The drive from Shiprock, NM to Albuquerque, NM covers 211.4 miles and takes about 4h 10m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South Bloomfield Boulevard, US 64, I 25 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 150.5 miles on South Bloomfield Boulevard.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $31.93 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
105.7 miles from Shiprock, NM
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 9m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 10m. Total distance: 211.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 10m drive with frequent turns across 211.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Bloomfield Boulevard is the longest continuous segment at about 150.5 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 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
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 211.4 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
193.3 mi into trip|~3h 48m in|I 25
Merge onto I 25
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
210.1 mi into trip|~4h 7m in
Take the exit toward Martin Luther King Junior Avenue, Central Avenue
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 224B
Toward Martin Luther King Junior Avenue, Centra...
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
South Bloomfield Boulevard
150.5 mi
2h 48m
US 64
29.7 mi
40m
I 25
16.7 mi
18m
Bloomfield Highway
11.3 mi
15m
US 550
1 mi
1m
Central Avenue Northeast
0.8 mi
2m
Locust Street Northeast
0.3 mi
<1m
US 491
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
South Bloomfield Boulevard
— 150.5 mi, about 2h 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Shiprock, NM and Albuquerque, NM.
1
Start on this road
126 ft·6 sec·this road
2
Turn right
485 ft·22 sec
3
Turn right
459 ft·23 sec
4
Turn right onto US 491
0.1 mi·9 sec·US 491
5
Keep slight left at fork
132 ft·3 sec
6
Turn left onto US 64
30 mi·40 min·US 64
7
Turn left onto US 64
11 mi·15 min·Bloomfield Highway
8
Take the exit
484 ft·13 sec
9
Merge onto US 550
150 mi·2 hr 48 min·South Bloomfield Boulevard
10
Continue on US 550
0.1 mi·12 sec·US 550
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on US 550
0.9 mi·1 min·US 550
Use the right lane.
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi·46 sec
Toward I 25 South
13
Merge onto I 25
17 mi·18 min·I 25
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi·26 sec
Exit 224BToward Martin Luther King Junior Avenue, Central AvenueUse the slight right lane.
15
Turn straight onto Locust Street Northeast
0.3 mi·51 sec·Locust Street Northeast
16
Turn right onto Central Avenue Northeast
0.8 mi·2 min·Central Avenue Northeast
17
Arrive at destination
Central Avenue Northwest
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 105.7 miles from Shiprock, NM, or about 2h 9m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 150.5 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 47 miles or 1h 3m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 105.7 miles or 2h 9m 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 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Albuquerque, NM than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Shiprock, 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 Shiprock, NM
This is one driving day of about 211.4 miles and 4h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 47 miles from Shiprock, 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 Bloomfield Boulevard for about 150.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 105.7 mi from Shiprock, NM
· 2h 9m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
7 mi from route
~17 min detour
Free
near mile 211.4
Caution: Be City Smart: Take precautions to secure your vehicle and valuables.
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...
10 mi from route
~25 min detour
Free
near mile 36.4
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
~49 min detour
$25
near mile 80.2
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...
30 mi from route
~75 min detour
$25
near mile 174.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.93 one way
$63.85 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg74 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$35.05
$70.09
premium
$4.56
$37.94
$75.89
diesel
$5.61
$46.67
$93.35
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$32
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 74 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
63.4
0
$22.20
$10.15
Efficient EV
52.9
0
$18.50
$8.46
EV Truck/SUV
84.6
1
$29.60
$13.53
Gas CO2
74 kg
EV CO2
25 kg (66% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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
Shiprock, NM
Late night
in Shiprock on Friday
Local time
4:08 AM
MDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Albuquerque, NM
Late night
in Albuquerque on Friday
Local time
4:08 AM
MDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
74°F
Bloomfield, NM
106 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
4h 10m 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 Shiprock, NM to Albuquerque, NM covers 211.4 miles and takes about 4h 10m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Bloomfield Boulevard, US 64, I 25. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 105.7 miles from Shiprock, NM. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $31.93 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 211.4 miles you will encounter 10 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Shiprock, NM to Albuquerque, NM does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Petroglyph National Monument, Aztec Ruins National Monument and Chaco Culture National Historical Park. There are 4 parks within detour distance of this route.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from
OSRM
over
OpenStreetMap.
Fuel cost uses
EIA
weekly regional averages.
National park proximity is from the
NPS API.
Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our
methodology page
documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
