Interesting place to spend night between Telluride and Albuquerque.
 

We are taking our 2 11 year old grandchildren on a 6 night trip in Durango and Telluride areas, flying from Atlanta to Albuquerque and returning same way. Planning to go in early June. We will stay in Durango 3 nights and Telluride 2. Planning to drive from Telluride to Albuquerque for flight home. Would suggestion to break the 5 1/2 trip up and spend night somewhere between the 2 be a good one?

Thanks, Judy

Taos would be my choice.

HTtY

Will you have time to explore in that location for that night or is it just to sleep? Makes a difference.

(Going from Telluride to Taos is a longer trip than going Telluride to ABQ. And then there's still the trip from Taos to ABQ Sunport.)

I suggest Taos because I couldn't think of a more interesting place to spend a night. Do you know an interesting place equidistant from Telluride and Albuquerque?

HTtY

Actually, yes. Chaco Canyon for one. Bandelier for another. Tent Rocks for another.

I still need the answer to my question first. Is OP spending the better part of last day in Telluride and wanting a place to stop, eat, sleep and then head next day to airport or ABQ? Is the OP wanting to leave Telluride early a.m. and wanting to site see a bit before spending the night and what time do they need to be at airport.

I think it depends on the options. We would be leaving Telluride about 10:00 am. Ideally we could take in a sight on the overnight stop. Hope that helps.

Check out the ones I mentioned. Chaco would be on your way as it is off SR 550. Tent Rocks is just a bit north of where 550 intersects with I 25.

I am guessing you are visiting Mesa Verde while in Durango? If so, Bandelier could be skipped.

Another thought...
you could drive down SR 145 from Telluride [instead of back up to 550 via 145 to 62 at Placeville] to Delores and stop in The Anasazi Heritage Center in Dolores. Small, but very nice.

https://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/ahc.html

You then go to Crow Canyon Archaeological Center

https://www.crowcanyon.org/

And then head down toward ABQ.

There are things to do in ABQ as well.

Thank you for the suggestions. The Anazasi option sounds very interesting. Are there good places to stay in Delores? How much traveling time is added by going that route?

Not a lot more time, in fact, pretty much the same as going Placeville, Ridgway to 550.

No place to stay in Dolores. Cortez, next town, has a few chains. But you could go toward ABQ. From Cortez to I25/550 junction is under 4 hours. Then another 35 minutes into ABQ but Hyatt Tamaya [right at the junction]is a really nice place to stay the night as is Sandia Casino Resort which is 15 minutes south on I 25.