Fun overnight between Petrified Forest and Carlsbad Caverns

Truth or Consequences is a great name ... can't attest to the quality of it motels, however.

We stayed in Gallup after Petrified Forest - and apart from the bone-breaking subzero weather, I can't recall a single thing about the town.

I know you're not asking for a critique of your itinerary, but... you want to overnight between PeFo and Carlsbad Caverns, then spend "most of the day" in the caverns before driving back to ABQ that night? Is that right? that's how it reads anyway. Its an eight-hour drive between PeFo and the caverns, so if you get, say two hours jump on it, that's six hours driving to the Caverns, and nearly 5 back to ABQ - so 11 hours of driving. Doesn't leave you most of the day at the caverns! Surely I'm missing a detail or two somewhere, my apologies if I've misunderstood.

Anyway, about your actual question. Gallup is about an hour from PeFo, and is nothing special. It has plenty of the nice-enough but nondescript chain hotels, and more decent restaurants than most towns in the region. The only lodging of interest is the El Rancho. Its a fabulously incongruous historic structure with a great lobby, but the room blocks are depressingly generic.

Perhaps more interesting the slight detour to Zuni. It's about two hours from PeFo, and only has one accomodation - the Inn at Holana. Its a terrifically quirky place right in the heart of the old pueblo settlement at Zuni. Definitely interesting, more so if you are lucky enough to be there on a day with a tribal event, or at least a guided tour of the pueblo.

Nearby is the tiny community of El Morro, adjacent to the National Monument of the same name. There are a couple of funky accommodations here, and the small El Morro monument is a real hidden gem. The hike over the high rock bluffs is great, and the history there is just fascinating. Between here and I-25 are a number of tiny towns, each one with one or two funky independent lodges or rental cabins - Quemado, Pie Town, Datil, Magdalena. I can't speak to their quality, but this truly rural country and the pickins are pretty slim. The Very Large Array is a sight to see. The quickest continuation of the route goes through Socorro, and Carrizozo. New Mexico Tech in Socorro has nice little gem and mineral museum, if that's your thing, and the tiny village of San Antonio features the Owl Bar, home of famous green-chile cheeseburgers.

Truth or Consequences is a great name ... can't attest to the quality of it motels, however.

Pragmatically, and affectionately, nicknamed "T or C" locally, this place grew up around a series of natural hot springs along the Rio Grande River. The town once billed itself as "America's most affordable spa town", which may be true; it might also be America's funkiest and most decrepit spa town. Anyway, its not the loveliest place, but its friendly and has lots of interesting little accommodations and a better selection of restaurants and coffee shops, etc., than you'd typically find in a windblown, sun-blasted rural New Mexico village.

I was most hopeful that New Mexico's iconic green chilli burgers would get an honourable mention!

it might also be America's funkiest and most decrepit spa town.

Not sure about T or C, funky or decrepit, but I think America's most universally endearing quality is seediness ... everything from Bangor Maine to San Diego has a distinct off-colour tang to it - like it's proud that its best years are behind it and not in front of it. Makes the country very interesting!

flagstuff - great info. Thank you. Was planning to leave PetFo about 4 pm, drive 3 hr toward Carlsbad. (overnight in between) Get to Caverns by 10 am, spend most of the day there, stay in Carlsbad. Then drive to ABQ for an afternoon flight.
I'm trying to fit the caverns and PetFo in the trip because I think two must-sees if we're in the area. But I might change itinerary to: ABQ (overnight Cedar Crest Cottage-horseback riding), then go to the Caverns on Day 2 (pass through Soccoro - take hwy 380), stay in Carlsbad; then go north to Santa Fe (museums, markets), Espanola for river rafting, Bandelier -- maybe then, to Zuni (sounds perfect), overnight, PetFo next day [ overnight? ] , then back to ABQ for flight. I really wanted to go to Ojo Caliente hotsprings, but age limit of 13 for all the pools. Maybe I'll find another hotsprings place to fit in somewhere. Total, 6 nights. Maybe even skip PetFo in favor of Ouray? Is the mountain driving very slow?

Originally settled by Spanish colonists in 1615, Socorro has centuries-old streets around the Plaza which is now a sleepy town park with a wide lawn and shade trees. There is the rebuilt Mission of San Miguel Church (1827). The town was located on the famous El Camino Real. Eighteen miles south is the Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge which has several short walking trails such as the Rio Vieho Trail (1.7 miles) which follows a former channel of the Rio Grande as it winds through cottonwoods, native grasses and migrating songbirds.

Thanks - sounds like a good stop. Stop there, Roswell Alien Museum, the bat cave flight in the evening, then Caverns early the next day; depart for Santa Fe around 3:00 pm.

Gila Hot Springs Ranch might work for you. They also have lodging, great NF and cliff dwellings. Beautiful area and remote.
The drive from PFNP via Hwy.180 to Hwy.15 is very nice-scenic with few other vehicles.. Silver Springs is a cool funky town.
No place to stay in Petrified NP.

A little different but more than doable.
1 Night - Springerville via Petrified NP and the museum.
2 N - Gila Hot Springs, cliff dwellings, hike, soak, ride horses.
1 N - Cloudcroft via Arrey and White Sands NM.
1 N - Roswell via several hours in Carlsbad
1 N - Santa Fe
Back to Albuquerque.

Ouray is a nice option, the drive over Hwy.550 is slow but incredibly scenic. On the return go via Telluride, makes a nice loop. Mesa Verde requires a full day, 2 nights to properly visit but is worth it, IMO

Thanks - I've been to Gila a couple times - and like it a lot, but flying into ABQ gets me closer to the river rafting, and Bandelier is close - several days are clustered to enjoy the area primarily out of the car. I'm leaning toward skipping PetFo NP this trip, and maybe fit in Three Rivers Petro site, maybe go to Ojo Caliente hotsprings anyway, and tell them she's 13; and we'd love to do some rockhounding, but accessible by rental car. I think we've got a good trip - thanks for all your input.