Comments About Area Transportation,
Lodging En Route to Philmont,
and Sights to See Along the Way
| The Complete Guide to Philmont Home Page |
Ground transportation to/from Philmont:
| American Bus Company | (from Albuquerque) | (505) 342-2303 |
| Blue Sky Adventures | (from Albuquerque - run by Scouters) | (877) 225-8375 |
| Faust's Transportation | (from Albuquerque) | (505) 758-3410 |
| Gray Line of Colorado Springs | (from Colorado Springs) | (800) 345-8197 |
| Gray Line of Denver | (from Denver) | (800) 348-6877 |
| Herrera Coaches | (inter and intrastate transportation) | (505) 242-1108 |
| Pacesetter | (from any point in Colorado) | (800) 877-6001 |
| Ramblin' Express | (from Rocky Mountain region) | (719) 590-8687 |
| Sanchez Southwest | (from Albuquerque) | (800) 753-2823 |
| TNM&O | (from Denver, Colorado Springs, & Albuquerque) | (866) 242-4998 |
| World Strides | (from Denver, Colorado Springs, & Albuquerque) | (800) 999-7676 |
| Expect to pay about $1,600 round trip using a chartered bus. | ||
TROOP 99 PHILMONT TRAVEL LINKS -- Making your own travel plans? Then check out Troop 99's links to various Philmont-related travel sites.
From Albuquerque consider taking the scenic route to Taos to tour the pueblos, downtown plaza, and other city sights. Enjoy some bread baked in earthen ovens, eat some fry bread, and try blue corn tortillas. One place not to miss is Southwest Moccasin and Drum on the main street. Stop for dinner or lunch at Michael's Kitchen for some of the best Southwestern food in the area. Great prices, great servings! And be sure you have some sopapillas with lots of honey. You can spend the night at the National Guard armory. Leaving Taos take the route across the Rio Grande bridge (stop to walk out to the middle and feel the vibrations from 16-wheelers), then cross the pass into Cimarron. Stop in Cimarron for lunch and a tour before going to Philmont.
Getting to Philmont from Raton and Cimarron, NM:
Philmont provides round trip bus transportation from the bus and train stations in Raton, New Mexico, at a cost of $25.00 per person. The cost of round trip bus transportation from Cimarron is $6.00 per person. Philmont buses are scheduled upon receipt of the "Arrival Plans" card mailed to crews in mid-March with the Itinerary Guide.
LODGING IN CIMARRON
If you stay in Cimarron the night before your arrival at Philmont, you can arrange to have a Philmont bus pick you up and take you to the Ranch. When you return your arrival plans card indicate you will need transportation from Cimarron to the Ranch. You can stay at a local motel and have a bus pick you up around 7:30 or 8:00am. The cost of round trip bus transportation from Cimarron is $5.00 per person. Philmont will give you the precise details when your transportation is confirmed. Philmont buses are scheduled upon receipt of the "Arrival Plans" card mailed to crews in March.
Lodging in Cimarron is in short supply, so make your reservations early. You will find prices to be very reasonable, and if you put four people in a room, it should be relatively inexpensive. You'll find lodging in Cimarron a lot cheaper than places like Colorado Springs.
Be sure to have some pizza at Simple Simon's or try the Burrito Banquet, followed by a banana split over at the Cimarron Art Gallery. You may also want to try a "Cimarron Roll" at Hecks.
FIND LODGING IN CIMARRON (online reservations for some hotels):
http://www.nmohwy.com/c/cimarron.htm
Recommended Cimarron lodging:
Kit Carson Inn (40 rooms, renovated 1997)(check out the breakfast buffet!)
5 Miles from Philmont
(505) 376-2288 or (800) 293-7961
St. James Hotel (est. 1873) (has main hotel and annex)(more upscale than the Kit)
4 Miles from Philmont
(505) 376-2664
Under new ownership as of March, 2002. The St. James is now a different place than in previous years. The manager is Rodger Smith, a native of Cimarron. His sister, Sharon Smith, runs the dining room and restaurant. She has a graduate degree in home economics. She also runs The Porch, a sandwich deli in town.
Cimarron Inn (has a nice tent camping area behind the motel)(camp in "downtown" Cimarron!)
5 Miles from Philmont
(505) 376-2268
For adults seeking more upscale, but reasonably priced, accommodations be sure to check out the Casa del Gavilan Historic Inn located in the shadow of the Tooth of Time (shown as the Nairm Place on topo maps). Run by former Philmont Rangers this is a wonderful place for a couple headed to the Philmont Training Center. Located just south of Philmont Base Camp along Highway 21 in the shadow of the Tooth of Time (no pets and no smoking). Call (505) 376-2246 or (800) GAVILAN.
