The drive from Chaparral, NM to Aztec, NM covers 434.9 miles and takes about 7h 58m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 25, US 550, Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 241.4 miles on I 25.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $65.68 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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
217.4 miles from Chaparral, NM
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 54m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 58m. Total distance: 434.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 58m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Drive Character
This is a 7h 58m highway drive covering 434.9 miles, with most of the trip on I 25 and US 550. The longest continuous stretch is about 241.4 miles on I 25.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 25 is the longest continuous segment at about 241.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 25 and US 550. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 5.6 miles in near NM 213 / War Road.
Driving Effort6/10
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 434.9 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 5.6 miles (NM 213 / War Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.9 miles (NM 404 / O'Hara Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 274.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
5.6 mi into trip|~13m in|NM 213 / War Road
At end of road, turn left onto NM 213 / War Road
Navigation decision point
6
5.9 mi into trip|~13m in|NM 404 / O'Hara Road
Enter roundabout onto NM 404 / O'Hara Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
274.5 mi into trip|~4h 52m 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
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Aztec Ruins National Monument
National Monument
Aztec Ruins has some of the best-preserved Chacoan structures of its kind. Learn more about the ancestral Pueblo people in the park's museum and explore the Aztec West great house to see exceptionally...
1 mi from route
~3 min detour
Free
near mile 434.9
Petroglyph National Monument protects one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America, featuring designs and symbols carved onto volcanic rocks by Native Americans and Spanish settlers 400 to 700...
9 mi from route
~22 min detour
Free
near mile 254.9
Explore the monumental structures and breathtaking landscape at Chaco, a thriving regional center for the ancestral Pueblo people from 850 to 1250 CE (Common Era), through hiking & biking trails, rang...
19 mi from route
~48 min detour
$25
near mile 389.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$65.68 one way
$131.36 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg152 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$72.10
$144.20
premium
$4.56
$78.06
$156.12
diesel
$5.61
$96.02
$192.04
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$66
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$91–$116
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 152.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $46 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
130.5
1
$45.66
$20.88
Efficient EV
108.7
1
$38.05
$17.40
EV Truck/SUV
174
2
$60.89
$27.83
Gas CO2
152 kg
EV CO2
51 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Chaparral, NM
Morning
in Chaparral on Friday
Local time
8:15 AM
MDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Aztec, NM
Morning
in Aztec on Friday
Local time
8:15 AM
MDT
Current temp
73°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
10 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
7h 58m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Chaparral, NM to Aztec, NM covers 434.9 miles and takes about 7h 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 25, US 550, Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 217.4 miles from Chaparral, NM. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $65.68 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks 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 434.9 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 5.6 miles (NM 213 / War Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.9 miles (NM 404 / O'Hara Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 274.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Chaparral, NM and Aztec, NM, road signs point toward Albuquerque, Bernalillo, Rio Rancho and Coronado Historic Site.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
