Get Your Pics on Route 66 – Eastern New Mexico

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Shelley Dennis

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Shelley Dennis is a travel photographer and writer who threw caution to the wind and gave up most of her belongings to travel the country in an RV. Her trusty sidekick for this lifetime adventure is her Golden Retriever, Sully. You can find them both at www.PhotoTrippingAmerica.com

Route 66, the iconic “Mother Road,” winds its way from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California. Taking a year to travel the entire route would be great, but if you don’t have the time for a sabbatical, why not conquer this icon of American transportation history in chunks? We’re going to help you do just that with a series called Get Your Pics on Route 66 in hopes that you’ll capture some great images as you explore this little slice of Americana.

Today’s travel selection should give you a good taste of the legendary Route 66, as Eastern New Mexico has some of the best collection of historical motels, souvenir shops, and restaurants from the nostalgic age of the highway…many with neon signs to match. Here’s an overview of what you can still experience from Glenrio to Santa Rosa. Today we’re headed west, so get your RV stocked and let’s hit the road!

Route 66 Eastern New Mexico

Glenrio

Starting at the state line, Glenrio, New Mexico is nothing more than a spot on the asphalt today. But back in its heyday the town attached most of its dreams to the new highway that came to the area in 1926, building establishments to serve the influx of travelers. Today you can still find a preserved café and gas station, both built in the popular art deco design during the height of Route 66’s popularity. There is also an old motel that could use a little sprucing up, but it is definitely worth a drive-by.

Just to the west of town, the road becomes gravel, so you may want to jump back onto Interstate 40 for 21 miles, as the prairie quickly transforms to a desert landscape.

San Jon

At San Jon, you’ll find one old gas station-turned-auto-parts store on Main Street that is a hold-over from bygone days, but not much else exists for Mother Road enthusiasts here. I-40 is your best bet to keep heading west toward Tucumcari. And keep your eye out for “Tucumcari Tonite” billboards along the way.

san jon new mexico route 66

Tucumcari Tonite

Twenty-six miles later you should arrive at a most unusual place—one supposedly named for two star-crossed Native American lovers: Tocom and Kari. This desert town got its start as a railroad camp but found fame and economic growth when the highway system paved straight through its center.

A trip to the Tucumcari of today will satisfy every Route 66 admirer’s dream—it is filled with old motels, restaurants, and curio shops from the original days of automotive exploration. At the top of most wish lists is the Blue Swallow Motel, complete with neon sign and vintage Pontiac parked out front. You can book a room here for around $70 and feel like you’ve been transported back to the 1950s or come back at night to photograph the establishment in all its lighted glory.

blue swallow motel tucumcari new mexico route 66

The Buckaroo Motel down the road has a great sign with a cowboy on a bucking bronco, but the neon at night declared it to be “The Buckaroo Mo.” Don’t miss Safari Motel with its camel sign and “Squeaky Clean” rooms, or if you want to trade your RV in for a night’s stay in this little beauty with Betty Boop, here’s your chance!

betty boop rv park tucumcari new mexico

Tee Pee Curios looks just like its name—a kitschy souvenir shop in the shape of a teepee. Be sure to stock up on Mother Road collectibles, postcards, and jewelry before cruising down the rest of The Route. Then search for several vintage service stations with original gas pumps and even one with its own cockroaches!

magnolia mobile gas tucumcari new mexico route 66

As you can see, wall murals abound in Tucumcari, so keep your eyes open for paintings of Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable admiring a Chevy Corvette (and each other), legendary automobiles painted within the surrounding landscape, and the entire town of Tucumcari artistically represented on the side of a business. If you look closely, you’ll also find buildings and signs in the shapes of Mexican sombreros and thunderbirds as you head out of town toward your final tour destination.

tee pee curio shop tucumcari new mexico route 66

Santa Rosa

Your last stop on this section of The Mother Road is about an hour to the west at Santa Rosa, New Mexico. Famous for its vast Blue Hole, this little town was full of hospitality and great food during the highway’s pinnacle. Many travelers followed the direction of billboards and ate where the “Fat Man” suggested: the Club Café, which sadly closed its doors in 1992.

The Blue Hole is an artesian well that is 80 feet deep and 80 feet in diameter, with water that is so clear scuba divers come from miles around to practice their craft. It’s been a staple in Santa Rosa long before Route 66 passed through, but it’s a great place to cool off, especially in the desert heat.

sun and sand motel santa rosa new mexico route 66

There are several motels that were operational when The Route was popular, and many still cater to travelers. But one fun attraction may catch your eye…a bright yellow roadster posted 30 feet off the ground announcing the “Route 66 Auto Museum.” For $5 you can go inside and enjoy about 30 restored relics from the days when automotive transportation was celebrated. If you prefer, there are several restorations outside to see at no cost.

Well, you’ve just completed about 100 miles on this section of the famed Route 66 highway through eastern New Mexico, but your travel back in time probably felt like decades! You can, of course, spend as much or as little time to meander through these areas—I took a long weekend for this route, hoping to capture both day and night images, indulge in local foods and soak in the attraction of this most unique American trail.

route 66 sculpture eastern new mexico

Next, we’ll tackle the original alignment of the Mother Road, jumping into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and Santa Fe, before dropping back down into Albuquerque, or as I like to call it, “Route 66 Central.” Then it’s on to the rest of this iconic and beautiful road.


