Southern Tier to Trans Am via Santa Fe Trail

[ericfoltz]

I just linked the Southern Tier to the Trans Am by following Old Route 66/Hwy 25 north to Santa Fe where I took the Santa Fe Trail (Cimmaron cutoff) to Dodge City.

My exact route was:

Southern Tier from San Diego to Globe;
Hwy 60 from Globe to Show Low (not recommended - 65 miles between services/9200' of climbing)
Hwy 70 from Show Low to Holbrook
Old Route 66/I-40 from Holbrook to Albuquerque (good route - Best after Continental Divide staying on Old Road)
Old Route 66/I-25 from Albuquerque to Santa Fe (good route)
Santa Fe Trail/I-25 from Santa Fe to Springer (good route)
Santa Fe Trail/Rte 56 from Springer to Dodge City, KS

The longest section without services was 50 miles from Gladstone, NM to Clayton, NM. Plenty of campsites along the way.

I would recommend staying on the Southern Tier until you hit I-25 then head north.

ACA should look at adding the Santa Fe Trail to it's list of routes. Lots of history. Good towns along the way.

This would be a good early season west-east start to the Trans Am bypassing snow in the western passes. Alternatively in reverse a good late season option going east-west if snow hits the Rockies early.

[JHamelman]

Hi Eric,

Thanks for sending in this information. We are always open to new route ideas. I like that this one connects two existing routes in the network. I will make sure your suggestion gets filed for consideration.

.Jennifer.

[staehpj1]

ACA should look at adding the Santa Fe Trail to it's list of routes. Lots of history. Good towns along the way.

I agree.  I rode the same route on the section between Santa Fe and Dodge City this spring, but I was going the opposite way.  It was very nice.   I started a bit west of Kansas City and finished in Santa Fe.  The route has the advantage of rail service between the two cities.  Actually the service was from Lamy, but there is a train from SF to Lamy.  I didn't use the train from SF to Lamy choosing to ride my bike, but the train ride from Lamy to KC was very pretty.

A good friend planned the route and wound up injured so I did the ride alone.  Actually he had a different route in mind for the part on I-25, but I chose to ride I-25.

[JHamelman]

ACA should look at adding the Santa Fe Trail to it's list of routes. Lots of history. Good towns along the way.

A good friend planned the route and wound up injured so I did the ride alone.  Actually he had a different route in mind for the part on I-25, but I chose to ride I-25.

I would be interested in knowing your friend's alternate routing for the I-25 section for our files.

Thanks,

.Jennifer.

[staehpj1]

I have a journal of the trip at:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/StaehlingSantaFe2009

This is a link to his original planned route:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=RrzKj&page_id=106425&v=75

This is a link to my actual route:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=RrzKj&page_id=112388&v=M

FWIW I found I-25 to be delightful even though it is interstate, but for those who wish to avoid it there is a frontage road much of the way that is most often far enough from the highway to feel remote at least some of the time.  One minor issue with the frontage road... On the portion where I rode the frontage road it was on the opposite side of I-25 at the rest stops making it impossible to use them.  As a result potential rest stops were infrequent in that section.

The route Jerry planned for that section is fairly remote and not loaded with services  There was a place to get water at Mosquero, I think.

[JHamelman]

staehpj1,

Thanks for the further route information. I will include it with our file.

.Jennifer.

[staehpj1]

staehpj1,

Thanks for the further route information. I will include it with our file.

.Jennifer.

If AC decides to do anything with that route I would be happy to share any other info I may have.  Jerry is planning to do some variation of the trip in the Spring and I may join him.  We could possibly collect info about the towns we pass through if that would be helpful.

[JHamelman]

If AC decides to do anything with that route I would be happy to share any other info I may have.  Jerry is planning to do some variation of the trip in the Spring and I may join him.  We could possibly collect info about the towns we pass through if that would be helpful.

Any information you could send us about services and their location along that route would be helpful. This could be in the format of mileages (either as an email or as notations on a paper map) and/or GPS waypoints if you have that ability. You can contact me directly for more information, if you'd like.

Thanks in advance.

.Jennifer.

[hmoore71]

It seems the Santa Fe Trail would be a natural for a Lewis and Clark connection as well.

[JHamelman]

Hi Harry,

It seems the Santa Fe Trail would be a natural for a Lewis and Clark connection as well.

I'd be happy to receive any information you have about how this would be achieved.

Thanks!

.Jennifer.

[ericfoltz]

That would be a great "Western History" loop tour.

Depending on time of year you could start anywhere along the way and link together the Lewis & Clark starting from Independence, Missouri to the Oregon Coast, then take the Pacific Coast south to San Diego where you would grab the Southern Tier, ride the ST to Hwy 25 in New Mexico, head north following the 25 to Albequerque where you can pick up Historic Rte 66 to Santa Fe, then follow Historic Santa Fe Trail back to Independence.

An alternative would be to hit Historic Route 66 in Santa Monica, CA and take it all the way to Albequerque but there are some long sections without services coming across the Mojave.

[hmoore71]

I'd be happy to receive any information you have about how this would be achieved.
.Jennifer.

The eastern Santa Fe Trail terminus is around New Franklin, Mo near the Katy Trail. I am still searching, as I have for sometime now, for a good way to go through the Kansas City metro area to Independence, Mo.
I know there is a bicycle tour from Santa Fe, NM to New Franklin, MO every other year and hope to see if they will share their route with me.

[hmoore71]

I'd be happy to receive any information you have about how this would be achieved.

Thanks!

.Jennifer.

Jennifer this is a website for a supported bicycle tour of the Santa Fe Tail from Santa Fe to New Franklin, Mo. http://www.santafecentury.com/sf_trail_bike_trek.html
I emailed Willard asking if they would share their routing from Baldwin City to Independence, MO. I received an affirmative reply.

The Adventure Cycling Lewis and Clark book, chapter three I believe, has a write up on the Santa Fe trail and its intersection with the Lewis and Clark trail.

[JHamelman]

Harry,

Thanks for the additional information on this. I will do some follow up on it later this week.

.Jennifer.