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Indian Wells to Santa Fe then on to Houston

charming
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks for all the great suggestions for our trip west. After we leave Indian Wells on 3/11 we have until 4/4 to get to Houston. We plan to head north (we may or may not visit relatives in Gilbert, AZ) to Santa Fe, NM before working our way to Houston.

Heading north is it better to take I-17 up to Flagstaff then head west or to go east on I-10 then take I-25 north at El Paso? I wish we had time to go to the Grand Canyon again, it's been years since we've been there, but we will have to save somethings for another day and time. When I put Santa Fe in my Good Sam trip planner it sends us up hwy 87 through AZ.

On our Fall trip we visited Amarillo, Lubbock, San Angelo, Fredericksburg, and San Antonio, so we are open to routes up to Santa Fe and then over to Houston.

I hope we won't be too late for the Blue Bonnets and we will try to find time to visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the U. Texas at Austin. Plus, DH really wants to see a rodeo and I want to spend a day or two in the Waco area. A lot to see and do in a short period of time.

So many questions, so many things to see and do, so little time!
Looking forward to new adventures and new friends.
10 REPLIES 10

charming
Explorer
Explorer
Busskipper wrote:


IMHO, you should think about moving up a little further north on the return, and I'd take time to see Arizona and New Mexico as you head to Houston.

Maybe something like THIS - Catchin the Grand Canyon - Page - Monument Valley - Canyon de Chelly - Window Rock - Carlsbad Caverns - Then the Long Boring Drive to Houston.

You have three Weeks - Easy,

JMHO,


Thanks for the info, sorry I missed the link when I first read your post.

Do you think Hwy 95 up to I-40 won't be too terrible a trek for our gasser pulling a toad? I really dislike the idea of going through Phoenix.
Looking forward to new adventures and new friends.

charming
Explorer
Explorer
Needed to modify question.
Looking forward to new adventures and new friends.

charming
Explorer
Explorer
Y'all are great. I think we might choose to stay north of Austin and drive down if it is easier to go the other route. I still have nightmares of San Antonio and Dallas!
Looking forward to new adventures and new friends.

padredw
Nomad
Nomad
I suggest you consider a more direct route from Waco to Houston that avoids I-35 and Austin. US highways and state highways in Texas are usually very good.

TX-6 through College Station, on to US 290 into Houston.


I completely agree with my fellow Texican! However, "Charming" specifically expressed a wish to visit to Austin and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildlife Center.

I must admit that the possibility of driving through Austin continues to invoke more feeling of dread for me than that of driving through Dallas or Houston. (Neither of which invokes feelings of delight.) 😉 But there are some good reasons for making a visit there.

Busskipper
Explorer
Explorer
charming wrote:
Busskipper" wrote:



IMHO, you should think about moving up a little further north on the return, and I'd take time to see Arizona and New Mexico as you head to Houston.

Maybe something like THIS - Catchin the Grand Canyon - Page - Monument Valley - Canyon de Chelly - Window Rock - Carlsbad Caverns - Then the Long Boring Drive to Houston.

You have three Weeks - Easy,

JMHO,
lol, Sounds like another trip west.


I Live on the East Coast also - after spending days to drive the 2,000 + miles Out or Back I'd never miss the chance to at least drive Through as many sites as possible. I'll happily trade a few long days between the mountains to have a few more days in the SouthWest. 😉

IMHO, not a lot that we spend time doing between the Rockies and the Blue Ridge.---:S

Enjoy the Drive Back,:W
Busskipper
Maryland/Colorado
Travel Supreme 42DS04
GX470-FMCA - Travel less now - But still love to be on the Road
States traveled in this Coach

one_strange_tex
Explorer
Explorer
padredw wrote:
On our Fall trip we visited Amarillo, Lubbock, San Angelo, Fredericksburg, and San Antonio, so we are open to routes up to Santa Fe and then over to Houston.

I hope we won't be too late for the Blue Bonnets and we will try to find time to visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the U. Texas at Austin. Plus, DH really wants to see a rodeo and I want to spend a day or two in the Waco area. A lot to see and do in a short period of time.


Using your desired destinations, here is one possibility from Santa Fe to Houston. I'm not sure of your typical driving day, but I'll assume 350 to 400 miles. Santa Fe to Caprock Canyon State Park, Texas-- 355 miles. Caprock Canyon to Waco -- 380 miles; Waco to Austin -- 102 miles; and Austin to Houston -- 165 miles.

This route also totally avoids DFW which I would much prefer.

If you are interested in such a route I can give highway numbers. This assumes travel from Santa Fe Skies RV Park to a Texas State Park. In Waco we prefer the Airport RV Park on Lake Waco, COE.



