Best roadtrip route from Austin to New Mexico? (San Antonio, El Paso: how much, camp)

[goexploretexas]

I'm planning a pretty crazy southwest roadtrip from Austin in April. I'm stuck picking the first leg...should I go through West Texas to Las Cruces or drive up through Brownwood (near Lubbock) to Ruidoso?

I'm still planning on hitting the same places (White Sands, Lincoln) but I'm worried about travel time and traffic. Logic tells me I-10 instead of the 2 lane roads in northwest Texas but I need some advice.

[austin-steve]

Originally Posted by goexploretexas

I'm planning a pretty crazy southwest roadtrip from Austin in April. I'm stuck picking the first leg...should I go through West Texas to Las Cruces or drive up through Brownwood (near Lubbock) to Ruidoso?

I'm still planning on hitting the same places (White Sands, Lincoln) but I'm worried about travel time and traffic. Logic tells me I-10 instead of the 2 lane roads in northwest Texas but I need some advice.

I-10 doesn't qualify as a "road trip" because it mostly soulless Interstate until you veer north. Through Brownwood will be a better "road trip" route. Or out Hwy 71 to 87.

Steve

[LordyLordy]

People who say that I-10 is soulless - have you actually driven it? There are very pretty portions alongside of I-10 - The whole drive up to Van Horn is pretty (well, the portion around Ft Stockton is not).

Anyways, take I-90 instead, get down to Big Bend, stay there for a few days - it is THE southwest Texas experience. Then drive up to Alpine and Ft Davis (make sure you tour the actual fort in Ft Davis!), drive to Balmorhea and visit the pool - it should be fun in the whole area for a few days (ft Davis state park was re-done last year so more trails and you can camp there too). Afterwards hop on to El Paso - spend some time in the Franklin Mtns there - El Paso is a fun city with mountains right in the middle of it. Then drive up to Las Cruces but stop by in Mesilla, NM for a visit (Las Cruces is a bit boring to me but you can hike in the Organ Mtns right outside of it). After Las Cruces, make sure you go up to TorC and west to Hillsboro and down to Silver City (via the scenic route) and after spending some time in the Gila Natl Forest come back through TorC and drive down into Lincoln.... Depending on how much time you have - make sure you visit the usual suspects like ABQ, Santa Fe, Taos etc...

[joqua]

I've driven from Austin to Ruidoso many times and always found the route shown on GOOGLE MAPS to be the quickest/shortest. Austin, LLano, Brady, San Angelo, Big Spring, Brownfield, Roswell, Ruidoso. There is about equal measure 2-lane and 4-lane, but no interstate.

From N. Austin (Round Rock/Georgetown) the alternate route shown on GOOGLE is about the same via Lampasas, Brownwood, Sweetwater, Snyder etc.

I find the former more scenic than the latter - but that's personal preference.



An afterthought: When I lived in San Antonio the most direct route was IH-10 to Ft. Stockton, then US-285 to Pecos, Carlsbad, Artesia, Roswell. Much less scenic than the two routes from Austin, IMO.

[Roadking2003]

Originally Posted by goexploretexas

I'm planning a pretty crazy southwest roadtrip from Austin in April. I'm stuck picking the first leg...should I go through West Texas to Las Cruces or drive up through Brownwood (near Lubbock) to Ruidoso?

I'm still planning on hitting the same places (White Sands, Lincoln) but I'm worried about travel time and traffic. Logic tells me I-10 instead of the 2 lane roads in northwest Texas but I need some advice.

I suggest you go through Alpine, the Davis Mountains and Carlsbad if you are sightseeing. You should have no traffic worries anywhere in west Texas, even on the two lane roads.