Driving from Monument valley

We are planning a trip to the desert states and wondering if it is realistic to factor in NM. Would be grateful if someone could recommend an interesting overnight stop between MV and Santa Fe please

Driving from Monument valley

While Arizona and New Mexico are usually thought of as ';desert states,'; the northern third of each are actually pretty well forested mountainous, some above the timberline.

I don%26#39;t know if you can factor in one more day between Mesa Verde National Park and Santa Fe (three day total), but I would certainly encourage you to drive north from Mesa Verde to Telluride, then over to US550 at Ridgeway, and south through the charming old mining towns of Ouray, and Silverton to Durango. IMHO after forty years of travel in Colorado, this is the most beautiful drive in Colorado. The San Juan Mountains of SW Colorado, have been called the ';Little Switzerland of America.'; One of America%26#39;s best steam-engine narrow gauge railroads runs from Durango to Silverton and back. Just super scenery!

From Durango you could travel east to Pagosa Springs, CO, south to Chama, NM (which has another steam train ride to Antonito, CO), and on down to Tierra Amarilla. From there take US64 (not in winter) east to Tres Piedras, and on to Taos. Taos Pueblo is certainly another ';must see'; in northern NM with it%26#39;s five and four story pueblo ';houses'; which have been continuously inhabited for over 700 years. From there you can take the ';High Road'; through Spanish-era, adobe villages; or the ';Low Road'; along the Rio Grande River to Espanola, and then Santa Fe.

If you%26#39;re short on time...take the Telluride/Ouray/Silverton/Durango drive from MVNP, staying overnight in Durango...then US550 SE to Bernalillo, NM (16 miles north of Albuquerque), and then on up the 45 miles to Santa Fe via I-25. You could do this in two days, overnighting again in Durango.

Enjoy planning your trip, and as the time for departure nears, please get back to us for more particular information.

Driving from Monument valley

Even though I started with the wrong ';MV'; (Mesa Verde rather than Monument Valley)...all of my suggestions remain the same. :-)

Between Monument Valley and Santa Fe... would be Mesa Verde National Park near Cortez CO. Great stop and also a wonderful place to visit. Stay in either Cortez or Durango. The next day drive on to Santa Fe.

Another interesting stop would be to go from Monument Valley to Canyon de Chelly Nat Mon, the drive on to Gallup NM for the night. The next day you can visit Zuni Pueblo, El Morro Nat Mon, El Malpais Nat Mon on your way to Santa Fe.