Best Route?

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I guess it depends on what you mean by "best", but we used to have a Casita and pulled it through on 260 and 87 with a Ford Flex.  For us it was a great and scenic drive.

Edit:  I guess the most expedient way to get to that point would be I40 then 377.
 
Last year we made the trip, and took Rte 40 all the way to Flagstaff, and then took rte 17 to Phoenix/Mesa area.  Going Rte 40, you'll go by the Petrified Forest NP, Winslow, AZ, and the Baringer Crater.  We spent the night at the Meteor Campground about 5 miles from the Baringer Crater, and about 20 miles from Winslow.  Meteor Campground is also a really nice campgound.
 
jayc2640 said:
Last year we made the trip, and took Rte 40 all the way to Flagstaff, and then took rte 17 to Phoenix/Mesa area.  Going Rte 40, you'll go by the Petrified Forest NP, Winslow, AZ, and the Baringer Crater.  We spent the night at the Meteor Campground about 5 miles from the Baringer Crater, and about 20 miles from Winslow.  Meteor Campground is also a really nice campgound.

I agree .  I have done this route recently and it is a decent drive using 40 to 17.  I would avoid 260 from Holbrook to Mesa.  Quite a bit of two lane and lots of hills.  The drive can be done in one long day.  I would recommend at least two days.
 
ArubaBound2011 said:
What do you consider the best route from Albuquerque N.M. to Mesa Az? That is with a class c with a tow in the rear.

I guess it depends on what you consider "best". I make this trip frequently on my way from Apache Junction, Az to the New Mexico mountains and I wanted to at least suggest a different route:

I-40 to Holbrook,
AZ 377 to AZ 277 outside Heber-Overgaard,
AZ 277 to Heber-Overgaard,
AZ 260 to Payson,
AZ 87 to Mesa

First, I know this sounds complex, but it is both a fast route and a beautiful drive. AZ 87 is a 4 lane divided highway, so driving it is easy. There are some 6% inclines, but you need to get from the height of the New Mexico mountains down to the relative low area of Mesa somewhere.

AZ 260 is a very nice road with portions of it 4 lane and the rest 2 lane but with frequent passing lanes allowing faster traffic to pass.

AZ 377 and AZ 277 are relatively short drives on 2 lane road, but are completely rural and relatively flat outside of Holbrook.

This route avoids any large cities between Albuquerque and Mesa, the area is almost completely rural and the roads are in good condition. My wife and I take this route whenever we go to the Albuquerque area and purposefully avoid other routes as it is a pleasant drive with very little traffic, the largest cities along the route are Holbrook and Payson, both of which are small with good roads and there are frequent gas/diesel locations along the route. The alternate Interstate route is largely all highway, but longer and a lot more boring, at least in my opinion.
 
MikeFromMesa said:
I guess it depends on what you consider "best". I make this trip frequently on my way from Apache Junction, Az to the New Mexico mountains and I wanted to at least suggest a different route:

I-40 to Holbrook,
AZ 377 to AZ 277 outside Heber-Overgaard,
AZ 277 to Heber-Overgaard,
AZ 260 to Payson,
AZ 87 to Mesa

First, I know this sounds complex, but it is both a fast route and a beautiful drive. AZ 87 is a 4 lane divided highway, so driving it is easy. There are some 6% inclines, but you need to get from the height of the New Mexico mountains down to the relative low area of Mesa somewhere.

AZ 260 is a very nice road with portions of it 4 lane and the rest 2 lane but with frequent passing lanes allowing faster traffic to pass.

AZ 377 and AZ 277 are relatively short drives on 2 lane road, but are completely rural and relatively flat outside of Holbrook.

This route avoids any large cities between Albuquerque and Mesa, the area is almost completely rural and the roads are in good condition. My wife and I take this route whenever we go to the Albuquerque area and purposefully avoid other routes as it is a pleasant drive with very little traffic, the largest cities along the route are Holbrook and Payson, both of which are small with good roads and there are frequent gas/diesel locations along the route. The alternate Interstate route is largely all highway, but longer and a lot more boring, at least in my opinion.

Funny enough I just put them two destinations into google maps and what you suggested is the actual route google came up with, I did do Albuquerque to Flagstaff last year and there was some interesting sites along the way.

If you do use I40 then turn off at Gallup and visit the El Rancho hotel, its where all the stars used to stay at when filming the old western films, its never changed from the 50/60's, well worth a look around, its just off the I40 so not far out of the way for a 1/2 hour stop.
 
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