Albuquerque to Anthony is 246.7 miles and takes about 4h 15m via Pan American Freeway, with a fuel budget near $40 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays entirely within the Desert Southwest region, offering a consistent landscape across New Mexico. Given its primarily highway profile and manageable duration, it's a straightforward drive suitable for a single day. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained freeways, making it a practical choice for getting from point A to point B efficiently.
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
123.3 miles from Albuquerque, NM
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 7m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Pan American Freeway
225.7 mi
3h 49m
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
17 mi
17m
Anthony Drive
1.5 mi
2m
East O'Hara Road
0.8 mi
1m
Coal Avenue Southeast
0.4 mi
1m
2nd Street Southwest
0.3 mi
<1m
Coal Avenue Southwest
0.3 mi
<1m
Central Avenue Northwest
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Pan American Freeway
— 225.7 mi, about 3h 49m
Traffic on I-25
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 50 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~715 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,027
Quietest
2 AM
~53 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
13.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 93 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Albuquerque, NM and Anthony, NM.
1
Start on Central Avenue Northwest
0.1 mi·25 sec·Central Avenue Northwest
2
Turn right onto 2nd Street Southwest
0.3 mi·42 sec·2nd Street Southwest
3
Turn left onto Coal Avenue Southwest
0.3 mi·29 sec·Coal Avenue Southwest
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on Coal Avenue Southeast
0.4 mi·1 min·Coal Avenue Southeast
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward I 25 South
6
Merge onto I 25
226 mi·3 hr 49 min·Pan American Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 10
17 mi·17 min·Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·33 sec
Toward NM 404: Anthony, Chaparral
9
Turn right onto NM 404
0.8 mi·1 min·East O'Hara Road
10
Turn left onto NM 460
1.5 mi·2 min·Anthony Drive
11
Enter roundabout onto NM 460
409 ft·6 sec·South Anthony Drive
12
Continue on NM 460
115 ft·4 sec·South Anthony Drive
13
Turn right onto Miller Street
177 ft·12 sec·Miller Street
14
Turn left
107 ft·7 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
For this 4h 15m drive, leaving Albuquerque in the morning allows ample time to reach Anthony before evening. With only one recommended stop, you can easily complete this trip in a single day. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the longest stretch without a significant break is over 225 miles on the Pan American Freeway. Planning your fuel stop before embarking on this long segment will ensure a smooth drive. Since the total duration is under five hours, you have flexibility in departure time.
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 123.3 miles from Albuquerque, NM, or about 2h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 225.7 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 54 miles or 56m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 123.3 miles or 2h 7m 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 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Anthony, NM than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Albuquerque, 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 Albuquerque, NM
This is one driving day of about 246.7 miles and 4h 15m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 54 miles from Albuquerque, 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 Pan American Freeway for about 225.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 243.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|2nd Street Southwest
Turn right onto 2nd Street Southwest
Navigation decision point
7
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|Coal Avenue Southwest
Turn left onto Coal Avenue Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
1.1 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 25 South
Navigation decision point
Toward I 25 South
5
1.2 mi into trip|~3m in|I 25 / Pan American Freeway
Merge onto I 25 / Pan American Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
243.9 mi into trip|~4h 10m in
Take the exit toward NM 404: Anthony, Chaparral
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NM 404: Anthony, Chaparral
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$38.40 one way
$76.81 round trip
$3.95/gal25.4 MPG avg86 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$42.34
$84.67
premium
$4.71
$45.76
$91.51
diesel
$6.18
$60.01
$120.03
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$38
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$63–$88
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 86.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
74
0
$25.90
$11.84
Efficient EV
61.7
0
$21.59
$9.87
EV Truck/SUV
98.7
1
$34.54
$15.79
Gas CO2
86 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Oct 17, 2026
Origin
Albuquerque, NM
Morning
in Albuquerque on Sunday
Local time
6:12 AM
MDT
Current temp
33°F
Mostly Clear
E 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 7:51PM MDT until October 17 at 9:00AM MDT by NWS Albuquerque NM
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 6:40PM MDT until October 17 at 9:00AM MDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
Destination
Anthony, NM
Morning
in Anthony on Sunday
Local time
6:12 AM
MDT
Current temp
64°F
Sunny
E 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 7:51PM MDT until October 17 at 9:00AM MDT by NWS Albuquerque NM
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 6:40PM MDT until October 17 at 9:00AM MDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
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
31 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 15m 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.
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
Caution: Be City Smart: Take precautions to secure your vehicle and valuables.
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly highway, with 92% of the drive on freeways. You'll encounter a substantial stretch of 225.7 miles on the Pan American Freeway before transitioning to surface roads. Expect relatively consistent cruising, as the profile is mostly highway. The frequent exits on the Pan American Freeway indicate a well-traveled corridor.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 225.7 mi on Pan American Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pan American Freeway and Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 2nd Street Southwest.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 15m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (2nd Street Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Coal Avenue Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Navigation decision point.
For the town in Spain, see Alburquerque
Albuquerque, also known as ABQ, is a vibrant, sprawling city near the center of New Mexico. Cradled in the Rio Grande Valley beneath the Sandia Mountains, it is by far the largest city in the state, acting as the media, educational, and economic center of New Mexico, as well as the home of the state's only major airport, making it a common entry point into New Mexico. Despite this, Albuquerque is often overshadowed as a tourist destination by Santa Fe, 60 miles (97 km) to the north.
But any visit to New Mexico would be incomplete without taking in what Albuquerque has to offer, as New Mexico's only major city has pleasant scenery, colorful history, and a wealth of great attractions in its own right.
Top landmarks
•New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science — science museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
•Hotel Andaluz — historic hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico
•Ernie Pyle House/Library — historic house in New Mexico, United States
The longest stretch is about 225.7 miles on Pan American Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 17 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
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 0.1 miles (2nd Street Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Coal Avenue Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes — Petroglyph National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Anthony, NM, but most travelers stay overnight.
