In Western New Mexico, the devil once had his own road. At least, that’s what some people believe. In fact, U.S. Route 666 has been dubbed the Devil’s Highway New Mexico, or the Highway to Hell.
This road runs from Gallup, New Mexico, north through Navajo Nation and Shiprock, and then up to the Colorado border.
Flickr/Ken Lund
It became a U.S. Highway in 1926 and acquired its controversial numbering because it was the sixth spur connected to Route 66. It also passed through the other Four Corners states: Arizona, Colorado, and Utah.
Flickr/Tiffany Joyce
The satanic significance of the number 666 in Christianity, along with the high rate of fatalities on the New Mexico section of this road in particular, led to its nickname.
This is a tough highway to drive, with approximately 400 sharp curves in one 60-mile portion alone. In 1997, Route 666 Devil’s Highway was determined to be one of the most hazardous roads in the nation.
Flickr/John Hyun
In 2003, Governor Bill Richardson pledged to alter the road’s name. The application passed through the New Mexico Legislature rapidly. Reasons given for the name change referenced the negative impact on people living in the area, concerns that the choice of name affected the local economy, and the fears of travelers using the road.
Flickr/ birdman dave
As a result, U.S. Route 666 became Highway 491. The route was expanded with an eye to improving safety and people no longer steal the signs.
Flickr/Harold Hollingsworth
Have you driven along the Devil’s Highway in New Mexico when it was U.S. Route 666? Is it really the road from hell?
Flickr/Ken Lund
Flickr/Tiffany Joyce
Flickr/John Hyun
Flickr/ birdman dave
Flickr/Harold Hollingsworth
Do you know of another road to hell in New Mexico? Tell us about it on our nomination page, and you just might see your suggestion featured in an upcoming article.
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Address: U.S. 491, US-491, Gallup, NM, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Devil’s Highway New Mexico June 22, 2022 Katie Lawrence Where is the creepiest town in New Mexico? Deming is, without a doubt, the creepiest town in New Mexico. Only around 15,000 people live in the town, but it has plenty of other unseen residents. Mentioned in several books about haunted places in New Mexico, Deming is rife with paranormal activity — most likely because of its tragic past. A training facility for WWI soldiers known as Camp Cody was located in Deming and it became a tuberculosis sanitorium after the war. Nearly all of the patients died, as the illness was untreatable at the time. The sanitorium closed in 1939, and it’s said that a satanic cult used the buildings for rituals several decades later. Are there any haunted restaurants or bars in New Mexico? There are several haunted restaurants in New Mexico, one of them being La Placita Dining Rooms in Old Town Albuquerque. One of the oldest buildings in the state, the restaurant dates to the 1700s, originally serving as a private residence before it became a restaurant in 1931. It’s said that four ghosts haunt La Placita, and both guests and employees have experienced strange happenings. The upstairs area and the women’s restroom are where most of the paranormal occurrences take place! What are the most popular ghost stories in New Mexico? If you’re looking for urban legends in New Mexico that will keep you up at night, you’ll want to hear about the Urraca Mesa. Located on the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, this ancient landform has long been regarded as a portal to the demon world by local Native American tribes. From certain angles, it even resembles a human skull.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Devil’s Highway New Mexico
June 22, 2022
Katie Lawrence
Where is the creepiest town in New Mexico? Deming is, without a doubt, the creepiest town in New Mexico. Only around 15,000 people live in the town, but it has plenty of other unseen residents. Mentioned in several books about haunted places in New Mexico, Deming is rife with paranormal activity — most likely because of its tragic past. A training facility for WWI soldiers known as Camp Cody was located in Deming and it became a tuberculosis sanitorium after the war. Nearly all of the patients died, as the illness was untreatable at the time. The sanitorium closed in 1939, and it’s said that a satanic cult used the buildings for rituals several decades later. Are there any haunted restaurants or bars in New Mexico? There are several haunted restaurants in New Mexico, one of them being La Placita Dining Rooms in Old Town Albuquerque. One of the oldest buildings in the state, the restaurant dates to the 1700s, originally serving as a private residence before it became a restaurant in 1931. It’s said that four ghosts haunt La Placita, and both guests and employees have experienced strange happenings. The upstairs area and the women’s restroom are where most of the paranormal occurrences take place! What are the most popular ghost stories in New Mexico? If you’re looking for urban legends in New Mexico that will keep you up at night, you’ll want to hear about the Urraca Mesa. Located on the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, this ancient landform has long been regarded as a portal to the demon world by local Native American tribes. From certain angles, it even resembles a human skull.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Deming is, without a doubt, the creepiest town in New Mexico. Only around 15,000 people live in the town, but it has plenty of other unseen residents. Mentioned in several books about haunted places in New Mexico, Deming is rife with paranormal activity — most likely because of its tragic past. A training facility for WWI soldiers known as Camp Cody was located in Deming and it became a tuberculosis sanitorium after the war. Nearly all of the patients died, as the illness was untreatable at the time. The sanitorium closed in 1939, and it’s said that a satanic cult used the buildings for rituals several decades later.
Are there any haunted restaurants or bars in New Mexico?
There are several haunted restaurants in New Mexico, one of them being La Placita Dining Rooms in Old Town Albuquerque. One of the oldest buildings in the state, the restaurant dates to the 1700s, originally serving as a private residence before it became a restaurant in 1931. It’s said that four ghosts haunt La Placita, and both guests and employees have experienced strange happenings. The upstairs area and the women’s restroom are where most of the paranormal occurrences take place!
What are the most popular ghost stories in New Mexico?
If you’re looking for urban legends in New Mexico that will keep you up at night, you’ll want to hear about the Urraca Mesa. Located on the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, this ancient landform has long been regarded as a portal to the demon world by local Native American tribes. From certain angles, it even resembles a human skull.
