posted here a couple weeks ago and have taken all the great suggestions and re thought out my trip....he's phase 1.....what you think????
Also should I book motels in advance or are they readily available upon drive up Best Westerns/Comfort Inns etc????????

Day 1
New Orleans I-10 to Lafayette, La; I49 to Shreveport; I-20 to Lindale, TX; Hwy 69 to Greenville, TX--490 miles figure I'll bypass Dallas evening trafffic.

Day 2
Greenville Hwy 380 W to Decatur then Hwy 287 North to Amarillo--410 miles

Day 3
Hwy 87 N to Raton; I-25 N to Trinidad CO; Hwy 12 to La Veta (is this a better ride than I-25 & 160???); Hwy 160 W to Alamosa.

Day 4
Alamosa to Great Sand Dunes (worth seeing???How much time should I alot??); Hwy 160 W to Hwy 149 NW, up to 50 then W to Montrose. 275 miles.

Day 5
Montrose S 550 to Durango; 160 W to Mesa Verde ( been here before, figure about 3 hr "ride thur park"), and then to Cortez 235 miles.

 

Yes, the dunes are well worth seeing. If you really need to stretch your legs, you can hike to the top. There are also some nice hiking trails on the other side of the road that go to the top of a ridge and provide some nice views.