Road Trips from Sunland Park, NM
Looking to get out of Sunland Park this weekend? You've got options ranging from a quick half-day drive to longer explorations. Several routes offer access to national parks and monuments, often featuring high-altitude terrain with climbs. If you're aiming for a day trip, most destinations are within about 6.5 hours. For a more substantial getaway, consider routes that recommend an overnight stay, stretching up to 8.5 hours of driving.
Total Routes
12
Shortest
0.9h
With Parks Nearby
11
Under 2 hours
Weekend trip
9 total in this range
Texico, NM
6h 44m328.5 mi one way
This 6.7-hour drive to Texico, NM, offers a mixed highway and surface road experience. It's a solid choice if you want to reach White Sands National Park, one of the parks accessible from Sunland Park. The terrain includes high-altitude sections with climbs.
Los Alamos, NM
6h 30m357.9 mi one way
If you're interested in historical parks, this 6.5-hour trip to Los Alamos is a good pick. It's a mostly highway route that grants access to Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Bandelier National Monument, and Petroglyph National Monument. Expect high-altitude sections with climbs.
Jemez Pueblo, NM
5h 32m308 mi one way
Navajo, NM
7h 45m421.6 mi one way
Tucumcari, NM
7h 2m332.9 mi one way
This 7-hour drive to Tucumcari, NM, is a mostly highway route. It's comparable in distance to Texico but is a different option for reaching White Sands National Park. The drive features high-altitude sections with notable climbs.
Long-haul ideas
Raton, NM
8h 25m490.7 mi one way
This is one of the longer options, a 8.4-hour drive to Raton, NM, that recommends an overnight stay. It’s a mostly highway route with a drive score of 8, offering access to Pecos National Historical Park, Fort Union National Monument, and Petroglyph National Monument. The terrain involves high-altitude sections with climbs.
Shiprock, NM
8h 30m471.2 mi one way
For a longer haul, this 8.5-hour drive to Shiprock, NM, is a good pick if you want an overnight trip. It's a mostly highway route with a drive score of 7, leading to El Malpais National Monument, Petroglyph National Monument, and El Morro National Monument. The terrain features high-altitude sections with climbs.
Browse by Mood
Texico, NM
6h 44m328.5 mi one way
Los Alamos, NM
6h 30m357.9 mi one way
Jemez Pueblo, NM
5h 32m308 mi one way
Navajo, NM
7h 45m421.6 mi one way
When to Go
Spring
Spring drives offer access to parks with high-altitude terrain. Consider the drive to Los Alamos for historical parks or White Sands National Park via Texico.
Summer
Summer is ideal for exploring the national parks accessible from these routes, such as Bandelier National Monument or El Malpais National Monument, despite high-altitude climbs.
Fall
Fall colors might be visible in the high-altitude sections. Routes to Taos or Chimayo provide access to multiple national monuments.
Winter
Winter travel on these routes means navigating high-altitude sections with potential climbs, while still providing access to parks like White Sands National Park.
Starting Somewhere Else?
Other nearby cities with their own escape planners.
Ready to plan?
Pick any destination above for full turn-by-turn directions, fuel cost, rest stops, and weather. Or visit the Sunland Park, NM city hub for all incoming and outgoing routes.