AZ Drive Photo Question

<p>We will be driving from NM to Scottsdale along I 40. The "mapquest" types differ on whether to turn off at about Holbrook and head through the National Forest to save time. And they differ by 2 hours! Somebody local please advise. I assume the forest is photogenic!</p>

<p>A much prettier route although a little slower is to drop south out of Albuqurque on interstate 25 to Socorro , then take US 60 into Phoenix . There should be some excellent fall colors along the way. Happy Motoring!</p>

<p>Thanks, Gary. I have been west of Socorro to get to the VLA, but this trip needs to be fast on the way and I'm wondering about that "short cut" off I 40.</p>

<p>Taking Dry Lake Rd out of Holbrook through Heber and Payson is a scenic drive, but, there is not a 2 hour difference in drive time between that route and going through Flagstaff via I-40 & I-17 to Phoenix/Scottsdale. Mapquest is just flat wrong about that. HTH</p>

<p>I have been driving both way and there is no time advantage at all.</p>

<p>Much of the Holbrook to Payson road is two lane, and has a lower speed limits than the interstate roads going through Flagstaff. Couple that with slower moving traffic, such as motor homes and folks pullings RVs and boats, on that route, and the actual shorter mileage that it provides doesn't gain any actual driving time over using the freeway route. In fact, it can be a slower route, depending on circumstances at the time. <br>

Juergen is right, and I have driven both routes for over 25 years, sometimes two round trips a week. The Holbrook/Payson route is also heavily patrolled, and speeding tickets are not hard to come by. If you want scenery, that's a good reason to go through Heber to Payson, but, don't count on saving a lot of time. <br>

If you drive either route after dark, keep a wary eye out for elk, they can be a major hazard. Enjoy your drive. </p>

<p>i would totally recommend going down 77. i was moving to Tucson 8 months ago and it was gorgeous. here is one photo off of 77 - <br>

 

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<td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kRD5AqImbsK20o9UgZo4VA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_iMpJ8PLwb_0/SdvgLuR0i5I/AAAAAAAAAIc/wv1wx-f0MKM/s144/64Kodachrome028_email.jpg" alt="" /></a></td>

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<td >From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/matroskinn/JeanneKostyaKodachrome64HoustonBiosphere201022009?feat=embedwebsite">Jeanne Kostya, Kodachrome64, Houston, Biosphere 2 01-02/2009</a></td>

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<p>I used to live outside Tucson 3 miles from 77. I've driven the 77 route and Interstate route to Four Corners a number of times. There is no great time savings cutting thru Holbrook, as much as I love the little town. 77 is more scenic but the Interstate has some nice scenery too. Also, your average speed will probably be at least 15mph faster (if not 20) on the Interstate than the state routes. You know that since you are in a hurry, if you go off the Interstate, you'll get stuck behind every RV and semi between NM and Scottsdale. I vote Interstate. Good luck. </p>

<p>Personally I like the western part of New Mexico just this side of the AZ border and USFS forest. I like the drive through the Apache reservation (all dirt except main north-south highway to Pinetop), and then through the Salt River Canyon to Globe and west to Mesa and Scottsdale. At Globe you can also drive the road along the southern edge of Roosevelt Reservoir to the highway from Payson directly into Scottsdale. It's long but very scenic and you pass through seven desert zones.</p>

<p>Thanks all! Drove back from Scottsdale up thru Flagstaff and east on I-40. A night in Holbrook and then we went into the Painted Desert/Petrified Forest for a second time. I am astounded yet again by how well our National Parks are managed. Having had a couple broken legs in the family, we could only admire the accessibility. A wheel-chair driver could reach out and touch a 225 million year old log from a paved walkway.</p>