Trip from Alamogordo, NM to Santa Clara Pueblo, NM

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

5h 21m

Distance

243 mi

391 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$37

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

5h 8m ★

6 AM

5h 21m

8 AM

5h 48m

10 AM

5h 31m

12 PM

5h 28m

3 PM

5h 32m

5 PM

5h 47m

8 PM

5h 13m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States

Alamogordo, NM

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Alamogordo, NM to Santa Clara Pueblo, NM covers 243 miles and takes about 5h 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 54, Shenrick Street, NM 3 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 110.2 miles on US 54. At current regular gas prices, budget about $36.70 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

121.5 miles from Alamogordo, NM

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 43m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 21m. Total distance: 243 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

The drive from Alamogordo, NM to Santa Clara Pueblo, NM covers 243 miles and takes about 5h 21m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.

There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

US 54 is the longest continuous segment at about 110.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 212.3 miles in.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 243 miles you will encounter 16 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 212.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 212.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 213.8 miles (Old Pecos Trail): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

212.3 mi into trip | ~4h 34m in

Take the exit toward NM 466: Old Pecos Trail

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward NM 466: Old Pecos Trail

212.5 mi into trip | ~4h 34m in

Keep slight right at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

213.8 mi into trip | ~4h 37m in | Old Pecos Trail

Keep slight right at fork onto Old Pecos Trail

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

216.5 mi into trip | ~4h 42m in | North Guadalupe Street

Turn right onto North Guadalupe Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes.

243 mi into trip | ~5h 21m in | Southern Fields Road

Turn right onto Southern Fields Road

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
US 54	110.2 mi	2h 27m
Shenrick Street	68.6 mi	1h 21m
NM 3	14.5 mi	21m
Taos Highway	12.2 mi	14m
US 54,70	9.8 mi	12m
Santa Fe Highway	8.7 mi	13m
I 25	5.9 mi	5m
North White Sands Boulevard	3.1 mi	5m

Longest stretch: US 54 — 110.2 mi, about 2h 27m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Alamogordo, NM and Santa Clara Pueblo, NM.

Start on North White Sands Boulevard

3.1 mi · 5 min · North White Sands Boulevard

Use the straight / right lanes.

Continue on US 54; US 70

9.8 mi · 12 min · US 54,70

Use the left / straight lanes.

Turn left onto US 54

110 mi · 2 hr 27 min · US 54

Turn left onto NM 3

14 mi · 21 min · NM 3

Turn left onto US 60; US 285

69 mi · 1 hr 21 min · Shenrick Street

Turn left onto US 285

0.2 mi · 28 sec · US 285

Merge onto I 25

5.9 mi · 5 min · I 25

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 23 sec

Toward NM 466: Old Pecos Trail

Keep slight right at fork

499 ft · 13 sec

Turn straight onto NM 466

1.2 mi · 2 min · Old Pecos Trail

Keep slight right at fork onto Old Pecos Trail

1.7 mi · 3 min · Old Pecos Trail

Continue on Old Santa Fe Trail

0.6 mi · 1 min · Old Santa Fe Trail

Turn left onto East Alameda Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · East Alameda Street

Turn right onto North Guadalupe Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · North Guadalupe Street

Use the left / straight lanes.

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 34 sec

Merge onto US 84; US 285

1.5 mi · 1 min · North Saint Francis Drive

Continue on US 84; US 285

12 mi · 14 min · Taos Highway

Continue on US 84; US 285

8.7 mi · 13 min · Santa Fe Highway

Use the left / straight / right lanes.

Continue on US 84; US 285

0.5 mi · 1 min · Riverside Drive

Turn left onto Lower San Pedro Drive

0.2 mi · 25 sec · Lower San Pedro Drive

Merge onto US 84; US 285

0.7 mi · 1 min · US 84; US 285

Turn left onto NM 30

1.4 mi · 2 min · Los Alamos Highway

Turn left onto Drum Road

0.2 mi · 50 sec · Drum Road

Continue on Drum Road

198 ft · 13 sec · Drum Road

Continue on Drum Road

521 ft · 23 sec · Drum Road

Turn right onto Southern Fields Road

200 ft · 8 sec · Southern Fields Road

Arrive at destination

Southern Fields Road

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 121.5 miles from Alamogordo, NM, or about 2h 43m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 110.2 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 53 miles or 1h 11m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 121.5 miles or 2h 43m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 19m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Santa Clara Pueblo, NM than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Alamogordo, NM so your first major turns are already loaded.

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Alamogordo, NM

This is one driving day of about 243 miles and 5h 21m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 53 miles from Alamogordo, NM.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on US 54 for about 110.2 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 121.5 mi from Alamogordo, NM · 2h 43m into the drive

town in Santa Fe, Bernalillo, and Sandoval counties in New Mexico, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Edgewood, NM

122 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Capitan, NM

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 53 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

McIntosh, NM

Meal break

The midpoint is around 121.5 miles from Alamogordo, NM, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before US 54 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 110.2 miles.

Arriving in Santa Clara Pueblo, NM

The final approach into Santa Clara Pueblo, NM usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Santa Clara Pueblo, NM.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Manhattan Project National Historical Park

National Historical Park

The Manhattan Project is one of the most transformative events of the 20th century. It ushered in the nuclear age with the development of the world’s first atomic bombs. Most of this development took...

13 mi from route ~33 min detour Free near mile 243

View on nps.gov

Pecos National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Pecos is a natural and cultural crossroads through which hunters, gatherers, traders, missionaries, immigrants, soldiers, ranchers, and other travelers passed and lived. Follow in their footsteps and...

13 mi from route ~33 min detour Free near mile 201.1

View on nps.gov

Bandelier National Monument

National Monument

Bandelier National Monument protects over 33,000 acres of ruggedly beautiful canyon and mesa country. Petroglyphs, dwellings carved into the soft rock cliffs, and standing masonry walls pay tribute to...

19 mi from route ~47 min detour $25 near mile 243

View on nps.gov

White Sands National Park

National Park

Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles...

23 mi from route ~58 min detour $25

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$36.70 one way

$73.40 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 85 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.21	$40.29	$80.57
premium	$4.56	$43.62	$87.23
diesel	$5.61	$53.65	$107.30

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$37

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$62–$87

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 85 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	72.9	0	$25.51	$11.66
Efficient EV	60.8	0	$21.26	$9.72
EV Truck/SUV	97.2	1	$34.02	$15.55

Gas CO2

85 kg

EV CO2

28 kg (67% less)

Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Alamogordo, NM

Morning in Alamogordo on Thursday

Local time

11:43 AM

MDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Santa Clara Pueblo, NM

Morning in Santa Clara Pueblo on Thursday

Local time

11:43 AM

MDT

Current temp

29°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

44°F

Edgewood, NM

122 mi in

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

23 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

5h 21m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Alamogordo, NM to Santa Clara Pueblo, NM covers 243 miles and takes about 5h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US 54, Shenrick Street, NM 3. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 121.5 miles from Alamogordo, NM. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $36.70 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

The route from Alamogordo, NM to Santa Clara Pueblo, NM does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Yes. Nearby national parks include Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Pecos National Historical Park and Bandelier National Monument. There are 4 parks within detour distance of this route.

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