U.S. Route 285 in New Mexico explained

State:NM
Type:US
Route:285
Length Mi:407.0
Map Custom:yes
Map Notes:US 285 highlighted in red
Established:1934
Spur Type:US
Spur Of:85
Direction A:South
Terminus A: at Texas state line
Junction:
Direction B:North
Terminus B: at Colorado state line
Counties:Eddy, Chaves, De Baca, Lincoln, Guadalupe, Torrance, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, Taos
Previous Type:NM
Previous Route:284
Next Type:NM
Next Route:286

U.S. Route 285 (US 285) is a north–south U.S. highway that runs from Sanderson, TX to Denver, CO. US 285 enters the state of New Mexico from Texas, into Eddy County, NM just south of Loving. The highway runs through the major cities of Carlsbad, Roswell, and Santa Fe. The highway exits the state into Colorado approximately 25 miles north of Tres Piedras. The Pecos River runs adjacent to the vast stretch of highway, yet breaks away in Northern New Mexico, before entering Colorado. [1]

Route description

US 285 enters New Mexico from Texas approximately 23 miles south of Loving. As US 285 traverses north on the eastern plains of New Mexico, it passes through the towns of Carlsbad, Artesia and then Roswell. In Artesia, the route intersects with US 82. In Carlsbad, US 285 has an overlap with US 62 and US 180 through the town. In Roswell, the route intersects with US 70 and US 380, having a short overlap with US 70.

The route next heads northwest to Vaughn where it has a brief concurrency with US 54 and US 60. The route then continues northwest and has a junction with Interstate 40 (I-40) at Clines Corners.

Heading north out of Clines Corners, the route continues towards the state capital. At the outskirts of Santa Fe, the route becomes concurrent with I-25, US 84, and its unsigned parent (US 85) for several miles heading west through the foothills of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains to Santa Fe. After exiting I-25, US 285 follows Saint Francis Drive through Santa Fe. The route continues north by northwest to Española and Chamita, where the concurrency with US 84 ends. The route then traverses the Carson National Forest where US 285 now makes a long climb up to the Colorado Plateau, passing through Ojo Caliente as it ascends to the San Luis Valley. After crossing US 64, the highway passes through the village of Tres Piedras, New Mexico at the south end of the valley, then proceeds north to the Colorado border near the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.

Roswell truck route

State:NM
County:Chaves
Type:US-Truck
Route:285
Location:Roswell, New Mexico

Notes and References

  1. Web site: US 285 North: 0.2 mile south of New Mexico state line to Pecos . 2024-03-10 . www.txdot.gov . en.