Gallup, New Mexico

Gallup is one of our favorite stops along Route 66. It has been called the “Indian Capital of the World,” and it’s a great place to learn about the Navajo and other tribes. A lot has been invested in making Gallup an appealing destination. (Route 66 through Gallup is still called Route 66. That tells you something about how people here feel about Route 66!) You can download a 64-page visitor guide here. Gallup also has an app for visitors! Search for "Visit Gallup NM" in your app store. The app is full of information on Gallup’s attractions. It has several walking tours…or you can build your own.

As you approach Gallup on Route 66 from the east, you’ll start to see old motels and neon signs. The gem of these is the El Rancho Hotel at 1000 Route 66.

El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, New Mexico

The El Rancho Hotel has a great neon sign.

El Rancho Hotel's sign

The lobby looks like a National Park lodge.

The El Rancho Hotel lobby

The El Rancho Hotel was built in 1937, when many Western movies were being filmed around Gallup. Many movie stars stayed here. Today the lobby and mezzanine are full of photos of movie stars. We had a lot of fun browsing them all.

Some of the hundreds of photos in El Rancho's lobby and mezzanine

About three-quarters of a mile past El Rancho is downtown Gallup. This is a historic district, and there’s a lot to see within a few blocks. So it’s a great place to park and walk around.

We started our walking tour at the Gallup Cultural Center at 201 Route 66

Gallup Cultural Center

A statue honoring the Navajo code talkers is out front.

Navajo code talker statue outside the Gallup Cultural Center

The Gallup Cultural Center was once the Santa Fe Railway Station, and Amtrak still stops here. On the left side was once El Navaho Hotel, a Harvey House designed by Mary Jane Colter and built in 1918. Sadly, it was torn down in 1957. My post on Winslow, Arizona, has more on the Harvey Houses and Mary Jane Colter.

We had a really nice lunch in Angela’s Café in the Gallup Cultural Center. If you are traveling west on Route 66, there are very few restaurants along the next 95 miles (until Holbrook, Arizona), so Gallup is a good place to get something to eat.

Angela's Cafe in Gallup Cultural Center

After lunch we explored the museums and galleries upstairs in the Gallup Cultural Center. There is an exhibit of the art of local tribes, an exhibit about the Harvey Houses, and an exhibit about the history and culture of the Gallup area. We found a diorama on Route 66! A bigger exhibit on Route 66 is under development.

Route 66 diorama in Gallup Cultural Center

There is also a diorama that’s a tribute to the role of railroads in Gallup’s history.

Railroad diorama in Gallup Cultural Center

Gallup is the first town we visited on Route 66 where trains are a huge part of the town’s life and history. Trains run through some eastern Route 66 towns like Cuba, Missouri, but from Gallup through California huge double-decker trains seem to pass along Route 66 every few minutes.

A block west of the Gallup Cultural Center, at 101 Route 66, is the former White’s Café. It's a beautiful brick building built in 1928.

Former White's Cafe in Gallup

The Silver Dust Trading Company is at 121 Route 66. Gallup is full of murals, and there’s a nice one on the right side of the building.

Silver Dust Trading Company mural in Gallup

At 223 Route 66 is a Route 66 icon: Richardson’s Trading Post.

Richardson's Trading Post in Gallup

Richardson’s Trading Post opened in 1913, selling Native American arts, especially Navajo rugs. Today it is huge, covering at least half a block. Its neon signs are still amazing.

At 236 Route 66 is the former Palace Hotel. It was built in 1905 in a style called Richardsonian Romanesque, with arches and "rusticated" stones.

Former Palace Hotel in Gallup

At 301 Route 66 is the Rex Museum. It was once a brothel and later a grocery.

Rex Museum in Gallup

At 405 Route 66 is the Lexington Hotel with very cool neon signs. It now provides transitional housing.

Lexington Hotel in Gallup

After the Lexington Hotel, we turned left of South 5^th Street, then left again on West Coal Avenue to continue our walking tour. At the corner, at 416 West Coal Avenue, is John’s Used Cars…with a muffler man cowboy!

"Muffler man" cowboy at John's Used Cars in Gallup

A mural honoring Native American trading is at 237 West Coal Avenue.

Native American trading mural in Gallup

At 230 West Coal Avenue is a beautiful art deco building housing City Electric Shoe Shop.

A beautiful art deco building in Gallup

A mural honoring Gallup’s annual Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial is at 206 West Coal Avenue.

