Tucumcari Travel Guide

Boasting one of the most interesting names of any city in the United States, Tucumcari is located in the high plains country of east central New Mexico. It's a former railroad town that began life as "Six-Shooter Siding", and was home to several railroads in the 19th century. Route 66 brought neon motels and mother road culture in the 20th century. Today Tucumcari still preserves much of its Route 66 heritage.

Depending on who you ask, the name is either from a very cheezy-sounding "Apache" legend (the poor Apaches get blamed for almost anything out here) about two lovers, Tocum and Kari (ask the locals about it), or it's a mangling of a word that means "lookout hill". Blazing hot in the summer, and freezing cold in the winter, Tucumcari suffers, er, enjoys a diverse climate. Plenty of Route 66 classic motels await the highway traveler, including the legendary Blue Swallow Motel.