Lupton to Petrified Forest National Park

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I40 Exit 359: Lupton

Our journey begins where Route 66 (the frontage road on the north side of Interstate 40) crosses the New Mexico - Arizona state line, just east of Exit 359. We immediately encounter Chief Yellowhorse, the first of several "Trading Post" tourist traps. The state line supposedly goes right through the Chief Yellowhorse store and is painted on the floor; the store is now closed, but the numerous yellow signs survive.
The TeePee Trading Post's Tomahawk Indian Store is in the "Largest TeePee in the Southwest."
Not to be confused with the closed Chief Yellowhorse Trading Post, this is John Yellowhorse's store. The signs and the horses are of course ... yellow.

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West of Lupton, Route 66 continues alongside I-40.

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I40 Exit 351: Allentown Road

Another teepee, this one at the Indian City trading post.
This wooden bridge was built in 1923 across the Rio Puerco just south of Allentown, and is now closed to traffic -- with good reason!

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I40 Exit 348: Houck

Fort Courage was built in the 1960's to cash in on the then-popular TV show F-Troop. The show was not actually filmed here and is now largely forgotten.

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The 1930 alignment of Route 66 still crosses the old Querino Canyon Bridge.

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I40 Exit 333: Chambers

The old service station at Chambers.

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West of I40 Exit 320: Painted Desert Trading Post

The Old Route 66 pavement is crumbling but still drivable for several miles through this lonely country. Note white ruin of Painted Desert Trading Post in distance.

Position mouse cursor over this image to see historic photo of the trading post circa 1942. Move mouse cursor off image to see my 2009 photo.

Just west of the Painted Desert Trading Post, the concrete bridge across Dead Wash is still drivable. A couple of miles farther west, Route 66 is closed at the boundary of Petrified Forest National Park.

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Last visited: October 2009.

Standard disclaimer: Sites are described for entertainment purposes only, as they were at the time of my last visit. I can not vouch for the current condition of the site or its accessibility.