Driving Denver to Albuquerque
 

We're driving from Denver to Albuquerque the 30th of October and then on to Flagstaff Arizona. Are there any concerns I should have about roads, snow, ice, etc in southern Colorado and New Mexico? I have never driven in that area.

If you are going down I-25 to I-40, and it is not snowing at the time you should be fine. The interstates are well maintained, so once it stops snowing they are plowed, treated for ice etc. That said, there just was a series of tornadoes in Arizona along I-40 near Flagstaff a very unusual happening for this time of year. You always need to check local conditions before setting out. Chances are it will be fine. If you can take the time, stop along the way at some of the fantastic places on your route.

If there's no snow (and there's not likely to be any), then the roads are just fine. If there's snow, Raton Pass is usually the trickiest point. There's not much except expansive vistas from Raton to Las Vegas(the moral being that you should think carefully before heading into that stretch of road if weather is threatening) and the area around Glorietta gets more snow than most other places along the route. We drive the road fairly often and, absent bad weather, it's a pleasant trip. Check out the Weather Channel before you leave home and plan accordingly. There's quite a bit to see and do around Albuquerque so I hope you enjoy your stay. And remember, the state question (yes, there is an official state question) is "Red or Green?" referring to which type of chile you want on your enchiladas, hamburger, eggs, or almost anything else you can think of!

It's highly unlikely you'll encounter snow in October, even in northern NM. You should be fine.

Lee Ann

Keep an eye on your gas tank, there is a pretty long stretch without any gas stations. I think from Trinidad to over the NM line, there were none when I drove this route. It was a few years ago, maybe it has changed??

We can make it from Albuquerque to at least Colorado Springs in our Camry on a tank of gas. As long as you fill up before you leave Denver, you should be fine.

Lee Ann

I didn't consider that there might be problems finding a gas station. Thanks for the head's up on that.