Community Forums

TheWanderRr · 06-13-2022, 08:14 PM

I've been trying to be unconventional in our journey across the USA, started in Tennessee made it to New Mexico just north of Albuquerque, I have a Garmin RV GPS set to avoid highways and also have my Pixel 6 pro Google maps set to avoid highways. It was working great until we were about 20 miles south of our destination Cochiti Lake. Both GPSs got us jammed up at a Reservation entrance they would not allow us to enter to turn our Ram 2500 and a 32' trailer around. I almost got stuck. Our next hop is heading to Rapid City SD I want to avoid Denver and the other cities I25 goes through. Is there a way to take the scenic route to Raton NM then through the rest of Colorado into Nebraska without getting stuck at a Reservation checkpoint again? I believe they are not allowing outsiders to pass through because of COVID, not all the reservations are doing this, the place we are staying at now is technically on a reservation. I want to respect their rules but don't know how to avoid these areas when both Garmin and Google have no warnings about this. Now there was a warning before this issue but the signage was knocked over due to high winds. We are having Red Flag weather warnings right now. Just looking for help to see the small towns as we travel. I am a firm believer and helping mom and pop business. Sorry if its long just wanted to cover everything that's happened.

TheWanderRr · 06-13-2022, 08:15 PM

Sorry for the misspellings don't have my glasses on.

TheWanderRr · 06-13-2022, 10:25 PM

Took a while but I found out why the one reservation doesn't allow outside visitors. I don't think I'll have the issue anywhere else. It was just a one in a million chance I stumbled on it. I should go play at there casino I might get lucky?

twogypsies · 06-14-2022, 12:18 AM

Just beyond Raton at Trinidad pick up 350 then 71 north to I-80 at Kimball, NE. No reservations.

Mark_K5LXP · 06-14-2022, 07:17 AM

Not the way you're going but in a past life I rode to sturgis on my scooter, hwy 285 from ABQ, picked up 85 in CO through WY and on in to SD. Not sure what scenery you're interested in but if you're driving through reservation lands you're kinda asking for trouble. At least here in NM there's no guarantee you can get through, or that they're even paved. 6 wheelin' in my class A is not an adventure I care to experience. Careful where the GPS routes you.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

TheWanderRr · 06-14-2022, 10:39 PM

I always use satellite view to check roads I don't know, the check point was completely unexpected. As far as scenery anything without the mundane Intestate system, I followed RT 66 as far as I could, US Highways are probably the best routes I've found In NM the State Highways seem to pass through the reservations without warning.

Bobby F · 06-14-2022, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWanderRr

Took a while but I found out why the one reservation doesn't allow outside visitors. I don't think I'll have the issue anywhere else. It was just a one in a million chance I stumbled on it.

Well, that was cryptic.

Fanrgs · 06-16-2022, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twogypsies

Just beyond Raton at Trinidad pick up 350 then 71 north to I-80 at Kimball, NE. No reservations.

Lived in Colorado for 60 years and traveled every road mentioned. Agree with I-25 to US 350, but I would then take US 50 east, then north on US 385. If you are interested in Western history, that route will take you to Bent's Fort NHS and the new Amache NM. Both are well worth a couple of hours along that route. A very nice campground on US 50 is Lake Hasty at John Martin Reservoir State Park. Also on 385 in Nebraska is the original Cabela's store, which allows free dry camping, and the Ft. Sydney Museum. In Alliance is Carhenge and at Chadron is the Museum of the Fur Trade. US 385 then takes you right into Hot Springs, SD, Wind Cave NP, Custer State Park, Jewel Cave NM, and Mt. Rushmore. Our favorite campground with hookups in the southern Black Hills is Angostura Reservoir. We did not, however, like Sylvan Lake cg in Custer SP. We have also stayed in a couple of private RV parks in the BH that others recommended, but we would have preferred boondocking to either park

**hamm2018** · 06-19-2022, 08:50 AM

We stopped at the Cabela's store in Sydney last year on the way to Rapid City. We stayed in a full hookup site for under $40/night. If you have a membership card, you get a discount, plus we used our points from Bass Pro and saved some money.
Also shopping in the store, we got a discount for staying in the campground.
But the campground does NOT take reservations, first come first served.