Dallas - New Mexico Route

[msk2193]

Hi all,

I am heading to Bosque del Apache and taking my time getting there from Dallas via Wichita Falls, overnighting in Amarillo to shoot the Cadillac Ranch at sunrise. On the way home I am driving via Lubbock and then 380 (Post, Haskell, Graham) back to Dallas.

Any suggestions, recommendations for some photo opps along the way. These could be scenic, architectural, historical, or hysterical!

Thanks in advance.

[venchka]

From Plano, go north to US-82 & west to W.F.
Get off of US-287 and into Hud Country between W.F. and Amarillo. Wave to Russell in Childress.
Ft. Sumner, NM. I'm kinda weird and like bleak places. This is about as bleak as it gets.
Palo Duro Canyon. Utah scenery without the drive.

That's a whole other trip. Be safe. Have fun.

[Imagebuffet]

Sure. Drive every road in New Mexico. It would be fascinating!

I have driven to and from New Mexico from the Metroplex a half-dozen times, and I lived in the Albuquerque area for 9 years. You should ride the Tramway in Albuquerque, up to the top of Sandia Peak.

Sandia Peak Tramway

If you had time, I would say to travel up the Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway, though that is far more nostalgic and bitter-sweet for me than it would be for you.

You will pass some very large wind farms outside of Amarillo. I posed nude in front of the entrance to the Wildorado Wind Ranch.

If you are a diver or a swimmer, you will want to see Blue Hole, in Santa Rosa; you will pass right by it on I-40. It closes at sunset. Water temperature is constantly near 60° F, and extremely clear. Divers at the bottom of the 80-foot deep hole sometimes can see the stars at night when they look up.

Make of a note of Clines Corners as you pass by it. This is a major intersection, despite the fact that only this trading post exists there. Vaughn is down South of it.

If you head West from Socorro on I-25, you will pass through the Plains of Magdallina, and eventually come to the town of Magdallina. Stop at Evett's Cafe on the North side of the street and try one of their green chili dishes (if you can tolerate spicy food). They made the best green chili dishes I have eaten anywhere, but I fear they might change, now that the former owner's son-in-law is running the place.

Keep going West on that road, and you will soon arrive at the Very Large Array.

Highway 380 goes right through the Lincoln National Forest, which is worth several days of exploring and photographing. The original Smokey Bear was discovered in Capiton. 380 continues through several scenic towns in the mountains, and you might travel through the Apache Indian Reservation. Eventually, 380 goes through the middle of Roswell, New Mexico, before it leaves the State. I enjoy photographing and just wandering around Roswell. It's such a relaxed place. On your way out of town, notice the RV park on the South side of the street; that's the first place where I pitched my current tent.

Three miles East of Roswell is the road to Bottomless Lakes State Park. It has a campground and you could go swimming in Lea Lake, if you don't mind 60° F water. The other lakes are stocked with rainbow trout.

I'm still editing and uploading my photos from my recent trip through South-Eastern New Mexico. I took 380 out of town and returned by way of I-20.

Imagebuffet's Sets on Flickr

[venchka]

Originally Posted by venchka

From Plano, go north to US-82 & west to W.F.
Get off of US-287 and into Hud Country between W.F. and Amarillo. Wave to Russell in Childress.
Ft. Sumner, NM. I'm kinda weird and like bleak places. This is about as bleak as it gets.
Palo Duro Canyon. Utah scenery without the drive.

That's a whole other trip. Be safe. Have fun.

It's incumbent on the driver/viewer to spot photo-ops along the way. The small towns are changing. Catch the old feeling and flavor while you can. The local DQ won't be half bad.

[texkam]

On the way home I am driving via Lubbock and then 380 (Post, Haskell, Graham) back to Dallas.

The northern rout through Benjamin,Seymour and Olney is fun too.

[msk2193]

Thanks everyone.

Richard, I usually fly in to ABQ and drive the Scenic Byway to Santa Fe. It is a beautiful ride. This is one of the very few times I am actually driving out and bringing more equipment then I really need for the just in case scenario!

After 200K+ miles in an airline seat this year, I am looking forward to the drive.

[venchka]

There are no photos waiting along the interstate highway system.