Inter-Tribal Ceremonial mural in Gallup

The beautiful El Morro Theater is at 207 West Coal Avenue.

El Morro Theater in Gallup

The El Morro Theater was built in 1928. It was designed by the same person who designed the KiMo Theater in Albuquerque. Its style is Spanish Colonial with Pueblo Deco touches. The coffee shop on the left has a great sign!

On the left side of the building at 200 West Coal Avenue is a huge mural honoring the Navajo code talkers.

Navajo code talkers mural in Gallup

From here we walked back to Route 66, then three blocks east back to our car at the Gallup Cultural Center. We then continued west on Route 66 toward the New Mexico-Arizona border.

As you can see, there’s a lot to see in Gallup! We really enjoyed our visit. Gallup’s historic district is well worth stopping and walking around, not just driving through.

Small Towns and Ghost Towns Between Albuquerque and Gallup, New Mexico

Between Albuquerque and Gallup, New Mexico, Route 66 passes through a number of interesting small towns--some virtual ghost towns--with a variety of things to see.

After reaching the crest of Albuquerque’s Nine Mile Hill during our 2022 Route 66 road trip, we turned right (north) on Atrisco Vista Boulevard, crossed I-40, then turned left (west) to stay on Central Avenue Northwest. We soon saw Enchanted Trails Trading Post & RV Park, where vintage trailers have been converted into motel rooms.

Enchanged Trails Trading Post & RV Park west of Albuquerque

Past Enchanted Trails, Route 66 runs along I-40, and the view looking west is terrific.

Route 66 west of Albuquerque, running along I-40

About 6 miles past Enchanted Trails is Rio Puerco Bridge.

Rio Puerco Bridge west of Albuquerque

Rio Puerco Bridge was built in 1933. It’s now open only to pedestrians.

Just past Rio Puerco Bridge, we had to get on I-40 because, while Central Avenue continues as a frontage road for a few more miles, it then veers sharply north, away from Route 66. We exited I-40 at Highland Meadows (NM 6), so we could take the 1926 alignment of Route 66 here. We drove south on NM 6 about 2 miles, then turned right (west) on Sparrow Hawk Road (NM 169), which is the 1926 Route 66 alignment.

NM 169 (1926 alignment of Route 66) west of Highland Meadows NM

In a mile, NM 169 turns south, and Sparrow Hawk Road—the 1926 Route 66 alignment—becomes a dirt road.

Sparrow Hawk Road (1926 alignment of Route 66) where it forks from NM 169

We kept going—we’ve driven other dirt segments of Route 66 and found them a lot of fun—but Sparrow Hawk Road was a muddy morass.

Sparrow Hawk Road west of NM 169

Rather than risk getting stuck in, literally, the middle of nowhere, we reluctantly turned around and returned to I-40 west. We took the next exit (Mesita) to rejoin the 1926 Route 66 alignment. Here it is the north frontage road of I-40 and called Old Route 66 Road on Google Maps. The road soon bends away from I-40 and becomes one of the prettiest drives we’ve seen along Route 66.

1926 alignment of Route 66 east of Laguna, New Mexico

Watch for a lava outcrop called Owl Rock and a sharp bend called Dead Man’s Curve.

Just east of Laguna, Old Route 66 Road bends close to I-40 and becomes NM 124. Here we found a great convenience store: Laguna 66 Pit Stop.

Laguna 66 Pit Stop in Laguna, New Mexico

About a quarter mile past the Laguna 66 Pit Stop, Old Route 66 Road veers off of NM 124 for just a half mile or so. Turn left on Rio San Jose Road, then make an immediate right onto Old Route 66 Road. From the road, you can see the Pueblo of Laguna to the south.

San Jose de la Laguna Mission Church in Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico

The pueblo was built in 1698, and San Jose de la Laguna Mission Church—the tallest building in this photo—was built in 1701.

We rejoined NM 124 and continued on it about 9 miles to the remains of Budville Trading Post.

Budville Trading Post in Budville, New Mexico

Budville Trading Post was built in 1928 or 1938 (sources give varying dates). It had a colorful history including murder!

At Budville Trading Post, the road forks. I read conflicting things about which fork was the 1926 Route 66 alignment. We took the right fork, which is a road called the Cubero Loop. 

Cubero Loop south of Cubero, New Mexico

The Cubero Loop leads to the village of Cubero. Cubero was established in 1776. It’s hard to believe that, in the early 20^th century, this tiny community was a haven for rich and famous people, especially movie stars filming near Gallup. We didn’t see any movie stars, but we did see some cattle loose near the road.

