Origin
Artesia, NM
Late night in Artesia on Wednesday
Local time
5:47 AM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Artesia, NM to Enchanted Hills, NM
Data updated 1 second ago
Drive Time
5h
Distance
255.8 mi
412 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$39
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 47m
★
6 AM
5h 1m
8 AM
5h 28m
10 AM
5h 10m
12 PM
5h 7m
3 PM
5h 11m
5 PM
5h 26m
8 PM
4h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Artesia, NM
Wikimedia Commons
Enchanted Hills, NM
Stefan Stefancik
Trip Overview
The drive from Artesia, NM to Enchanted Hills, NM covers 255.8 miles and takes about 5h behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South Main Street, I 40, Southeast Main Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 113.3 miles on South Main Street. At current regular gas prices, budget about $38.63 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
127.9 miles from Artesia, NM
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 31m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
Expect a 5h drive with frequent turns across 255.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Main Street is the longest continuous segment at about 113.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 180.3 miles in.
Route Complexity
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 255.8 miles you will encounter 12 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 180.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 236.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 236.6 miles (San Mateo Boulevard Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
180.3 mi into trip
|
~3h 32m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
236.3 mi into trip
|
~4h 31m in
Take the exit toward San Mateo Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 161
Toward San Mateo Boulevard
6
236.6 mi into trip
|
~4h 32m in
|
San Mateo Boulevard Northeast
Turn right onto San Mateo Boulevard Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
251.4 mi into trip
|
~4h 51m in
Take the exit toward US 550 North, NM 165 East: Placitas, Bernalillo, Rio Rancho
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 242
Toward US 550 North, NM 165 East: Placitas, Ber...
7
251.6 mi into trip
|
~4h 51m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 550: Bernalillo, Rio Rancho, Coronado Historic Site
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 550: Bernalillo, Rio Rancho, Coronado...
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Main Street | 113.3 mi | 2h 13m |
| I 40 | 55.8 mi | 58m |
| Southeast Main Street | 30 mi | 35m |
| Shenrick Street | 27.5 mi | 31m |
| Pan American Freeway | 11.1 mi | 11m |
| Roswell Highway | 7.2 mi | 8m |
| San Mateo Boulevard Northeast | 3.3 mi | 6m |
| US 550 | 2.9 mi | 5m |
Longest stretch:
South Main Street
— 113.3 mi, about 2h 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Artesia, NM and Enchanted Hills, NM.
1
Start on US 82
79 ft
·
6 sec
·
West Main Street
2
Continue on US 82
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
West Main Street
3
Turn left onto US 285
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North 1st Street
4
Continue on US 285
7.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Roswell Highway
5
Continue on US 285
30 mi
·
35 min
·
Southeast Main Street
6
Continue on US 285
113 mi
·
2 hr 13 min
·
South Main Street
7
Continue on US 60; US 285
28 mi
·
31 min
·
Shenrick Street
8
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Use the left lane.
9
Merge onto I 40
56 mi
·
58 min
·
I 40
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 161
Toward San Mateo Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn right onto San Mateo Boulevard Northeast
3.3 mi
·
6 min
·
San Mateo Boulevard Northeast
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right onto Pan American Freeway Northeast
353 ft
·
6 sec
·
Pan American Freeway Northeast
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
13
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 25 North: Santa Fe
Use the straight / left lanes.
14
Merge onto I 25
11 mi
·
11 min
·
Pan American Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 242
Toward US 550 North, NM 165 East: Placitas, Bernalillo, Rio Rancho
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
Toward US 550: Bernalillo, Rio Rancho, Coronado Historic Site
17
Continue on US 550
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
US 550
Use the right lane.
18
Continue on US 550
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
US 550
19
Turn left onto Safelite Boulevard Northeast
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Safelite Boulevard Northeast
20
Turn right onto Enchanted Hills Boulevard Northeast
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Enchanted Hills Boulevard Northeast
21
Turn left onto Bismark Hills Way
293 ft
·
14 sec
·
Bismark Hills Way
22
Turn right onto Albany Hills Drive Northeast
247 ft
·
10 sec
·
Albany Hills Drive Northeast
23
Arrive at destination
Albany Hills Drive Northeast
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 127.9 miles from Artesia, NM, or about 2h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 113.3 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 80 miles or 1h 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 127.9 miles or 2h 31m 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 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Enchanted Hills, NM than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Artesia, 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 Artesia, NM
This is one driving day of about 255.8 miles and 5h.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Artesia, 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 South Main Street for about 113.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 127.9 mi from Artesia, NM · 2h 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
128 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 127.9 miles from Artesia, NM, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before South Main Street if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 113.3 miles.
Arriving in Enchanted Hills, NM
The final approach into Enchanted Hills, 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 Enchanted Hills, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$38.63 one way
$77.26 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
90 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $42.41 | $84.82 |
| premium | $4.56 | $45.91 | $91.83 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $56.48 | $112.95 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$64–$89
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 89.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 76.7 | 0 | $26.86 | $12.28 |
| Efficient EV | 64 | 0 | $22.38 | $10.23 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 102.3 | 1 | $35.81 | $16.37 |
Gas CO2
89 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (66% 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.
Destination
Enchanted Hills, NM
Late night in Enchanted Hills on Wednesday
Local time
5:47 AM
MDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
36 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 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 Artesia, NM to Enchanted Hills, NM covers 255.8 miles and takes about 5h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Main Street, I 40, Southeast Main Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 127.9 miles from Artesia, NM. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $38.63 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.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 255.8 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 180.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 236.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 236.6 miles (San Mateo Boulevard Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Artesia, NM to Enchanted Hills, NM does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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