For camping in Cimarron check out Ponil Campground. Call (505) 376-2700. 31006 U.S. Highway 64, Cimarron, NM 87714. Reasonable rates, tent sites by the river, full hook-ups, showers, laundry facilities, grills and picnic tables, and a recreation area. Some sites have grass and shade. An excellent place to camp before arriving at Philmont. Six miles from Philmont.
While it may be possible to arrive at Philmont a day early and spend the night there, this option is strongly discouraged, as Philmont has limited tent space at base camp.
For those starting to make Philmont travel plans, remember Troop 80. They have a really nice building in Amarillo, Texas, for your overnight stay at just $3.00 dollars per night. They start taking reservations on 1/1/2001. You can contact their Council office at (806) 358-6500 and they will put you in touch with the troop. Or e-mail TROOP 80 -- Terry Slade.
Here are some other suggestions within 55 miles of Philmont:
Cimarron Canyon State Park, Eagle Nest, NM - (505) 377-6271 - 20 miles
New Mexico Army National Guard, Springer, NM - (505) 483-3600 or 483-3603 - 25 miles
Springer Lake State Park, Springer, NM - No phone - 25 miles
New Mexico Army National Guard, Raton, NM - (505) 445-3382 - 35 miles
National Rifle Association, Raton, NM - (505) 445-3615 - 40 miles
Charette Lake State Park, Springer, NM - No phone - 50 miles
Sugarite Canyon State Park, Raton, NM - (505) 445-5607 - 55 miles
Here's another great place to try:
Koshare Hostel, 115 West 18th Street - POB 580, La Junta, Colorado 81050, Phone: (719) 384-4411 or (800) 693-5482.
Located about 65 miles east of Pueblo, Colorado, the Koshare Indian Museum is host to about 3000 Philmont crew members each year, providing a natural jump-off point to the ranch from their overnight hostel facilities. It's about 140 miles to Philmont.
For those groups who make advance reservations and bring their own bedroll and sleeping pad, the Koshare Indian Museum makes overnight lodging available at about $6.00 per person per night ($60 group minimum), usually in the Koshare Kiva, under the largest self-supported log roof known.
The Koshare Hostel is also available at no charge to any Philmont staff members traveling to or from God's Country, and they're always glad to see you - drop in anytime!
Sights to visit while traveling to/from Philmont:
"The Blue Hole" - in Santa Rosa, NM (south and east of Cimarron off I-40 east of Albuquerque) is really worth the trip. 81 ft deep, 60 ft in diameter, outflow is 3000 gallons per minute, and the water temperature is 61 degrees constantly. Skin divers from all over come here to dive. It's free and refreshing, particularly when the outside temp is over 90 degrees in the summer.
Capulin Volcano Natl. Monument (about 30 mi. east of Raton, NM) - an extinct crater that you can drive to the top of and walk around, offers panoramic views of the surrounding area.
Santa Fe - lots of shops, museums and art galleries.
Taos - a native american community with lots of neat shops and art galleries, 56 mi. west of Cimarron.
Mt. Wheeler (15 mi. NE of Taos) - New Mexico's highest peak, a moderate 7 mile hike from the base of Taos Ski Valley
Cimarron Canyon State Park (10 mi. west of Cimarron) - some magnificent scenery, including The Palisades
Albuquerque - Indian Petroglyph State Park doesn't take long to visit and is well worth the trip. Also, don't forget to visit Old Town.
Colorado Springs Area - lots of stuff to see and do, including Royal Gorge and Bridge, US Air Force Academy, Garden of the Gods, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame, etc.
Great Sand Dunes National Monument (near Alamosa, CO, about 2 1/2 hrs. from Philmont) - some of the country's largest sand dunes.
Also try: Mesa Verde National Park near Cortez, CO, plus all the scenery between. The drive from Durango, CO, to Silverton, Ouray, and Telluride is very nice. Hovenweep National Monument (southeastern Utah) is also worth a visit if it's on your way.
Other good stops are the hot springs pool in Glenwood Springs, river rafting in Buena Vista, and climbing or driving a 14,000 foot peak in Rocky Mountain National Park.
In the movie Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade the opening sequence shows
a teenage Indy, on a horseback riding trip with his Scout troop, discovering a
group plundering ancient artifacts. He interrupts them and is pursued, including a classic Indiana Jones sequence on a circus train. The train sequence was shot at the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railway, which is located about two hours from Philmont at Antonito, Colorado. Their Web site is http://www.cumbrestoltec.com/. The Durango & Silverton, located a little farther away, has also been a location for several movies, including parts of Around the World in 80 Days.
River trips in New Mexico and the southwest by
Far Flung Adventures and Bill Dvorak's Kayak and Rafting Expeditions.
Both of the above have been used and recommended by Philmont crews.
since February 13, 2001