Phoenix to Denver

What's the best route to get from Phoenix to Denver with one or two overnight stops? I'm driving with my girlfriend who's not from this part of the country, so scenic and interesting is better than fast. It looks like the most common route is via Flagstaff, Albuquerque, then straight up on I-25 through Santa Fe into Colorado. Is this the best way to go? We'd like to see a bit of Santa Fe, and also detour to Taos. From there, I'm not sure whether it would be best to cut back over to I-25, or to keep going up on the smaller highways, which could lengthen the trip considerably. Any suggestions there? Finally, between Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Taos, what's the best choice for an overnight stop?

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Originally Posted by vmc303

What's the best route to get from Phoenix to Denver with one or two overnight stops?

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Welcome to the Great American RoadTrip Forum! Well, let's see, there is the fastest way, the most scenic, but I don't think I am qualifed to determine the best way! So, here are a couple of more ideas for you. Although the route to Flagstaff and Sedona is a beautiful one, right now it is also "fire central" and roads are likely to be a little more congested than normal. So, what I would do is this: US-60 past Show Low and then bend to the northeast on SR-61 and then bend to the east on US-180 and then take the scenic drive through Petrified Forest National Park and join I-40 and head east on I-40.

I would spend the night at Albuquerque (lots of Route 66 stuff to do here) and then you have lots of choices. If you save Taos and Santa Fe for another trip you could zip north on US-550 and take the incomparable Million Dollar Highway past Durango to Silverton and up to Montrose and the drive out to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Gunnison is a pretty cute town for over-night) and then on east over the continental divide on US-50 and then US-24 to Colorado Springs and north on I-25 to Denver.

Or...

When you leave Albuquerque you could go and explore Santa Fe and Taos and my personal favorite -- Eagles Nest Lake. From Eagles Nest follow US-64 through the famous Cimarron canyon area to I-25 and then zip up to Denver, (with this route, you could dip westward into the Colorado Rockies or spend an extra night in the Taos area.)

Happy Planning!

Mark