Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 20m
Distance
68.6 mi
110 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alamogordo, NM
Wikimedia Commons
Doña Ana, NM
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Alamogordo, NM to Doña Ana, NM covers 68.6 miles and takes about 1h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US Highway 70 West, Bataan Memorial Highway, I 25 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 42.3 miles on US Highway 70 West. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.05 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US Highway 70 West | 42.3 mi | 46m |
| Bataan Memorial Highway | 20 mi | 23m |
| I 25 | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| South White Sands Boulevard | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| North White Sands Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Thorpe Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~337 veh/hr typical · worst 435
Quietest
2 AM
~28 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
12×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 30 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Alamogordo, NM and Doña Ana, NM.
Start on North White Sands Boulevard
Continue on South White Sands Boulevard
Continue on US 70
Continue on US 70
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 25
Take the exit
Turn left onto NM 185
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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.
A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 34.3 miles from Alamogordo, NM, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 64.5 and 68.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward I 25: El Paso, Albuquerque
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 25 North: Albuquerque
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Merge onto I 25
Merge point - match speed before joining
Take the exit toward Doña Ana
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Turn left onto NM 185 / East Thorpe Road
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$10.05 one way
$20.10 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.13 | $11.16 | $22.31 |
| premium | $4.49 | $12.12 | $24.23 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $15.12 | $30.24 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 24 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.6 | 0 | $7.20 | $3.29 |
| Efficient EV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.00 | $2.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.4 | 0 | $9.60 | $4.39 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (67% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Alamogordo on Friday
Local time
4:42 PM
MDT
Current temp
75°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Afternoon in Doña Ana on Friday
Local time
4:42 PM
MDT
Current temp
73°F
Mostly Clear
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
68.6 mi in 1h 20m, mostly highway — 42.3 mi of that is on US Highway 70 West.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US Highway 70 West and Bataan Memorial Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 64.5 miles in.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 20m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 64.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 64.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 64.9 miles (I 25): Merge point - match speed before joining.
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
Total Climb
1,173 ft
Total Descent
1,548 ft
Highest Point
5,117 ft
~49 mi in
Elevation Range
1,161 ft
Notable High Points
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Alamogordo, NM to Doña Ana, NM, road signs begin pointing toward Albuquerque along the way.
Albuquerque
Founded 1898
Alamogordo is a small city in southeastern New Mexico. The town is the county seat for Otero County and supports two major nearby military installations, Holloman Air Force Base and the White Sands Missile Range.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 68.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Straightforward navigation.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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