Did Route 66 go through Gallup?

Yes. Route 66 runs through the middle of Gallup, and the Gallup Commercial Historic District lines the old road downtown.

What is there to see on Route 66 in Gallup?

We list 17 stops in and around Gallup, mostly historic hotels, historic bridges and historic districts. The ones our trip planner rates highest are Gallup Muffler Man, El Rancho Hotel & Motel and Redwood Lodge. Every stop is on the map above with a photo where one exists, and the distance from the old road.

How far is Gallup from the next towns on Route 66?

Gallup sits at about mile 1,678 of Route 66, counting from Chicago. The next town east with its own guide is Albuquerque, NM, about 153 miles back. Heading west, Holbrook, AZ is about 86 miles on. Distances are measured along the road and rounded.

Is Gallup a good place to stay overnight on Route 66?

Yes. Our trip planner uses Gallup as one of its main overnight towns, so on a two-week trip a day often ends here. Plan the stops in town for the evening or the next morning.

Route 66 town guide · New Mexico

Route 66 in Gallup, New Mexico

Gallup is the last New Mexico town on Route 66, about 1,677 miles from Chicago and some 20 miles from the Arizona line. It grew up with the railroad, and its downtown keeps an unusual number of old hotels.

About mile 1,678 of 2,448 from Chicago
17 stops in and around Gallup
Main overnight town

Tap a dot to see that stop here.

Tap a dot for the photo and a link to the stop. Open Gallup on the full map to filter by kind or add stops to your trip.

The famous one is the El Rancho Hotel & Motel, a rustic 1937 hotel built by a movie director's brother, where Hollywood stars once stayed. Along the main street, the Gallup Commercial Historic District lines Route 66 with dozens of old storefronts, hotels and theaters. The 1912 Palace Hotel is the town's only Richardsonian Romanesque building, the 1910 Rex Hotel is built of stone, and the 1928 Harvey Hotel, despite its name, was never a Fred Harvey house. The El Morro Theater, a 1928 movie house, is Gallup's only building in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. On the edge of town, the Redwood Lodge is a 1931 tourist court that has changed little since the years before World War II.

The stops we group under Gallup also reach east to Campbell Pass, the broad, gentle Continental Divide crossing between Gallup and Grants used by the railroad, Route 66 and I-40. To the west they cross into Arizona, where three historic bridges carry or once carried the old road over the Puerco River and Querino Canyon.

Practical note: Gallup is a main overnight town on our planner and a good base for the drive into Arizona. Holbrook and its tipi-shaped Wigwam Motel are about 86 miles west.

Top 10 Route 66 attractions in and around Gallup

Gallup Muffler ManA Muffler Man cowboy that locals call Dude Man, standing on the roof of a used-car lot in Gallup.
El Rancho Hotel & MotelA rustic 1937 Route 66 hotel in Gallup built by a movie director's brother, where Hollywood stars once stayed.
Redwood LodgeA 1931 Gallup tourist court that survives with little change from the years before World War II.
Harvey HotelA 1928 brick-and-stone hotel in downtown Gallup that, despite its name, was never a Fred Harvey house.
Grand HotelA 1925 brick hotel in downtown Gallup that later became Ricca's Mercantile.
Rex HotelA 1910 stone hotel building on a corner of Gallup's Route 66 main street.
Drake HotelA two-story blond brick hotel from 1919 on Gallup's Route 66, later known as the Turquoise Club.
Palace HotelA 1912 two-story hotel on Route 66 in Gallup, the town's only Richardsonian Romanesque building.
Calvin-Rehoboth Robotic ObservatoryA remote-controlled school telescope near Gallup, shared with a college in Michigan since 2004.
Campbell PassThe broad, gentle Continental Divide crossing between Gallup and Grants used by rail, Route 66 and I-40.

Retro roadside (2)

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Redwood Lodge

Gallup, New Mexico · on Route 66

A 1931 Gallup tourist court that survives with little change from the years before World War II.

Retro roadsidePhoto credit

Gallup Muffler Man

Gallup, New Mexico · 0.1 mi from Route 66

A Muffler Man cowboy that locals call Dude Man, standing on the roof of a used-car lot in Gallup.