I think the route padredw suggests is a good one, but I suggest you consider a more direct route from Waco to Houston that avoids I-35 and Austin. US highways and state highways in Texas are usually very good.

TX-6 through College Station, on to US 290 into Houston.
one_strange_texan
Currently between RV's
Former 5th wheel owner (Montana 3402RL)

charming
Explorer
Explorer
Busskipper" wrote:



IMHO, you should think about moving up a little further north on the return, and I'd take time to see Arizona and New Mexico as you head to Houston.

Maybe something like THIS - Catchin the Grand Canyon - Page - Monument Valley - Canyon de Chelly - Window Rock - Carlsbad Caverns - Then the Long Boring Drive to Houston.

You have three Weeks - Easy,

JMHO,
lol, Sounds like another trip west.
Looking forward to new adventures and new friends.

padredw
Nomad
Nomad
On our Fall trip we visited Amarillo, Lubbock, San Angelo, Fredericksburg, and San Antonio, so we are open to routes up to Santa Fe and then over to Houston.

I hope we won't be too late for the Blue Bonnets and we will try to find time to visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the U. Texas at Austin. Plus, DH really wants to see a rodeo and I want to spend a day or two in the Waco area. A lot to see and do in a short period of time.


Using your desired destinations, here is one possibility from Santa Fe to Houston. I'm not sure of your typical driving day, but I'll assume 350 to 400 miles. Santa Fe to Caprock Canyon State Park, Texas-- 355 miles. Caprock Canyon to Waco -- 380 miles; Waco to Austin -- 102 miles; and Austin to Houston -- 165 miles.

This route also totally avoids DFW which I would much prefer.

If you are interested in such a route I can give highway numbers. This assumes travel from Santa Fe Skies RV Park to a Texas State Park. In Waco we prefer the Airport RV Park on Lake Waco, COE.

Busskipper
Explorer
Explorer
charming wrote:
Thanks for all the great suggestions for our trip west. After we leave Indian Wells on 3/11 we have until 4/4 to get to Houston. We plan to head north (we may or may not visit relatives in Gilbert, AZ) to Santa Fe, NM before working our way to Houston.

Heading north is it better to take I-17 up to Flagstaff then head west or to go east on I-10 then take I-25 north at El Paso? I wish we had time to go to the Grand Canyon again, it's been years since we've been there, but we will have to save somethings for another day and time. When I put Santa Fe in my Good Sam trip planner it sends us up hwy 87 through AZ.

On our Fall trip we visited Amarillo, Lubbock, San Angelo, Fredericksburg, and San Antonio, so we are open to routes up to Santa Fe and then over to Houston.

I hope we won't be too late for the Blue Bonnets and we will try to find time to visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the U. Texas at Austin. Plus, DH really wants to see a rodeo and I want to spend a day or two in the Waco area. A lot to see and do in a short period of time.

So many questions, so many things to see and do, so little time!


charming wrote:
I was hoping folks on the boards with experience rv'ing in western states could help an easterner get around. I avidly read any posts about Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico trying to apply the info to our upcoming trip.

Thanks to posts on different topics we have a good portion covered.

Being the tenderfeet we are we've decided to head back east to Phoenix and North by interstate to Flagstaff instead of heading north and hitting I-40 at Kingman. Of course instead of taking I-17 we can see the countryside on hwy 260. At this point we are planning on Phoenix to flagstaff.

We now are plotting how to get from Santa Fe to Ft Worth. Roswell? Lubbock? Wichita Falls? As our waypoint.

BTW, we spent several days in Lubbock last fall.


IMHO, you should think about moving up a little further north on the return, and I'd take time to see Arizona and New Mexico as you head to Houston.

Maybe something like THIS - Catchin the Grand Canyon - Page - Monument Valley - Canyon de Chelly - Window Rock - Carlsbad Caverns - Then the Long Boring Drive to Houston.

You have three Weeks - Easy,

JMHO,
Busskipper
Maryland/Colorado
Travel Supreme 42DS04
GX470-FMCA - Travel less now - But still love to be on the Road
States traveled in this Coach

charming
Explorer
Explorer
I was hoping folks on the boards with experience rv'ing in western states could help an easterner get around. I avidly read any posts about Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico trying to apply the info to our up coming trip.

Thanks to posts on different topics we have a good portion covered.

Being the tenderfeet we are we've decided to head back east to Phoenix and North by interstate to Flagstaff instead of heading north and hitting I-40 at Kingman. Of course instead of taking I-17 we can see the countryside on hwy 260. At this point we are planning on Phoenix to flagstaff.

We now are plotting how to get from Santa Fe to Ft Worth. Roswell? Lubbock? Witchita Falls? As our waypoint.

BTW, we spent several days in Lubbock last fall.
Looking forward to new adventures and new friends.