You can drive the rest of Route 66 with our other “Get Your Pics on Route 66” articles. Read the entire series.

  • Comment (32)
  • F Rose says:

    Great article and information to those wanting to ‘mosey’ on the old back roads, rather than transport the high-speed, high-traffic routes. Keep the info coming, Shelley! We need more like this — encouraging us to saunter in our light-speed world.

  • Kelly McMahan says:

    I have frequently heard about the town of Santa Rosa, NM, but have never made the trip down to visit. After reading this article, I think I will have to take a long weekend and enjoy a fab fifties room at the Blue Swallow Motel! Great article for enticing us 50somethings to take a walk down memory lane.

  • Ron Southard says:

    Great stuff, Shelley, I enjoy travelling along with you and getting ideas for when we retire…probably never. Keep up the good work and keep tellin’ the story in pictures and prose.

  • Cheryl R. says:

    Love the Route 66 nostalgia. I have not done this section but now I have the reasons to go and see it. thanks Shelley

  • Anonymous says:

    The photos are really good and it was fun to see the detail shots.

  • Carol Noble Grunden says:

    Siri does not always translate my comments well. What I said was thank you Shelley for drawing us into a bit Of nostalgia and anticipation.

  • Carol Noble Grunden says:

    Excellent article! Made me want to go back to camping. A combination of history and adventure for now. Congrats to Shelly for dryness into a bit of nostalgia and anticipation.

  • Kellidennis2004@yahoo.com says:

    This has been a wonderful way to explore a region that I don’t figure I will be getting to in the near future!

  • RUTH says:

    Made me want to head off on a road trip this weekend! Great article.

  • Roger Denney says:

    Great pictures and descriptions.
    Makes me want to go on a road trip !

  • Nancy says:

    What a great article! It was very well written with great details of what to expect in traveling Rt. 66. And the pictures were great. I felt like I was actually taking the trip by reading all about it.

  • Anita Praus says:

    Great article. Makes me want to hit the road!

  • Marjorie Henise says:

    I love this, Shelley! Makes me want to go back and look at my Route 66 pictures. It’s a trip that everyone should take someday. Nice article!

  • Terry Erickson says:

    Nice. Leaving Colorado (home) soon to Santa Fe for a few. Thanks for the travel tips! I haven’t been back there since it was home in the 80’s.

  • Dorothy Raymond says:

    We met this lovely and talented woman in New Mexico. Love her photos! It’s a joy to “follow” her and her sidekick, Sully, on their travels. We also enjoyed this stretch of Route 66, stayed in the Blue Swallow Motel and ran into the gentleman whose wife painted cockroaches!

  • Tammy says:

    Love this article and look forward to more pics in the future as we plan our trips. Thank you.

  • Shelley Dennis says:

    Thanks! I hope you make the time to do some “moseying” and explore some back roads of your own – it’s well worth the effort!

  • Anonymous says:

    best Color palette images on Pinterest | Backgrounds, Bathroom and Beauty ad

  • Shelley Dennis says:

    Glad you enjoyed the article, Kelly! You’d fit right in at the Blue Swallow – it is fetching and nostalgic. Might be fun to get a convertible and travel Route 66 through Tucumcari!

  • Shelley Dennis says:

    Thanks, Ron! I don’t like that word “retirement” either, as it insinuates that we’ll be doing nothing. Travel is certainly not “nothing” so I think you’re safe backing off of the work long enough to hit the road every now and then! 🙂

  • Shelley Dennis says:

    Thanks, Cheryl! There’s a lot of road to see between Chicago and Santa Monica – happy trails!

  • Shelley Dennis says:

    Thank you! I hope to deliver more of the same in the coming weeks!

  • Shelley Dennis says:

    Carol, I could read between Siri’s auto incorrectness! Thanks for your kind words and I’m so glad you enjoyed the article!

  • Shelley Dennis says:

    Kelli, you never know when a road trip might be in your future!

  • Shelley Dennis says:

    Hope you have planned an adventurous road trip of your own, Ruth!

  • Shelley Dennis says:

    Roger, thank you! You’d better hit the road and enjoy some adventure!

  • Shelley Dennis says:

    Nancy, thank you so much! Hope you’ll enjoy the next several articles that cover more of The Mother Road!

  • Shelley Dennis says:

    Thanks, Anita! A road trip is always an adventure, so don’t put it off!

  • Shelley Dennis says:

    Thank you, Marjorie! I’d love to hear about your trip down The Mother Road!

  • Shelley Dennis says:

    Have a great time in Santa Fe, Terry! I love that town!

  • Shelley Dennis says:

    I’m so jealous, Dorothy, of your encounter with the artist! Would have loved to hear how she came up with THAT idea! Thank you for your kind words, and I hope we meet again on the road…it was a pleasure getting to know you!

  • Shelley Dennis says:

    Thanks, Tammy – have a great time planning your trips…and taking them!

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