Cubero, New Mexico

The Cubero Loop took us back to NM 124, where we saw the Villa de Cubero Trading Post.

Villa de Cubero Trading Post south of Cubero, New Mexico

Villa de Cubero was built in 1936-1937 in Mediterranean Revival style. There’s a legend that Ernest Hemingway wrote The Old Man and the Sea in its café.

About 2½ miles past Villa de Cubero, in the village of San Fidel, is the Acoma Curio Shop.

Acoma Curio Shop in San Fidel, New Mexico

The Acoma Curio Shop was probably built around 1916, making one of the oldest shops we’ve seen along Route 66.

About 2 miles after the Acoma Curio Shop, we reached an abandoned Whiting Brothers gas station, built around 1940.

Whiting Brothers gas station in San Fidel, New Mexico

Across the road are two great old Whiting Brothers signs.

Whiting Brothers sign in San Fidel, New Mexico

Whiting Brothers motel sign in San Fidel, New Mexico

Here Route 66 (NM 124) crosses to the south side of I-40. On the south side of Route 66, we could see the village of McCartys and its Church of Santa Maria de Acoma, built into the hillside.

McCartys, New Mexico, as seen from Route 66

After McCartys, Route 66 (NM 124) passes through several miles of lava flows.

Lava along Route 66 west of McCartys

About 2 miles west of McCarty’s, Route 66 goes over a 1936 bridge crossing the Rio San Jose.

1936 bridge on Route 66 west of McCartys

Just past the bridge, we turned left (southwest) on Anzac Road. Anzac Road is another early alignment of Route 66, built in 1935-1936. 

Anzac Road, a 1936-1936 alignment of Route 66

In about 2 miles, we forked right (north) to stay on Anzac Rd. In a few hundred feet, we turned left on Route 66 (NM 124), which then crosses to the north side of I-40. Route 66 continues as an I-40 frontage road for about a mile, then turns right on McBride Road. This is still the 1926-1937 alignment of Route 66. We followed McBride Road about 5 miles into Grants, New Mexico. Grants has a great Route 66 drive-through sign—a nice photo opportunity!.

Route 66 drive-through sign in Grants, New Mexico

On the western outskirts of Grants, Route 66 becomes NM 122. We stayed on Route 66 for about 8 miles to the remains of Bowlin's Old Crater Trading Post in Bluewater, New Mexico.

Bowlin's Old Crater Trading Post in Bluewater, New Mexico

The original Bowlin’s was built here in 1936. The current building replaced it in 1954 and closed in 1973. The building is covered with murals, but today they are barely visible.

 About 6 miles past Bowlin’s is the former Tomahawk Bar in Prewitt, New Mexico. It was built from a Quonset hut in 1947.

Former Tomahawk Bar in Prewitt, New Mexico

Here NM 122 is the 1936 alignment of Route 66. About 8 miles after Bowlin’s is Roy T. Herman's Garage and Service Station in Thoreau (pronounced “threw”), New Mexico.

Roy T. Herman's Garage and Service Station in Thoreau, New Mexico

Herman’s was a Standard Oil station. It is one of the oldest gas stations along New Mexico’s Route 66. It was built in Grants in 1931 or 1935 (sources give varying dates). It was moved here in 1937 when Route 66 realigned.

About 5 miles after Herman’s, Route 66 (NM 122) reaches the Continental Divide. There are signs on the frontage roads on both sides of I-40.

Sign at Continental Divide, New Mexico

Here we crossed I-40 to see a short fragment of the 1926 alignment of Route 66 along the south side of I-40. The remains of an old gas station and gift shop are here.

Remains of an old gas station at Continental Divide, New Mexico

Remains of an old gift shop at Continental Divide, New Mexico

After the Continental Divide, both frontage roads peter out, so we got on I-40 west. After about 8 miles, we left I-40 at Exit 36 near Iyanbito. The exit ramp merges into Route 66. This stretch of Route 66 is particularly historic. It began in 1912 as part of the National Old Trails Road. It became NM 6 in 1914. It became part of Route 66 in 1926, and it was paved in 1937.

The sandstone formations here are beautiful. We passed two particularly interesting ones on the north.

Sandstone formations near Perea, New Mexico:
Navajo Church on the right, and Pyramid Rock on the left

The formation on the right, shaped like a spire and white on top, is called Navajo Church. The cone-shaped formation on the left is called Pyramid Rock.

We continued on Route 66 into our next stop: Gallup, New Mexico.