Fort Worth to Santa Fe, NM in January

[CaptainTom]

I'm going to Santa Fe, NM just after new years, for the weekend. I'm planning on driving up there via Albuquerque. Is there a "not to be missed" photo op. on the route from Ft. Worth ? I've never been to Santa Fe in the winter. Any suggestions about photo ops while I'm there ?

[johnastovall]

The not to be missed photo op or not is the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum.

[TXFZ1]

Stanley Marsh's Cadillac Ranch :D

Bandera National Park

David

[nyphotopro]

Ditto on the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. Visit the open-air market in the old Santa Fe town center.

Go to Abique, NM and visit the old Mission Church there. It's a beautiful area.

Go to Chimayo, NM and visit a couple of the very old rug making stores.

Visit El Sanctuario de Chimayo: http://www.archdiocesesantafe.org/AboutASF/Chimayo.html

Wish I was going again. It's beautiful there.

[CaptainTom]

I've been to Santa Fe many times, but always in summer. Georgia O'keefe museum is a natural. Also many photography shops in town. I'll check on Cadillac Ranch, etc. I've never driven there from Ft. Worth. Always gone by plane before.

[CaptainTom]

Originally Posted by TXFZ1

Stanley Marsh's Cadillac Ranch :D

Bandera National Park

David

?????

[dbphotos]

Tom,

I've been thinking about a long weekend photo trip somewhere (for fun and a little sanity), how long does it take to go to Santa Fe by car (or Hummer as the case may be)?

[johnastovall]

Originally Posted by CaptainTom

?????

He means Bandelier National Monument. Was never there in winter but several times when I was wearing my graduate anthropology student hat and working at at SMU's Fort Burgwin one summer.

[CaptainTom]

Originally Posted by dbphotos

Tom,

I've been thinking about a long weekend photo trip somewhere (for fun and a little sanity), how long does it take to go to Santa Fe by car (or Hummer as the case may be)?

625 miles.
10 hrs drive.

[studiocygnet]

Hi Tom,
I have a general recommendation. My wife is from NM, and we visit her mom out there a lot. My two cents is to stay off the interstate Hwys as much as possible. Go out through Plainview, Muleshoe, Clovis, etc., and then if you have to go to Albuquerque, get to IH40 through Clines Corner or someplace like that. You'll see lots of old barns, grain silos, and churches, and the towns aren't big enough to cause much delay to your time. The photo opportunities might delay you though. And it keeps me awake on the 2 lanes. More to see than the interstates. If you don't have to go to Albuquerque, or maybe on your way home from Santa Fe, do the loop that goes through Chimayo, Chamisal, Penasco, La Cueva, Sapello, and then drops down into Las Vegas. (New Mexico, that is) Las Vegas has some cool old houses. And that whole drive has vineyards, churches, and scenery galore. Then from Las Vegas you drop down on Hwy. 84 toward the interstates and home.

[venchka]

I'm with Tom. Bypass Albuquerque. US 287 to Amarillo isn't as bad an Interstate highway. You can always take the old road through the small towns. I always turned north to Santa Fe well east of Albuquerque. Santa Rosa maybe? It's all kinda fuzzy after too many years. There's a road north off of I-40 on the east side of the Sandia Mountains. That's a nice route too. Maybe go out through Amarillo and come back through Lubbock. I've done both. Keep an eye on the weather. Amarillo can get get shut down tight by an ice storm or blizzard.

OK, you're in Ft. Worth. As I said earlier, I've been both ways in the winter to avoid a storm in Amarillo. Straight west through Mineral Wells, Lubbock, etc. or US 287 & I-40 for a bit and then NW to Santa Fe.

It only took me about 30 years to figure it out, but I don't do Intertate highways anymore if I can help it. Guess what? It doesn't take any longer and you see more. Have a safe trip.

[venchka]

I'll second Bandalier N.M. Great place but you may not have time over a weekend.

[jerrykr]

went up there a couple months ago.

took scenic highway 104 out of Tucumcari to Las Vegas, and then on into Santa Fe. It was a very good short-cut to get you off I-40.

But, I would NOT take that route if the roads are icy. There are some major ups and downs on that 2 lane road, and the towns are mostly in name only until you get to Las Vegas. Fill up fuel before you venture off on 104.

The other one I liked (a few years ago) is the Tourquois Trail, or Hwy 14 off I-40 before you get to Albuquerque. Goes thru Sandia Park and Madrid into Santa Fe. A number of little artist type towns to go thru, some churches to shoot. Again, consider weather conditions this time of year.

get at least one Lottaburger with green chili's while you are in NM. Hmmm!

Have a great trip.

[Dobick]

Originally Posted by CaptainTom

625 miles.
10 hrs drive.

You can do the drive in 10 hours, as long as you don't intend to stop at all. But sounds like you are looking for can't miss spots, which will mean photo op delays, etc.

If you aren't in a huge hurry on the coming or going, then there are some pretty neat towns out this way.

If you hit mineral wells, and head west on 180, you will get to Snyder. You can then head up 84. Halfway between snyder and Post, is a pretty sizable windmill farm (there is a turn-off to Fluvana and the plateau stis about two miles off the highway) There is also a fossilized oyster bed about twenty yards off of that road, but I haven't been since a field trip in Jr High. I went by there about a month ago, and there is a fence up with a number to call for access. I'll see about finding it for you if you are interested.

84 will run up to Lubbock and straight on through to Clovis with lots of towns before you get there. It is also a very direct route from Fort Worth to Albq.

Lubbock has some pretty neat photo ops as well, especially if you have never seen them. The veteran's Memorial is a special place, and if you get up this way, you should at least see it.

[LWimages]

I went to Santa Fe for Christmas about 4 years ago. The best scenery I thought was at the top of the mountain in Santa Fe looking down on all the adobe houses.