time llimited you can just drive through the monument but it shouldn't be missed. I'd also go with Carrizozo over Clovis - it avoids the pull (which really isn't bad) to Ruidoso and I think there is more oilfield traffic around Clovis.

highfeather · 02-27-2019, 04:35 PM

i love the back roads but the oil field traffic has ruined parts of S. NM. I was through there in Sept and the sleep deprived drivers of those huge rigs hauling equipment and etc. were truly scary. Roads haven't been modified to deal with the boom....after all it will just all go bust again....and these huge rigs were backed up as far as the eye could see (and it's totally flatter than kansas there) waiting to turn onto the highway from the well sites. They took a lot of privilege due to their size in pulling out onto the highway when it was not safe...thus a lot of slamming on brakes, veering and this was little old me amid all the big rigs that were ON the highway with me. I hate to say take the freeway but travel that area at your own peril if you do not. BE VERY ALERT!!!

PJTroyer · 02-27-2019, 06:10 PM

We were concerned about night freezing temps when we drove early Nov from Rockford/Janesville to Tucson.

We were glad to drive 700 miles south on interstates then 10 across the south route. We were glad to have good roads and no freeze up overnight. We did need to unhook the water hose when we did a full service hookup until Las Cruses

PhilfromTucson:

Weather here is wonderful. Mountain peak ridges are Snow White this week. 76' + today in Tucson

MkgBen · 02-27-2019, 06:33 PM

Palo Duro Canyon State Park just south of Amarillo is one of our favorites and not crowded if you have time.