Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
What are the conditions on the gravel/dirt roads in the Fall. Are they still passable by a mid size sedan or do they need a 4WD or high cleareance vehicle?
Obviously, the best answer is to drive a 4WD with high clearance and not worry about the road conditions - UNLESS - there has been heavy rain or snow which can make even 4WD tricky if the road is in a clay area or there are deep washouts. Off road conditions can vary a lot depending on whether there is periodic re-grading after seasonal summer monsoon rains. Fall is certainly (IMO) the best time for off-roading in the region - mid Sept to Nov.
Good advice, thanks. We are goung to have to rent a car so the really rough roads are not feasable. I was specificly interested in the Tribal Roads that are shown as graded gravel. I'll leave the off roading until I move out there in a couple of years.
Highway 64, from just north of Taos to Tierra Amarilla, is desolate, especially the part from Tres Piedras west to T.A. That section is ensconced in rolling terrain, and I was shocked to see a sigh that said I was at 10400 feet in elevation! It seems almost unearthly up there, beautiful but strange.
Between TP and TA is beautiful. I love that drive.
The worst stretch of road in NM is I-25 between Socorro and T or C.
I would hate to break down there (THAT'S why you buy a Chevy!).
Although, I've never been east the Sandias, Manzanosor Organs, and I've never gone further east than Las Vegas or Raton, so things could be worse in Eastern NM for all I know.
I'll agree to 54 from ELP to Alamo. The only thing in between is a store in a (what's smaller than a town?) that has been passed by time.
I agree. We take that drive at least 4 times per year. We fly to El Paso from Tempe and then drive to our place in Ruidoso. We will be doing it in less than 4 weeks. Time to make the cabin ready for the summer visitorsl Desolate, desolate and again desolate. Don't forget the post office in Ore Grande as the nicest place to be in between.
US 60 from about a few miles west of Fort Sumner until I-25 is pretty desolate... I drove it a few weeks ago, and counted 4 other cars aside from myself from Fort Sumner to Vaughn. From Vaughn, it's Co-signed with US 285 for a short time, but after that, it's back to desolation and loneliness.
Originally Posted by danieloneil01 I'll agree to 54 from ELP to Alamo. The only thing in between is a store in a (what's smaller than a town?) that has been passed by time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JDTH
I agree. We take that drive at least 4 times per year.
I agree, having driven that route literally HUNDREDS of times (born in El Paso - second home in the mountains). But since the highway was 4-laned and the speed limit raised to 70mph, it's now a breeze (sometimes literally). I can set the cruise control and relax while really enjoying the surrounding scenery for the first time in my driving life.
When I was a kid, and the "road" was long series of very sharp "dips" between Orogrande and Alamo, it made for a "sickening" ride if one was prone to car sickness. And woe to anyone foolish enough to pull off onto the unmaintained shoulder in those days - without some way of getting out of the sand! The best thing about the trip way back then was reaching the lush oasis that Tularosa represented, knowing that the road would soon climb into cooler timber.
I remember driving from Silver City to Socorro using Rts 180, 12 and 60. The only sign of civilization, outside of the "Golden Girls" diner in Glenwood, was a rest stop with bullet holes through the toilet building, somewhere around Apache Creek. Not a lot out there and the Plains of St Agustine were simply unearthly. Then the VLA made the scene unearthly with high tech science. That was a spectacular drive.
Vaughn to Roswell is a road trip I'll never forget! Definitely desolate and I remember there were very few cars going either direction. I never saw a speed limit sign posted the whole stretch. After a couple of cars passed me up, going over 90+ mph, I decided I'd better step on the gas or get ran over. I said to myself, "Oh crap, I'm on an Autobahn road!" My cell phone had no coverage and if there was going to be any car trouble, I knew I'd be one very lonely hitch-hicker if I didn't get ran over first! That was the fastest and scariest drive of my life. Make sure your car is in good working order otherwise you'll be praying some serious prayers. Just so you'll know, from one who's been there and done that! By the way, I'm recalling my experience from about 2005.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
