Origin
Pecos, NM
Afternoon in Pecos on Saturday
Local time
1:53 PM
MDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Pecos, NM to Sunland Park, NM
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 58m
Distance
341.9 mi
550 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$52
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 46m
★
6 AM
5h 59m
8 AM
6h 25m
10 AM
6h 8m
12 PM
6h 5m
3 PM
6h 9m
5 PM
6h 23m
8 PM
5h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pecos, NM
Wikimedia Commons
Sunland Park, NM
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Pecos, NM to Sunland Park, NM covers 341.9 miles and takes about 5h 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, Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway, Camino Real de Tierra Adentro for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 300.5 miles on I 25. At current regular gas prices, budget about $51.63 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
170.9 miles from Pecos, NM
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 58m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 25 | 300.5 mi | 5h 6m |
| Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway | 18.9 mi | 18m |
| Camino Real de Tierra Adentro | 13.1 mi | 15m |
| Glorieta Highway | 5.9 mi | 9m |
| Sunland Park Drive | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| McNutt Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Loma Vista Drive | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Valle Vista Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 25
— 300.5 mi, about 5h 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pecos, NM and Sunland Park, NM.
1
Start on NM 63
211 ft
·
14 sec
·
South Main Street
2
Turn left onto NM 50
5.9 mi
·
9 min
·
Glorieta Highway
3
Turn left onto NM 50
125 ft
·
3 sec
·
NM 50
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
5
Merge onto I 25
301 mi
·
5 hr 6 min
·
I 25
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 10
19 mi
·
18 min
·
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
7
Continue on I 10; US 85; US 180
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Camino Real de Tierra Adentro
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit onto Camino Real de Tierra Adentro
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Camino Real de Tierra Adentro
Exit 13
Toward 375 Toll East, US 85 South: Paisano Drive, Sunland Park Drive
Use the slight right lane.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 13
Toward Sunland Park Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
334 ft
·
8 sec
11
Turn straight onto Sunland Park Drive
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Sunland Park Drive
12
Turn right onto NM 273
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
McNutt Road
13
Turn left onto Loma Vista Drive
86 ft
·
3 sec
·
Loma Vista Drive
14
Keep slight left at fork onto Loma Vista Drive
0.2 mi
·
57 sec
·
Loma Vista Drive
15
At end of road, turn right onto Valle Vista Drive
370 ft
·
16 sec
·
Valle Vista Drive
16
Arrive at destination
Valle Vista Drive
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 170.9 miles from Pecos, NM, or about 2h 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 300.5 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 75 miles or 1h 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 170.9 miles or 2h 58m 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 51m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sunland Park, NM than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Pecos, 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 Pecos, NM
This is one driving day of about 341.9 miles and 5h 58m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 75 miles from Pecos, 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 25 for about 300.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
171 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 75 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 170.9 miles from Pecos, NM, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 25 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 300.5 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 6.1 and 341.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
6.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
I 25
Merge onto I 25
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
337.6 mi into trip
|
~5h 50m in
|
Camino Real de Tierra Adentro
Take the exit onto Camino Real de Tierra Adentro toward 375 Toll East, US 85 South: Paisano Drive, Sunland Park Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 13
Toward 375 Toll East, US 85 South: Paisano Driv...
7
338.7 mi into trip
|
~5h 51m in
Take the exit toward Sunland Park Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 13
Toward Sunland Park Drive
5
338.9 mi into trip
|
~5h 52m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
341.6 mi into trip
|
~5h 57m in
|
Loma Vista Drive
Keep slight left at fork onto Loma Vista Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$51.63 one way
$103.27 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
120 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $56.68 | $113.37 |
| premium | $4.56 | $61.37 | $122.73 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $75.49 | $150.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$52
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$77–$102
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 119.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $36 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 102.6 | 1 | $35.90 | $16.41 |
| Efficient EV | 85.5 | 0 | $29.92 | $13.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 136.8 | 1 | $47.87 | $21.88 |
Gas CO2
120 kg
EV CO2
40 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.
Destination
Sunland Park, NM
Afternoon in Sunland Park on Saturday
Local time
1:53 PM
MDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
83°F
Socorro, NM
171 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
43 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 58m 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.
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...
2 mi from route
~6 min detour
Free
View on nps.gov
Petroglyph National Monument
National Monument
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 82.5
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...
20 mi from route
~49 min detour
$25
near mile 35.4
View on nps.gov
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...
25 mi from route
~63 min detour
Free
near mile 23.6
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
341.9 mi in 5h 58m, mostly highway — 300.5 mi of that is on I 25.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 300.5 mi on I 25.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 25 and Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 6.1 miles in near I 25.
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 341.9 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 6.1 miles (I 25): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 337.6 miles (Camino Real de Tierra Adentro): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 338.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
6,928 ft
3,807 ft
Total Climb
340 ft
Total Descent
3,461 ft
Highest Point
6,928 ft
Elevation Range
3,121 ft
Notable High Points
5,026 ft at ~195.4 miles
+194 ft prominence
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 58m. Total distance: 341.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 300.5 miles on I 25. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Sunland Park, NM before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through NM can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: at 6.1 miles (I 25): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 337.6 miles (Camino Real de Tierra Adentro): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 338.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Pecos National Historical Park, Petroglyph National Monument and Bandelier National Monument (4 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.0 hours each way, a round trip means 12.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Sunland Park, NM before the return drive.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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