Route Houston to Durango

[adonh]

Now that I have the arrival date of 5/8/2009 set for Durango I just need to decide on my route from Houston to Durango I can go north from Houston to Amarillo. or up through Lubbock to get out of Texas or take I-10 to Fort Stockton and then 285 over to Carlsbad then up to Durango. I have taken the Amarillo and Lubbock routes before and was wondering if the trip through Carlsbad would be more interesting. I will probally spend 2 nights on the raod from Houston to Durango. All seem to be about the same overall distance.

Thanks for any input.

Don

[Crusty]

If it was me doin' it, I'd take US 290 to Fredericksberg, then US 87 to Brownfield, then US 380 to Roswell, then US 285 to Chili, then US 84 to Pagosa Springs, then US 160 to Durango.

Don't turn right at Pagosa Springs - you won't like the road ahead (Wolf Creek Pass).

[eubank]

Wow, I'm not sure many people know where Chili, New Mexico is!

But the route isn't that shabby! At Espanola, you just turn (left) onto the road that takes you up to Abiquiu, Tierra Amarilla and Chama. Sure a lot prettier than zappin' along an interstate to Albuquerque and then honkin' north to Durango on 550. Too durned much traffic for my taste!

If you're interested, there's a really nice COE park at Abiquiu dam (though you'd want to call to make sure they're open by that time). Just north of there someplace is Echo Amphitheater, also pretty neat for a sandwich stop!

And that's dangerous territory! Site of the last armed revolt against the United States just 40some years ago! Wow!


Lynn

[blacksheep]

Wolf Creek Pass, beautiful territory! I delivered a camper once from Indiana to Farmington, NM. Not a road for the timid or those in a hurry. There was road construction being done and several cars and trucks were waiting for the other traffic headed toward us to pass so we could then go through. The first vehicle to come by was a motorhome with a Jeep Cherokee toad and I heard tires squealing when he went by. Too late I realized he had locked the steering wheel on the Cherokee with the tires pointed slightly to the right! Ouch!! He was too far by me when I realized it, no way to warn him.

Godspeed,
Trent

[mojo]

Have done the route from Dallas through Amarillo twice with a stop at Copper Breaks SP in Quanah. But if you have done it before than try something new. Lake Brantley just North of Carlsbad is a nice CG. There is Bottomless Lake SP just outside of Roswell if you want to see the aliens. And the 285 route through Santa Fe is much prettier than the 550 route although slower. Abiquiu Reservoir or Ghost Ranch are nice spots.

Eastern NM is a lot like West TX, scenery wise.

[ZoominC6]

Don, Definitely take the Chama route if your TV can handle it and time allows. You won't regret it one bit. The scenery is wonderful and so is the fishing if you're so inclined.

[SafariSS]

Don, I live in Houston too (well the woodlands) and did the same route last summer. We took the Chauma route north out of Santa fe and it was beautiful, however I would not take it if you are in a hurry or time pressed. It took us a day to get from Truth or Consequences to Durango without stopping. Also I second the tv thing, there are very steep climbs there in which you may not have alot of momentum.

Durango is cool, ride the train.

[Ken J]

I'm from Houston and I'm from Durango - so it just depends how fast you want to get there and if you care about roads you go on. The route through Pagosa and longer (it is more scenic) and a lot of two lane. 550 is 4 lane all the way to Aztec and a very good road. I usually don't go through Abilene - I take 153 around to 70 to Sweetwater and up to Lubbock then to Clovis. We have several friends who come up during the year and that route seems to be the best/quickest.

I now live in Albquerque and live part time in Durango and go to Austin each year myself and know these roads very well. I have an office on N Main in Durango, so I'll watch for you... I see lots of Airstreams go by.

Ken J.

[Cap-N-Red]

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