Fodor's Expert Review Crownpoint Rug Auction
Heading east on Interstate 40? Usually held on the third Friday of every month, the Crownpoint Rug Auction is the foremost place to buy handwoven Navajo rugs—you're bidding with a mix of collectors and dealers, so prices on the some 300 to 400 rugs are sometimes well below what you'd pay at a store. Viewing begins at 4, with the actual auction running from 7 usually until midnight or later. Keep in mind there are no overnight facilities in Crownpoint, though there is a food and drink concession at the auction. Call ahead to confirm auction dates. Cash, traveler's checks, personal checks only; no credit cards. If Chaco Canyon is your next stop (via the south entrance, which is also off NM 371), it is best not drive there after dark. There are never assurances of space at the campground, and the road can be very bad. Backtrack 26 mi to Interstate 40 and stay overnight in Grants (30 mi east). Note: NM 371 is also a direct route to the Bisti Badlands and to Farmington (80 mi north... READ MORE
Heading east on Interstate 40? Usually held on the third Friday of every month, the Crownpoint Rug Auction is the foremost place to buy handwoven Navajo rugs—you're bidding with a mix of collectors and dealers, so prices on the some 300 to 400 rugs are sometimes well below what you'd pay at a store. Viewing begins at 4, with the actual auction running from 7 usually until midnight or later. Keep in mind there are no overnight facilities in Crownpoint, though there is a food and drink concession at the auction. Call ahead to confirm auction dates. Cash, traveler's checks, personal checks only; no credit cards. If Chaco Canyon is your next stop (via the south entrance, which is also off NM 371), it is best not drive there after dark. There are never assurances of space at the campground, and the road can be very bad. Backtrack 26 mi to Interstate 40 and stay overnight in Grants (30 mi east). Note: NM 371 is also a direct route to the Bisti Badlands and to Farmington (80 mi north of Crownpoint).
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