Can anybody advise me which route is better or more beautiful.
From Carlsbad NM to Las Cruces NM we can drive 285/83/70, through Artesia and Alamogordo. (We have seen Whitesands, no need to go there).
I now see an option rts. 62/180/10 through Texas - Salt Basin and El Paso. This route however looks more isolated.
What if the car breaks down etc?
Anybody knows more about these routes?
We are from Europa, so not that familiar down there.

Ida, what time of the year are you going there?

There's always some truck traffic on these US Highways. Just flag one down and most truckers will help. If you're renting a car from a major agency, you'll be getting a fairly new car and they seldom break down.

But if you have never changed a tire before, maybe you should learn how to do it before your trip.

We will be there at the end of September.
Any idea about the traffic on the Texas road?

Ida: My recommendation is to take the route through Artesia and Alamogordo. You'll go through some beautiful country with stunning views in the Cloudcroft area. When I lived in Artesia several years ago, we made this drive frequently. I've also done the TX route a couple of times...and it's not my favorite!

I think the 285/83/70 route will be more scenic. I just came through the Alamogordo/Carlsbad route last month and it's really interesting to watch the landscape change so radically in a relatively short period of time. You'll go through Cloudcroft, which is quite beautiful. There's a neat convenience store in Mayhill that sells the Alamogordo pictachio nuts, some Native American jewelry, and cherry cider from locally grown cherries.

The other route (180)certainly does look desolate based on the map, although it does pass through or near the Guadalupe Mountains, which I have heard are very beautiful. But I haven't taken that route before.

Thanks for the answers.
We will drive through Cloudcroft then.
I had my doubts abt the Texas route, just wanted to check it.
Thnaks.