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

Don't forget Billy the Kids grave at Ft Sumner (it is outside and free to see-talks about the headstone being stolen several times and in Granbury for many years before being recovered! (skip the museum next to the grave unless your a real big BTK fan)
Also at the airport NASA uses it as a launching sight for their BIG Weather balloons.

As mentioned above Smoky Bear is buried in Lincoln New Mexico which is also known as where Billy the Kid got his start- aka Lincoln County Wars.

Outside of Roswell there is a really great museum (it is kind of a summer comune for artists and it displays a lot of their works) while the museum in town has a great section on rocketry and early space exploration. That is one rumour why the alliens were checking the area out because of the research shots being done there in the 30's and 40's and even into the 50's.

You can also go by the Trinity site, no access except 2 days a year since it is on a military base, and get a feal of the area and why they chose that spot to set off the first nuke.

In Albequerque there is the Ballon Museum on the north end of town, not sure if it was open when you lived there on not.

Highway 287 is almost interstate in it's design which makes it an easy drive but some of the character is lost.

If your a fan of the obscure stop at Turkey Texas (home of Bob Wills-the musician who brought Texas Swing music to the world) and then there are the towns that the man who created Conan the Barbarian lived in Robert E. Howard - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and then there is Muleshoe (only statue to a mule) and Earth (geeze you have to say that you visited Earth!) and then you can always check out this site for strange things Roadside America - Guide to Uniquely Odd Tourist Attractions

[Imagebuffet]

Originally Posted by venchka

There are no photos waiting along the interstate highway system.

He is going to drive right past the 300 foot-tall steel and concrete cross in Groom, Texas. Just before he gets there, he will drive past the leaning water tower (also outside of Groom, Texas). If he is curious, he should stop in. They have lots of interesting stuff, even if you aren't Catholic.

There are ghost towns along the way. Of course, there is the canyon system that venchka mentioned earlier. I hope to take a trip out to shoot in that area, soon, all up and down from Amarillo to Lubbock.

Mystery Mountain is out past Los Lunas, but I don't expect him to get a chance to see it. That's an all-day sort of thing, and you have to have pass from the Land Office, and someone has to unlock the gate for you.

There are scads of hot springs all over New Mexico.

My favorite place in New Mexico, as of now, in the mountains West of Los Alamos.

[Orogeny]

As Wayne mentioned, don't miss Palo Duro Canyon. This is usually a great time to visit because there will be few people there.

Tim

[msk2193]

Thanks Tim and Wayne, I have included Palo Duro and will be there for sunset on the first day of the ride out.

[Imagebuffet]

Originally Posted by msk2193

Thanks Tim and Wayne, I have included Palo Duro and will be there for sunset on the first day of the ride out.

I hope to explore Palo Duro and Caprock Canyon, someday. The official Texas State Bison Herd is in Caprock Canyon. If you run across anything mentioning Charles Goodnight, it might be worth your time to investigate.

[hhscr]

Originally Posted by Imagebuffet

He is going to drive right past the 300 foot-tall steel and concrete cross in Groom, Texas. Just before he gets there, he will drive past the leaning water tower (also outside of Groom, Texas). If he is curious, he should stop in. They have lots of interesting stuff, even if you aren't Catholic.

I wish I had known about this, I drove right by it on 2 trips. I will not miss it next time.

THanks

[shutterfire]

Historic route 66 in amarilllo has some great arc. Cadillac ranch is great but when you get in amarillo if you take Boys Ranch Road North(hereford hiway) about 5 miles there is floating Mesa a multi million dollar construction art. its a fence painted so makes the mesa appear like its floating in mid air (around dusk). In Lubbuck Texas tech has all the luminarios out.

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

Originally Posted by Imagebuffet

I hope to explore Palo Duro and Caprock Canyon, someday. The official Texas State Bison Herd is in Caprock Canyon. If you run across anything mentioning Charles Goodnight, it might be worth your time to investigate.

Been to Mr Goodnights grave outside of town, in small cemetary north of highway and if your a texan with some cowboy in your heart take along a bandana (you'll understand when you get to the grave). Heard that Loving is buried somewhere in southern New Mexico. BTW Lonesome Dove is based on these two guys lives.