New Mexico State Road 26 (NM 26) is a paved, two-lane
state highway in
Luna
Luna commonly refers to:
* Earth's Moon, named "Luna" in Latin
* Luna (goddess), the ancient Roman personification of the Moon
Luna may also refer to:
Places Philippines
* Luna, Apayao
* Luna, Isabela
* Luna, La Union
* Luna, San Jose
Roma ...
,
Sierra, and
Doña Ana counties in the U.S. state of
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...
. It travels southwest-to-northeast largely following the main trunk of the
ATSF
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The railroad was chartered in February 1859 to serve the cities of Atchison and Topeka, Kansas, and ...
railroad.
The western terminus of NM 26 is at intersection with
US 180 north of
Deming. The eastern terminus is north of
Hatch at the interchange with
I-25
Interstate 25 (I-25) is a major Interstate Highway in the western United States. It is primarily a north–south highway, serving as the main route through New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. I-25 stretches from I-10 at Las Cruces, New Mexic ...
. NM 26 is an important connecting road between
I-10 and
I-25
Interstate 25 (I-25) is a major Interstate Highway in the western United States. It is primarily a north–south highway, serving as the main route through New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. I-25 stretches from I-10 at Las Cruces, New Mexic ...
west of
Las Cruces. In the vicinity of
Deming NM 26 is also known as Hatch Highway.
Route description
The highway begins just north of
Deming at the intersection with
US 180. For the first 3.25 miles the road travels mostly east-northeast until it closes in with the
ATSF
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The railroad was chartered in February 1859 to serve the cities of Atchison and Topeka, Kansas, and ...
railroad trunk. From that point on the highway turns northeast and follows the railroad track. The road travels through the
Chihuahuan Desert
The Chihuahuan Desert ( es, Desierto de Chihuahua, ) is a desert ecoregion designation covering parts of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. It occupies much of far West Texas, the middle to lower Rio Grande Valley and the lo ...
with southern slopes of
Cooke's Range mountains skirting from the north. At approximately 14 mile mark Cooke's Peak, named after Captain
Philip St. George Cooke, and the tallest mountain in the
Cooke's Range
The Cookes Range (Cooke's Range, Cooks Range or Cook's Range) is a small, 17-mi (27 km) long mountain range in northern Luna County, New Mexico, which extends slightly north into southeastern Grant County. The range is a southern continuat ...
, can be seen to the north of the highway. At 14.45 miles NM 26 intersects with CR A019 (Cooke's Canyon Rd) providing access to
Cooke's Canyon Cooke's Canyon or Cookes Canyon, a valley and ephemeral stream, located on the eastern slope of the Cooke's Range in Luna County, New Mexico. It has its source at north of Massacre Peak. The mouth of Cooke's Canyon is at its confluence with Fo ...
,
Cooke's Spring and
Fort Cummings
Fort Cummings is a former U. S. Army post located near Cooke's Springs, in Luna County, New Mexico. It is located 20 miles northeast of Deming, New Mexico.
Cooke's Spring
Cooke's Spring () was named for Philip St. George Cooke 2nd U.S. Dragoo ...
historic site. At 22.53 miles wind turbines can be seen to the north of NM 26 which are part of the Macho Springs Wind Farm built in 2011 and generating 50 MW of windpower. After NM 26 intersects with NM 27 in a ghost town of
Nutt and changes direction to slightly more easterly. At the road leaves the
Luna County and briefly enters
Sierra County and exits it into
Doña Ana County
Don (; ; pt, Dom, links=no ; all from Latin ', roughly 'Lord'), abbreviated as D., is an honorific prefix primarily used in Spain and Hispanic America, and with different connotations also in Italy, Portugal and its former colonies, and Croatia ...
at . The highway continues following the railroad tracks and passes by
Hatch Municipal Airport at . After about a mile, NM 26 reaches community of
Placitas where it intersects with
NM 187 turning eastward. Travelling through
Hatch NM 26 meets with
NM 185 further and turns north at the intersection. At NM 26 crosses the
Rio Grande river over a bridge, built in 1965, and arrives at its northeastern terminus later.
History
NM 26 contains sections of the original Routes 26 and 27 created in 1905 by the Territorial Legislative Assembly. It contains a segment of the old Route 26 from
Deming to
Nutt and a stretch from
Nutt to
Hatch which was the original Route 27. During early 1940s Route 26 was re-routed towards
Hatch, and the road to
Hillsboro became Route 27.
On 1927 map Route 26 is shown as a "first class" road between
Deming and
Hillsboro while a stretch between
Nutt and
Hatch is shown as "third class" road. On 1938 map both Routes 26 and 27 shown as "graded" and 1941 map shows both stretches of Route 26 and 27 as having "oil and concrete" surface. By 1950s the entire road was paved.
Major intersections
See also
*
List of state roads in New Mexico
State roads in New Mexico, along with the Interstate Highway System, and the United States Numbered Highway System, fall under the jurisdiction of the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT). The U.S. state of New Mexico has 412 st ...
References
External links
*
{{Attached KML, display=inline,title
026
Transportation in Luna County, New Mexico
Transportation in Sierra County, New Mexico
Transportation in Doña Ana County, New Mexico