The drive from Clovis, NM to La Puebla, NM covers 236.7 miles and takes about 4h 40m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 40, US 60, US Highway 285 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 58.2 miles on I 40.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $35.75 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
118.3 miles from Clovis, NM
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 17m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 40m. Total distance: 236.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 4h 40m highway drive covering 236.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 40 and US 60. The longest continuous stretch is about 58.2 miles on I 40.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 40 is the longest continuous segment at about 58.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and US 60. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 102.3 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 236.7 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 102.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 160.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 161 miles (US 285 / US Highway 285): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
102.3 mi into trip|~2h in
Turn left toward I 40 West
Navigation decision point
Toward I 40 West
5
160.7 mi into trip|~2h 59m in
Take the exit toward US 285: Vaughn, Santa Fe
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 285: Vaughn, Santa Fe
6
161 mi into trip|~3h in|US 285 / US Highway 285
Turn right onto US 285 / US Highway 285
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
208.7 mi into trip|~3h 56m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
212.6 mi into trip|~4h 4m in|North Guadalupe Street
Turn right onto North Guadalupe Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Clovis, NM to La Puebla, NM, road signs begin pointing toward Santa Fe along the way.
Santa Fe
160.7 mi in|~2h 59m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 40
58.2 mi
58m
US 60
58.1 mi
1h 8m
US Highway 285
41.3 mi
49m
US Highway 84
41.1 mi
46m
Taos Highway
12.2 mi
14m
Santa Fe Highway
6.3 mi
9m
I 25
5.9 mi
5m
Old Pecos Trail
2.9 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 58.2 mi, about 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clovis, NM and La Puebla, NM.
1
Start on North Main Street
41 ft·5 sec·North Main Street
2
Turn right onto West 7th Street
2.3 mi·4 min·West 7th Street
3
Turn right onto US 60; US 84
58 mi·1 hr 8 min·US 60; US 84
4
Turn right onto US 84
0.6 mi·42 sec·North 4th Street
5
Continue on US 84
41 mi·46 min·US Highway 84
6
Continue on US 84
0.1 mi·11 sec·Historic Route 66
7
Turn left
0.3 mi·34 sec
Toward I 40 West
8
Merge onto I 40
58 mi·58 min·I 40
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
Toward US 285: Vaughn, Santa Fe
10
Turn right onto US 285
41 mi·49 min·US Highway 285
Use the right lane.
11
Turn left onto US 285
0.2 mi·28 sec·US 285
12
Merge onto I 25
5.9 mi·5 min·I 25
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·23 sec
Toward NM 466: Old Pecos Trail
14
Keep slight right at fork
499 ft·13 sec
15
Turn straight onto NM 466
1.2 mi·2 min·Old Pecos Trail
16
Keep slight right at fork onto Old Pecos Trail
1.7 mi·3 min·Old Pecos Trail
17
Continue on Old Santa Fe Trail
0.6 mi·1 min·Old Santa Fe Trail
18
Turn left onto East Alameda Street
0.4 mi·1 min·East Alameda Street
19
Turn right onto North Guadalupe Street
0.8 mi·1 min·North Guadalupe Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
20
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·34 sec
21
Merge onto US 84; US 285
1.5 mi·1 min·North Saint Francis Drive
22
Continue on US 84; US 285
12 mi·14 min·Taos Highway
23
Continue on US 84; US 285
6.3 mi·9 min·Santa Fe Highway
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
24
Turn right onto La Puebla Road
2.3 mi·5 min·La Puebla Road
25
Turn right onto Firehouse Road
0.3 mi·1 min·Firehouse Road
26
Continue on Placita Road
0.1 mi·28 sec·Placita Road
27
Keep slight left at fork onto Placita Road
0.1 mi·34 sec·Placita Road
28
Arrive at destination
Placita 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 118.3 miles from Clovis, NM, or about 2h 17m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 58.2 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 52 miles or 1h 2m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 118.3 miles or 2h 17m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near La Puebla, NM than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Clovis, 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 Clovis, NM
This is one driving day of about 236.7 miles and 4h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 52 miles from Clovis, 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 I 40 for about 58.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 118.3 mi from Clovis, NM
· 2h 17m into the drive
The midpoint is around 118.3 miles from Clovis, NM, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in La Puebla, NM
The final approach into La Puebla, 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 La Puebla, NM.
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.
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...
12 mi from route
~31 min detour
Free
near mile 204
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...
16 mi from route
~39 min detour
Free
near mile 228.5
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 228.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$35.75 one way
$71.49 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg83 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$39.24
$78.48
premium
$4.56
$42.48
$84.97
diesel
$5.61
$52.26
$104.52
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$36
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$61–$86
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 82.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
71
0
$24.85
$11.36
Efficient EV
59.2
0
$20.71
$9.47
EV Truck/SUV
94.7
1
$33.14
$15.15
Gas CO2
83 kg
EV CO2
28 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Clovis, NM
Afternoon
in Clovis on Thursday
Local time
12:50 PM
MDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
La Puebla, NM
Afternoon
in La Puebla on Thursday
Local time
12:50 PM
MDT
Current temp
75°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
8 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
4h 40m 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 Clovis, NM to La Puebla, NM covers 236.7 miles and takes about 4h 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 40, US 60, US Highway 285. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 118.3 miles from Clovis, NM. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $35.75 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 is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 236.7 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 102.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 160.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 161 miles (US 285 / US Highway 285): Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Clovis, NM to La Puebla, NM, road signs begin pointing toward Santa Fe along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pecos National Historical Park, Manhattan Project National Historical Park and Bandelier National Monument.
