Snow, Rain, Hobos, Teepees and Americana in New Mexico and Arizona

As I left Texas and entered New Mexico and then Arizona, I found myself wondering, “is this what the desert looks like?”

All my life I pictured the desert of America to be the same as the desert of Egypt. Sand and only sand.

However, I’ve since learned that the desert along Route 66 is the “high desert.” This means that in addition to having lots of dry brushes and tumbleweeds, it is also very cold! Heck, it even snowed on me in Santa Fe!

 

The Blue Spruce Lodge in Gallup, New Mexico, along Route 66
The Blue Spruce Lodge in Gallup, New Mexico, along Route 66

 

Dinosaurs live at the Indian Rock Shop — Holbrook, Arizona
Dinosaurs live at the Indian Rock Shop — Holbrook, Arizona

 

The Monterey Motel in Albuquerque, New Mexico
The Monterey Motel in Albuquerque, New Mexico

 

A stretch of old road runs — and ends — alongside the freeway
A stretch of old road runs — and ends — alongside the freeway

Highlights of Driving Route 66 in New Mexico

 

The Continental Divide, New Mexico

An Indian trading post has been set up on the spot where rain water either drains into the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean. There is literally nothing else there, just a shop on a geographical point.

 

An "Indian Market" draws in visitors to the Continental Divide in New Mexico
An “Indian Market” draws in visitors to the Continental Divide in New Mexico

 

The Continental Divide is the exact point where water either runs to the Pacific or Atlantic ocean
The Continental Divide is the exact point where water either runs to the Pacific or Atlantic ocean

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe has perhaps one of the most downtown historical districts that I have ever been in. Filled with traditional adobe buildings, classic churches and stunning Mexican-influenced architecture, I had a blast wandering around town as the sun set and shined its golden light against the yellow walls of the city. Plus, the drive there from the interstate is an hour of desert and mountains as far as the eyes can see. Truly magical.

 

The Inn and Spa at Loretto in Santa Fe, New Mexico
The Inn and Spa at Loretto in Santa Fe, New Mexico

 

The Cathedral Basilica St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe, New Mexico
The Cathedral Basilica St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe, New Mexico

The Oldest House in the USA, Santa Fe, NM

I don’t know what I expected, but it was just a small adobe building with a teeny sign letting you know of its importance. Built in 1646, it has undergone countless restorations and renovations and was, sadly, closed for the day by the time I got there.

The oldest house in America is located in Santa Fe, New Mexico
The oldest house in America is located in Santa Fe, New Mexico

The Oldest Church in the USA, Santa Fe, NM

The San Miguel Mission, an old Spanish colonial mission church, was built between 1610 and 1625. Despite having been rebuilt many times, much of the original adobe walls are still intact.

 

The San Miguel Mission is the oldest church in the United States of America
The San Miguel Mission is the oldest church in the United States of America

Rio Puerco Bridge, Laguna Pueblo, NM

An original Route 66 truss steel arch bridge, the Rio Puerco Bridge still stands alongside the interstate and is walkable for pure nostalgia purposes. Being a big fan of both nostalgia and bridges, I got a kick out of it.

The Rio Puerco Bridge in New Mexico was built in 1933 and is one of the oldest bridges on Route 66
The Rio Puerco Bridge in New Mexico was built in 1933 and is one of the oldest bridges on Route 66

 

The Rio Puerco Bridge in New Mexico is now located alongside the interstate
The Rio Puerco Bridge in New Mexico is now located alongside the interstate

Route 66 Crossroads, Albuquerque, NM

In the middle of Albuquerque’s historical downtown, amongst a mix of modern and classic buildings, lays a marker where the original Route 66 crosses paths with the realigned Route 66. Quick history, the highway opened in 1926 but was majorly changed and rerouted in 1937. And now you know.

 

Old Route 66 runs through the modern city of Albuquerque, New Mexico
Old Route 66 runs through the modern city of Albuquerque, New Mexico

 

If you're in Albuquerque, New Mexico, just head down to 4th Street and you'll find the Mother Road
If you’re in Albuquerque, New Mexico, just head down to 4th Street and you’ll find the Mother Road

 

The Metropolitan Courthouse in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico
The Metropolitan Courthouse in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico

Hotel El Rancho, Gallup, New Mexico

Hotel El Rancho is an historic hotel built by the brother of film director D.W. Griffith. It is located on old U.S. Route 66, and became the temporary home for many Hollywood movie stars. In the past 70 years, it has fallen into decay, been rebuilt and once again become a destination for people seeking glamor in their hotel stay.

 

Hotel El Rancho in Gallup, New Mexico, on historic Route 66
Hotel El Rancho in Gallup, New Mexico, on historic Route 66

Must-See Attractions on Route 66 in Arizona

 

Petrified Forest National Park, Navajo, AZ

For 28 miles, I drove through and stopped at scenic overlooks to gaze out at a changing landscape filled with some of the most stunning red rock formations I have ever seen. Part of the park is called the Painted Desert and it’s like someone carved out a chunk of the desert, created a sea of hills and mounds and spray painted the whole thing red.

Other areas of the park, however, could not be more different. One area looks like the surface of the moon with gray land, a few rocks and mounds everywhere. Yet another part is filled with the actual petrified wood, which is still there after a volcanic eruption covered the entire desert in lava thousands of years ago. Also different is Newspaper Rock, where visitors can gaze down on ancient petroglyphs carved by some of the earliest inhabitants of the land.

Finally, for Route 66 aficionados, there is an old car and original telephone poles going off into the landscape to commemorate the road’s original path right through the heart of the park. I honestly can’t count how many times I was taken aback by the beauty of the whole place. One day I hope to return and actually just wander through it instead of driving.