Retro roadside

Historic hotels (6)

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El Rancho Hotel & Motel

Gallup, New Mexico · 0.1 mi from Route 66

A rustic 1937 Route 66 hotel in Gallup built by a movie director's brother, where Hollywood stars once stayed.

Historic hotelPhoto credit

Drake Hotel

Gallup, New Mexico · 0.1 mi from Route 66

A two-story blond brick hotel from 1919 on Gallup's Route 66, later known as the Turquoise Club.

Historic hotelPhoto credit

Palace Hotel

Gallup, New Mexico · on Route 66

A 1912 two-story hotel on Route 66 in Gallup, the town's only Richardsonian Romanesque building.

Historic hotelPhoto credit

Rex Hotel

Gallup, New Mexico · 0.1 mi from Route 66

A 1910 stone hotel building on a corner of Gallup's Route 66 main street.

Historic hotelPhoto credit

Grand Hotel

Gallup, New Mexico · 0.1 mi from Route 66

A 1925 brick hotel in downtown Gallup that later became Ricca's Mercantile.

Historic hotelPhoto credit

Harvey Hotel

Gallup, New Mexico · 0.1 mi from Route 66

A 1928 brick-and-stone hotel in downtown Gallup that, despite its name, was never a Fred Harvey house.

Historic hotel

Art & landmarks (1)

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Calvin-Rehoboth Robotic Observatory

Rehoboth, New Mexico · 0.5 mi from Route 66

A remote-controlled school telescope near Gallup, shared with a college in Michigan since 2004.

Art & landmarks

Nature & parks (1)

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Campbell Pass

Continental Divide, New Mexico · on Route 66

The broad, gentle Continental Divide crossing between Gallup and Grants used by rail, Route 66 and I-40.

Nature & parks

Historic bridges (3)

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Allentown Bridge

Allentown, Arizona · 0.6 mi from Route 66

A 1923 truss bridge over the Puerco River near Houck, Arizona, still standing though showing its age.

Historic bridgePhoto credit

Querino Canyon Bridge

Gallup, New Mexico · 0.2 mi from Route 66

A historic bridge where Old Route 66 crosses Querino Canyon, southwest of Houck in Apache County, Arizona.

Historic bridgePhoto credit

Sanders Bridge

Sanders, Arizona · 0.2 mi from Route 66

A 1923 steel truss bridge spanning the Puerco River close to Sanders, Arizona.

Historic bridgePhoto credit

Historic theaters (1)

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El Morro Theater

Gamerco, New Mexico · 1.7 mi from Route 66

A 1928 movie house in Gallup, the town's only building in the Spanish Colonial Revival style.

Historic theaterPhoto credit

Historic districts (2)

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Southwestern Range and Sheep Breeding Laboratory Historic District

Gallup, New Mexico · 4.3 mi from Route 66

A 1935 Pueblo Revival research station in the Cibola National Forest, east of Gallup near Fort Wingate.

Historic district

Gallup Commercial Historic District

Gallup, New Mexico · on Route 66

Downtown Gallup's historic main streets, with dozens of old storefronts, hotels and theaters along Route 66.

Historic districtPhoto credit

Historic buildings (1)

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White Cafe

Gallup, New Mexico · 0.1 mi from Route 66

A 1928 brick commercial building on Route 66 in downtown Gallup, listed as a historic place.

Historic buildingPhoto credit

Next towns on Route 66

Route 66 in Gallup: questions

Did Route 66 go through Gallup?: Yes. Route 66 runs through the middle of Gallup, and the Gallup Commercial Historic District lines the old road downtown.
What is there to see on Route 66 in Gallup?: We list 17 stops in and around Gallup, mostly historic hotels, historic bridges and historic districts. The ones our trip planner rates highest are Gallup Muffler Man, El Rancho Hotel & Motel and Redwood Lodge. Every stop is on the map above with a photo where one exists, and the distance from the old road.
How far is Gallup from the next towns on Route 66?: Gallup sits at about mile 1,678 of Route 66, counting from Chicago. The next town east with its own guide is Albuquerque, NM, about 153 miles back. Heading west, Holbrook, AZ is about 86 miles on. Distances are measured along the road and rounded.
Is Gallup a good place to stay overnight on Route 66?: Yes. Our trip planner uses Gallup as one of its main overnight towns, so on a two-week trip a day often ends here. Plan the stops in town for the evening or the next morning.