Turn by turn
Grants – Manuelito
New MexicoPrinting this description can take a lot of time, so you might want to consider buying commercially available alternatives such as the 8 map set and the EZ66 guide to take along on your trip.
Grants
Mileage: 0
Continue on Santa Fe Ave. (BL-40, NM-117, Route 66) as BL-40 joins from the left..
Lariat Lodge on right.
Franciscan Lodge on left.
Graces Motel on left.
Wayside Motel on left.
Lavaland Motel on right (used as storage facility).
New Mexico Museum of Mining on right.
Zia Motel on left (buldozed by the city) in 2004.
Lux Movie Theatre on right (closed).
Continue straight at the intersection with Lava Rd./NM-53 .
Sidetrip: 25 miles to the west on NM-53 are Bandero Volcano and the Ice Caves. The volvano erupted some 5000 years ago and the Ice Caves are always below freezing (at 31 degrees F).
West of town, continue on NM-122 and cross over the railroad.
Continue on NM-122 as it curves right.
Milan
Continue on NM-122 (BL-40, Route 66).
Continue straight as BL-40 rejoins I-40 at exit 79.
Continue on NM-122.
Bluewater
Bluewater itself is on the other side of I-40.
Bluewater motel remains.
Continue straight on NM-122 at the intersection with NM-606 near exit 72.
Check the road on the right 0.8 miles further, called “highway 66” on some maps; on a equal note: on the other side of I-40 is Old Blue Water Rd..
Route 66 Swap Meet (lincense plates, barns full of collectibles).
Prewitt
Continue on NM-122.
Continue on the northern frontage road near exit 63.
Thoreau
Continue on the northern frontage road.
there is an older alignment out of town on CR-47, to CR-27.
Continental Divide
Enter I-40 at exit 47.
Coolidge
Continue on I-40 at exit 44.
There is an older alignment (from between Prewitt and Thoreau to here and on towards beyond exit 36. Drive north on CR-27 for 0.6 mils to the other side of the railroad tracks to check it out.
Iyanbito
Leave I-40 at exit 36 (Iyanbito)
Take the north frontage road to Gallup
The more northern road over CR-27 rejoins here as well.
Continue on the northern frontage road.
Contineu straight onto Route 66 (NM-118) nat the intersection with NM-400 (Turtle Butte Cr.).
Fort Wingate Military Reservation on the left on the other side of I-40. Currently in use as a munitions storage, but has a logn history since it was founded as Fort Flauntleroy.
Continue on the northern frontage road (NM-118, Route 66).
McCune
Continue on the northern frontage road (NM-118, Route 66).
Continue straight at the intersection with NM-566.
Red Rock State Park is half a mile to the north on 556.
Zuni
Continue on the northern frontage road (NM-118, Route 66).
Gallup
El Hopi Motel was located here till the city decided to burn it down to allow the firemen have an exercise (2004).
Due to neglect of the owner, the city plans to raze the Thunderbird Motel, located at 1811 W Highway 66 as well.
Continue on the northern frontage road (NM-118, Route 66).
Cross I-40 near exit 26.
Continue on BL-40 (NM-118, Highway 66), following the railroad tracks through town.
Continue straight at the intersection with NM-564 (Broadway Ave.).
Continue straight at the intersection with Ford Dr. near exit 22.
Continue straight at the intersection with NM-602 (Munoz Dr.) near exit 20.
More to the north NM-602 become US-666, one of the daughters of Route 66, but renamed in 2003.
Continue west on NM-118.
Cross I-40 at exit 16.
Continue west on NM-118.
3.5 miles after the west I-40 overpass, turn left and pass under I-40 on Salt Water Wash Rd. (CR-32).
Take the south frontage road (NM-118).
After 5 miles cross I-40 to the north side at exit 8.
Curve left and right to cross the railroad tracks to the north as well.
Continue on NM-118 through Manuelito.
Manuelito
Continue on NM-118.