 

A bird soars above the Painted Desert, located in Petrified Forest National Park, Navajo, Arizona
A bird soars above the Painted Desert, located in Petrified Forest National Park, Navajo, Arizona

 

The Route 66 Monument in Petrified Forest National Park, Navajo, New Mexico
The Route 66 Monument in Petrified Forest National Park, Navajo, New Mexico

 

The Painted Desert Inn at the Petrified Forest National Park in Navajo, Arizona
The Painted Desert Inn at the Petrified Forest National Park in Navajo, Arizona

Wigwam Motel, Holbrook, AZ

“When was the last time you slept in a wigwam,” says the sign outside this classic Route 66 motel. Literally a collection of cement wigwams, I was surprised to find that the inside was actually quite spacious and comfortable. Wigwam motels are actually located across the USA, but this particular one is historic as it was the first to be a chain. Needless to say, I can now boast that the last time I slept in a wigwam was October 26, 2009.

 

Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona on Route 66
When was the last time you slept in a wigwam?

 

Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona on Route 66
Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona on Route 66

 

The Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona
The Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona

 

Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona on Route 66
This is what the inside of a wigwam looks like.

World’s Largest Petrified Tree Rest Stop, Holbrook, AZ

This gimmicky rest stop boasts the world’s largest petrified tree, but in reality it’s broken into dozens of small pieces. So technically yes, they do have what they claim, but it’s nowhere near as impressive as one might hope.

 

World's largest petrified tree in Holbrook, New Mexico on Route 66
World’s Largest Petrified Tree is broken up into pieces and scattered around a Rest Stop in Holbrook, New Mexico

Oatman Topock Highway, Arizona

Perhaps the most scenic stretch of Route 66 in the country, this winding road between Cool Springs and Oatman is unforgettable. The landscape seems to stretch into infinity and is filled with mountains, trees, bushes and more than 100 sharp curves. Definitely not for those who get carsick.

 

Oatman Highway on Route 66 in Arizona
The Oatman Highway is curvy, isolated and absolutely stunning

Jack Rabbit Trading Post, Joseph City, AZ

Once a popular stop for Route 66 travelers, this gas station and tourist shop is now closed. However, the 10 foot tall rabbit outside still remains, inviting people to sit on it for a quick photo opp.

The famous "Hare it Is" sign outside the Jack Rabbit Trading Post, Joseph City, Arizona
The famous “Hare it Is” sign outside the Jack Rabbit Trading Post, Joseph City, Arizona

 

The Jack Rabbit Trading Post, Joseph City, Arizona
Me on a 10 foot tall rabbit at the Jack Rabbit Trading Post, Joseph City, Arizona

Hackberry General Store, Hackberry, AZ

After lying in ruins for years, new owners have taken the shell of an old tourist stop and general store and turned it into a little piece of nostalgia. Filled with signs, outhouses, cars, gas pumps, recreated 1950s restaurants and more, the place is a great stop on the long scenic road in Arizona.

 

Old cars, signs, gas pumps and Route 66 memorabilia at the Hackberry General Store in Hackberry, Arizona
Old cars, signs, gas pumps and Route 66 memorabilia at the Hackberry General Store in Hackberry, Arizona

 

The Hackberry General Store in Hackberry, Arizona, on historic Route 66
The Hackberry General Store in Hackberry, Arizona, on historic Route 66

Cool Springs Service Station, Cool Springs, AZ

A Route 66 gas station for years, this gas station is most famous for having been blown up in a scene of the Jean Claude VanDamme movie, Universal Soldier. Now completely restored and under new ownership, the place is filled with souvenirs, photos, memorabilia and, of course, copies of the movie to buy.

 

The Cool Springs Service Station in Cool Springs, Arizona, on historic Route 66
The Cool Springs Service Station in Cool Springs, Arizona, on historic Route 66

 

Twin Arrows Trading Post, Flagstaff, AZ

The Twin Arrows Trading post, originally Padre Canyon Trading Post, was built on the 1937 Route 66 alignment. It came into its own in 1955 when the Troxell Family turned it into an experience that would put the property into history books as an icon of Route 66. Two telephone poles were put into the ground, “tips and feathers” added, and Twin Arrows was born. Over the years the curio shop and Valentine Diner were added, along with a gas station with above ground tanks that are still visible. Today, the site is abandoned.

 

Twin Arrows Trading Post in Flagstaff, Arizona on Route 66
The “Twin Arrows” of the Twin Arrows Trading Post in Flagstaff, Arizona on Route 66

 

Twin Arrows Cafe in Flagstaff, Arizona on Route 66
Twin Arrows Trading Post in Flagstaff, Arizona on Route 66

Oatman, Arizona

One of the strangest places on Route 66, the entire city seems to be a recreation of a Wild West town. Oatman is literally in the middle of the mountains and the middle of nowhere, but dozens of buses a day come through to tour the place. Unfortunately, by the time I got there the sun was setting and the place was virtually deserted. I would 100% love to go back one day.

 

The Wild West town of Oatman, Arizona
The Wild West town of Oatman, Arizona

 

The Wild West town of Oatman, Arizona
The Wild West town of Oatman, Arizona

Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In, Seligman, Arizona

Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In is a historic eatery and roadside attraction located along former Route 66 in Seligman, Arizona USA. The drive-in was built in 1953 by local resident Juan Delgadillo. Hw was working on an extremely limited budget, so he built the restaurant mostly from scrap lumber obtained from the nearby Santa Fe Railroad yard. Today, his son keeps the place running … while serving up a steady supply of jokes and fun.

Experience more of Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In with photos and stories from a visit in 2009

 

Delgadillo's Snow Cap Drive-In has been in business for generations on Route 66
Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In has been in business for generations on Route 66