Last part headed home

Day 13
Silver City hwy 152 E to I25 to Las Cruces (Is this a woth while ride or just take 180 to I 10???) then 180 E to Carlsbad; (any suggetions on motels??) 350 miles

Day 14
Visit carlsbad cavern in morn the 285---I-10 to Sonora

Day 15
Hwy 55 to rock springs
Need help here -- should I take route A or B or C ?????
A- S to Barksdale, N on 335 to 41, E on 41 to 336 S to Leakey OR
B- E on 41 and then S 335 to Camp Wood then E on 337 to Leakey OR
C- E on 41 then S on 336 to Leakey

Continue to San Antonio and then I-10 east

Day 16
I-10 east to New Orleans

 

NM 152 is a real riders' road.. REAL scenic but also REAL twisty, narrow and slow. I like it a lot, but don't expect
to make any time on it. I-10 is B-O-R-I-N-G and 180 is just another road so I'd take 152 to I-25.

Remember.. not a lot of gas stations along this part of the route. Elephant Butte / Truth Or Consequences
is about 15 miles North of 152 on I-25 and has gas stations, etc. whereas Las Cruces is almost 80 miles away.

Cafe Bellaluca in T-or-C is VERY good and if you have the time for more than a quick stop, I'd recommend
it for lunch. My wife and I try to time our runs up and down I-25 so that we have a lunch stop there.

http://cafebellaluca.com/

FWIW

 

To add some scenic value.......take 15 north from Silver City to Pinos Altos (Buck Horn Bar and Grill) continue north (lots of twisties) to Lake Roberts (you can continue north on 15 and visit the Gila Cliff Dwellings, road ends there, so you'll have to back track) take 35 south-east down to San Lorenzo and catch 152 through Emory Pass.

To stay off of I-25 take 27 south in Hillsboro through Lake Valley (ghost town google it) down to Nutt (middle of nowhere bar) and then 26 east to Hatch. In Hatch (Sparky's Restaurant ) follow 185 (Blue Moon in Radium Springs for a cold one) all the way to Las Cruces, this is a slower but more scenic ride then I-25.

Enjoy your time in Southern New Mexico!

 

like the Hwy 15 and Hwy 35 route to Hwy 152.....27 then 26 south
Mapquest puts me about 180 miles to get to Las Cruces following your suggested route...about 30 miles too far without gas....
Is there gas in the hatch area?? Am i reading the other poster correct no gas on I 25 between T of C and Las Cruces???
Mapquest says 135 miles if I just do 152 to I 25 S to Las Cruces this I can make on a tank....usually about 150 need 4.5 gallons...5 gal tank

 

Yes........gas is available in Hatch and the last time I was in San Lorenzo there was gas there also, so you shouldn't have any problems. As for I-25 in between T or C and Las Cruces, there is a gas station where 152 meets I-25. Go under the I-25 overpass to the next corner and you'll see it at the RV park .

Hope this helps!