Albuquerque to Yuma choices in late Oct?

[RVcrazy]

It looks like we have 2 choices:
Albuquerque to Kingman on 40 & down 95 to Yuma
Albuquerque to Las Cruces on 25 toTucson on 26 & 10 to Yuma
The third option is from Amarillo to Roswell to Las Cruces on 70.
We don't want to deal with any ice or snow! Mountain passes? Thanks!

[Edd505]

RE_Todd wrote:
Edd505, the 70 intersection is in Alamogordo, you're thinking the loop highway over Transmountain. The 70 has San Augustine pass, about 5K in altitude. Short, steep climb, on a 4 lane hwy. Not a problem.

Yep for some reason Transmountain ends up 70 in my head, and I used to live on Cross Mountain in ID. 54 is good all the way to El Paso. The Boarder Patrol Museums is on Transmountain just off 54. :S

[RE_Todd]

Edd505, the 70 intersection is in Alamogordo, you're thinking the loop highway over Transmountain. The 70 has San Augustine pass, about 5K in altitude. Short, steep climb, on a 4 lane hwy. Not a problem.

Edd505 wrote:

54 is good road the entire way. There are some turns so watch the signs. Alamogordo has a space museum & toy train museum worth seeing. In El Paso 54 will intersect with hwy70 (cross mountain rd) which will take you to I10. Just after you turn onto 70 maybe a mile is a Boarder Patrol museum. Oct you may hit some rain and wind but snow and ice would be a freak, temps will be 60-70 days 40s nights. Coming from OK there are no real mountain passes, NM is mostly mountains so lots of up and downs. I live south central & we are about 5000ft, we meet friends in the Yuma area January. Not sure if you have been to Quartzite,AZ but there is a large RV show there worth a I been there.

[Edd505]

RVcrazy wrote:
Oops! Forgot to mention that we will be in Oklahoma City & Amarillo before heading toward Yuma... Sorry for the confusion! Thanks!

54 is good road the entire way. There are some turns so watch the signs. Alamogordo has a space museum & toy train museum worth seeing. In El Paso 54 will intersect with hwy70 (cross mountain rd) which will take you to I10. Just after you turn onto 70 maybe a mile is a Boarder Patrol museum. Oct you may hit some rain and wind but snow and ice would be a freak, temps will be 60-70 days 40s nights. Coming from OK there are no real mountain passes, NM is mostly mountains so lots of up and downs. I live south central & we are about 5000ft, we meet friends in the Yuma area January. Not sure if you have been to Quartzite,AZ but there is a large RV show there worth a I been there.

[fanrgs]

Even if you aren't "sightseeing" on this trip, take an hour or two to stop in Clinton, OK at the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum. You don't have to be a history buff or even interested in Route 66 to enjoy it. It is very well done and one of the best small museums on 20th Century travel anywhere. It will leave you with a different perspective on what traveling along your I-40 route through Amarillo, Tucumcari, and Santa Rosa was like during both the Great Depression and the heyday of American road trips in the 1950's.

[RVcrazy]

Oops! Forgot to mention that we will be in Oklahoma City & Amarillo before heading toward Yuma... Sorry for the confusion! Thanks!

[mockturtle]

I'm confused. I thought you were going from Albuquerque to Yuma. :?

[Edd505]

RVcrazy wrote:
Thanks to all for your suggestions! We have decided on 54 from Amarillo to Las Cruces to Yuma. Sightseeing will be another trip.

Where are you leaving from? Signature says your WA state. 54 does not go through Amarillo, it comes south from KS to Dalhart TX , Tucumcari NM, Santa Rosa, Vaughn, Alamogordo, Las Cruses etc.

I miss spoke 54 goes into El Paso TX not Las Cruces - sorry.

[RVcrazy]

Thanks to all for your suggestions! We have decided on 54 from Amarillo to Las Cruces to Yuma. Sightseeing will be another trip.

[NMDriver]

Weather will not be an issue on any route. You can get off of I-40 in Kingman, Ash Fork, Flagstaff, Winslow, Holbrook, Sanders, Gallup, or Grants and work your way down to Yuma if you want the back roads.

You can also meander down I-25 and get off in Socorro, or Hatch to use the back roads.

The I-25 to I-10 to I-8 is all interstate and the longest route. AZ 95 from I-40 down to Yuma is a good road but is not fast. I-40 to I-17 to AZ 303 around Phoenix to I-10 to AZ 85 to I-8 is likely to be your fastest and easiest route.

BTW US 60 while scenic and my preference also; does not go to I-8, you must turn off east of Phoenix and work you way through the suburbs/bedroom towns south and east of Phoenix to get to I-8.
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Avoid Phoenix unless you are comfortable in heavy traffic and do not mind waiting in stop and go.

IF you are coming from Amarillo then use US 54 not US 70 to get down to Las Cruces and I-10.

[mockturtle]

The shortest route is US 60-->I-8 through Show Low and Globe. I like this route as it avoids both Phoenix and Tucson. And you won't have to worry about snow in October.

[Earl_E]

Pick the fast Interstates or back roads. Late Oct is the perfect time to travel in that area. You should have no problems with weather any way you choose.

[Busskipper]

RVcrazy wrote:
It looks like we have 2 choices:
Albuquerque to Kingman on 40 & down 95 to Yuma
Albuquerque to Las Cruces on 25 toTucson on 26 & 10 to Yuma
The third option is from Amarillo to Roswell to Las Cruces on 70.
We don't want to deal with any ice or snow! Mountain passes? Thanks!

Really just take your choice, as October is a great time to Travel in the Area.

Every option should be available - http://www.az511.gov/traffic/index.jsp

JMHO

[RE_Todd]

I don't know how Amarillo is even an option in this. I25 south to Hatch. Hwy 26 to Deming. Back on the I10 to Tucson and on to Yuma.

Weather permitting, the I40 to AZ exit 9, then AZ 95 south through Quartzsite to Yuma is another good choice.

[darsben1]

If not in a hurry I would do US 70 to US 380 to US 60 off I26. Bottomless Lake state park near Roswell is an awesome place to stay. Once on US 60 Stop and see the array looking for extraterrestrial life then to Pie Town for some you guessed it PIE. Continue on to Show low and then SR 260 to Payson, from Payson take SR87 to SR 188 and go to Lake Roosevelt and the Tonto National Forest. Spend a day or 2 there. Then drop down to Globe and take US 60 to Florence Jct. From there go to Florence (Casa Grande Ruins NHS there). Pick up 287/87 to 387 and get on I10 to I8.
However your question answered is Albuquerque to Las Cruces on 25 to Tucson on 26 & 10 to Yuma unless high winds are forecast and they shut down I10 from Lordsburg west to almost Tucson watch a weather station as these events are usually known well in advance and IMO are more prevalent in Spring. Make sure you stop and see the "Thing". Deming has a growing wine industry with tasting houses.
I find this southern route route more interesting than the Flagstaff option unless you want to do the Grand Canyon and Route 66.