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Trip from Farmington, NM to Elephant Butte, NM

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

6h 12m

Distance

333.1 mi

536 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$50

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 38 min
4 AM
6h 0m ★
6 AM
6h 13m
8 AM
6h 38m
10 AM
6h 21m
12 PM
6h 19m
3 PM
6h 23m
5 PM
6h 37m
8 PM
6h 5m

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

city in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States

Farmington, NM

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Elephant Butte, NM, NM

Elephant Butte, NM

Ignacio Palés

Trip Overview

The drive from Farmington, NM to Elephant Butte, NM covers 333.1 miles and takes about 6h 12m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on West Broadway Street, East Broadway Avenue, Bloomfield Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $50.31 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

166.6 miles from Farmington, NM

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 6m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 12m. Total distance: 333.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

6h 12m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 6h 12m drive with frequent turns across 333.1 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Broadway Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 12m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Farmington, NM to Elephant Butte, NM is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
West Broadway Street
East Broadway Avenue
Bloomfield Highway
South Bloomfield Boulevard
I 25 South
East 3rd Avenue

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: West Broadway Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Farmington, NM and Elephant Butte, NM.

1

Start on West Broadway Street

430 ft · 12 sec · West Broadway Street
2

Continue on West Broadway Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · West Broadway Street
3

Continue on East Broadway Avenue

1.6 mi · 2 min · East Broadway Avenue
4

Turn left onto Bloomfield Highway

11 mi · 15 min · Bloomfield Highway
5

Take the exit straight

482 ft · 13 sec
6

Merge slight left onto South Bloomfield Boulevard

150 mi · 2 hr 48 min · South Bloomfield Boulevard
7

Continue straight

0.1 mi · 13 sec
8

Continue straight

0.9 mi · 1 min
9

Take the exit slight right toward I 25 South

0.4 mi · 47 sec · I 25 South
10

Merge slight left

158 mi · 2 hr 40 min
11

Take the exit slight right

0.2 mi · 30 sec
12

Turn left

0.4 mi · 45 sec
13

Turn left

4.4 mi · 9 min
14

Turn right

2.1 mi · 3 min
15

At the end of the road, turn left onto East 3rd Avenue

2.3 mi · 5 min · East 3rd Avenue
16

Turn left

0.3 mi · 1 min
17

Turn right

0.1 mi · 50 sec
18

At the end of the road, turn left

338 ft · 25 sec
19

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 166.6 miles from Farmington, NM, or about 3h 6m into the drive.

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 73 miles or 1h 21m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 166.6 miles or 3h 6m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 5h 5m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Elephant Butte, NM than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Farmington, 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 Farmington, NM

This is one driving day of about 333.1 miles and 6h 12m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 73 miles from Farmington, 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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 166.6 mi from Farmington, NM · 3h 6m into the drive

town in and county seat of Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Bernalillo, NM

167 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

Bloomfield, NM

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 73 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bernalillo, NM

Meal break

The midpoint is around 166.6 miles from Farmington, NM, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Elephant Butte, NM

The final approach into Elephant Butte, 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 Elephant Butte, NM.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$50.31 one way

$100.61 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 117 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.21 $55.22 $110.45
premium $4.56 $59.79 $119.58
diesel $5.61 $73.54 $147.09

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$50

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$75–$100

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 116.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $35 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 99.9 1 $34.98 $15.99
Efficient EV 83.3 0 $29.15 $13.32
EV Truck/SUV 133.2 1 $46.63 $21.32

Gas CO2

117 kg

EV CO2

39 kg (67% 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

Farmington, NM

Morning in Farmington on Friday

Local time

8:06 AM

MDT

Current temp

43°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Elephant Butte, NM

Morning in Elephant Butte on Friday

Local time

8:06 AM

MDT

Current temp

81°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

38 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

6h 12m 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 Farmington, NM to Elephant Butte, NM covers 333.1 miles and takes about 6h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are West Broadway Street, East Broadway Avenue, Bloomfield Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 166.6 miles from Farmington, NM. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $50.31 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 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 itself is not hard, but at 6h 12m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Farmington, NM to Elephant Butte, NM is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Farmington, NM to Elephant Butte, NM does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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