Where I live in New Mexico, there are several segments of Route 66 with easy access nearby. If there is a traffic jam on Interstate 40, I'll drive on Route 66. If I have to bring my 1952 Jeep to Gallup, I take Route 66.
Much of Route 66 was obliterated by Interstate 40, but there are some segments still drivable.
For the average automobile, Route 66 is safe to drive. But it is a different story for big rigs.
RV Life posted an article on what to avoid and how to plan a drive on Route 66 during the 2026 Centennial Celebration.
They begin with:
America’s most famous highway turns 100 in 2026, and towns from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California, are planning cruises, parades, rallies, museum events, and neon-lit celebrations.
For travelers in larger motorhomes, fifth-wheels, or travel trailers, exploring Route 66 is both a bucket-list dream and a logistical challenge. Much of the “Mother Road” is a two-lane patchwork of state highways, city streets, preserved alignments, and sections that have been absorbed by interstates. Most of it is manageable in a modern RV if you approach it as you would a a big-rig trip, not as a “follow every Historic 66 sign” scavenger hunt.
The safest way to do it: use interstates for the long hauls, drop onto Route 66 only for wide, easy segments, and treat tight towns as park-and-play stops, which means drop the RV elsewhere and explore in your tow vehicle or dinghy.
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| Above, the gateway to the former Fort Wingate Army Depot is 100 yards from Route 66. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
To read more, go here.
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