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You'd probably be better off going to Amarillo then making your way to Raton, NM, via US-385 and US-87. Northeastern New Mexico has a handful of extinct volcanoes that rise up from the plains. Sierra Grande is a large shield volcano that towers about 2000' above the town of Des Moines, and a little further northwest is Capulin Volcano National Monument. At Capulin you can drive to the rim and hike down into the crater.
Once you get to Raton it's I-25 all the way to Denver. You'll be treated to mountain views the entire trip up I-25.
We just took this route last month as part of a 4000 mi road trip and I can recommend it.
Watch your speed through the little towns along the way though. They have the limits set ridiculously low and they are watching. I think my radar detector went off in every one of them.
First time I've seen herds of antelope along the road too. The volcano's are also very interesting.
If you MUST do this route on interstate... drive it at night!
Better for vehicle,
better economy (moist air and cool highway surface)
FASTER (less traffic).
Hotel day rates are cheaper than night rates (But I just nap in my car during day... free...)
Not burning valuable daylight (Better used in Mtns of WY, CO, UT, NV, CA, NM
(I would go the Northern NM Mtns / southern CO route and hit Arches, Canyonlands, Capital Reef, Great Basin NPs, Then Tahoe, Sierras Mtns and Yosemite and Sequoia NP)
Looking at the map, it's about 1,000 miles so a 2 day trip would be about 8 hours or 500 miles per day.
From Maryland to N. California 1000 miles??
Or you're talking about Fort Smith to Denver?
There are 652.82 miles from Fort Smith to Denver in northwest direction and 810 miles (1,303.57 kilometers) by car, following the I-70 and US-40 W route. Fort Smith and Denver are 11 hours 23 mins far apart, if you drive non-stop.
Friends in Denver as well as Fort Smith. Most likely will go via Kansas with stop in Wichita or Salina. Hoping there are no tornados or torrential rains during that time -) NIght driving is not for me IMHO
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(Ick) 
