Owl Rock - Route 66 - Laguna Pueblo, New Mexico, USA.
N 35° 02.047 W 107° 20.291
13S E 286705 N 3879326
The Mother road twists & turns around rock formations, that the builders of the 4 lane interstate just blasted into extinction. The most famous of those remaining is Owl Rock. Situated alongside Old Route 66, approx 2 miles from Laguna, New Mexico.
Waymark Code: WMMMC7
Location: New Mexico, United States
Date Posted: 10/08/2014
Views: 13
Owl rock is a geological formation of significant interest on the Mother Road, located between Mesita & Laguna on the Old Route 66 pre 1985 alignment. The I-40 Interstate is now also known as Hwy 66. The old 66 pavement has been resurfaced, which is a shame as it used to have Route 66 shields painted on the road surface, alongside Owl Rock.
There is a very tight 180 degree bend just after the rock, known as Dead Mans curve, that must have given many travellers on the Mother Road a bit of a shock.
I was wondering why it was called Owl's Rock, & assumed if you had a vivid imagination, the formation could look like an Owl, perhaps if it was dark. I searched the Web and found the photo I was looking for, after seeing the photo, I noticed the photos I have posted in the gallery, all show the Owls head, almost dead center, staring me in the face, but you still need a bit of imagination.
Info & Photo of 'Owl Rock' from the legends of America web site:
"Another nine miles brings you to the tiny Mesita Village along a bouncing road where grass is pushing its way through the pavement. Once you have reached this cluster of adobe houses populated by Pueblo Indians you are officially on the Laguna Reservation. As you continue the five mile journey to Laguna look for Owl’s Rock to the right. A bit further on you'll come to the notorious Deadman’s Curve, a 180 degree bend in the road to the left. You can bet this old turn scared more than one old Route 66 traveler in days past." Text Source: (
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Info on Route 66 - Laguna to McCarty’s Road segment, from the National Parks Web site:
"This 17.7-mile road section passes through both Laguna and Acoma tribal lands, gradually ascending into the Rio San Jose Valley through the Route 66 Rural Historic District, which encompasses approximately 216 acres and seven buildings. The sandstone cliffs of Paraje Mesa to the north and red willows lining the Rio San Jose to the south present a rich Southwestern landscape. The seven buildings at the two roadside trading posts offered several roadside services including gas, food, lodging, towing, and auto repairs. The Budville Trading Post (1938) and Villa de Cubero (1936) are two of the best remaining examples of early-roadside architecture catering to passing motorists. Both trading posts have one-story stucco-coated buildings embracing characteristics of the Southwest Vernacular and Mediterranean styles. In varying scales, both indicate the spatial organization of 1930s rural roadside businesses with their long gravel parking lots paralleling the road and their gasoline pump islands at the center of the parking area in front of each trading post. This road segment offers much evidence of early transportation as it crosses over the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe (AT&SF) Railway tracks as well as traces of the old State Road 6 that predated Route 66. The dominant vista along this segment is Mount Taylor, with its often snow-covered conical summit rising to 12,000 feet." Text Source: (
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Useful sites for travellers on the Mother Road: (
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