Albuquerque to McIntosh is 49.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 2 minutes via Coronado Freeway and State Road 41, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Desert Southwest region, transitioning from urban landscapes near Albuquerque to more rural settings as you head southeast. It's a straightforward drive, ideal if you're looking for a quick journey without extended time on the road. Consider this route for its simplicity and the ease of completing it within a single day.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Coronado Freeway
36.4 mi
39m
State Road 41
8.5 mi
11m
Howard Cavazos Boulevard South
1.3 mi
3m
Central Avenue Southwest
0.7 mi
1m
Pan American Freeway
0.7 mi
<1m
Oak Street Northeast
0.2 mi
<1m
Howard Cavazos Boulevard North
0.2 mi
<1m
Central Avenue Northwest
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Coronado Freeway
— 36.4 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Albuquerque, NM and McIntosh, NM.
1
Start on Central Avenue Northwest
0.2 mi·37 sec·Central Avenue Northwest
2
Continue on Central Avenue Southwest
0.7 mi·1 min·Central Avenue Southwest
Use the left / uturn / straight / right lanes.
3
Turn left onto Oak Street Northeast
0.2 mi·27 sec·Oak Street Northeast
4
Take the ramp
347 ft·8 sec
Toward I 25 North: Santa Fe, Oak Street
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·23 sec
Toward I 25 North: Santa FeUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 25
0.7 mi·45 sec·Pan American Freeway
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
Exit 226B-AToward I 40: Gallup, Santa RosaUse the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·44 sec
Exit 226AToward I 40 East: Santa RosaUse the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 40
36 mi·39 min·Coronado Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·32 sec
Toward NM 412
11
Turn right onto NM 41
0.2 mi·18 sec·Howard Cavazos Boulevard North
12
Continue on NM 41
1.3 mi·3 min·Howard Cavazos Boulevard South
13
Continue on NM 41
8.5 mi·11 min·State Road 41
14
Turn left
334 ft·20 sec
15
Turn left onto Salt Mission Trail
0.1 mi·29 sec·Salt Mission Trail
16
Arrive at destination
Salt Mission Trail
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 24.8 miles from Albuquerque, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.1 and 2.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.1 mi into trip|~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 25 North: Santa Fe, Oak Street
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 25 North: Santa Fe, Oak Street
8
1.1 mi into trip|~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 25 North: Santa Fe
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 25 North: Santa Fe
8
2 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the exit toward I 40: Gallup, Santa Rosa
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 226B-A
Toward I 40: Gallup, Santa Rosa
8
2.2 mi into trip|~4m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 40 East: Santa Rosa
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 226A
Toward I 40 East: Santa Rosa
5
2.7 mi into trip|~5m in|I 40 / Coronado Freeway
Merge onto I 40 / Coronado Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.48 one way
$14.95 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg17 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$8.21
$16.41
premium
$4.56
$8.88
$17.77
diesel
$5.61
$10.93
$21.86
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
14.9
0
$5.20
$2.38
Efficient EV
12.4
0
$4.33
$1.98
EV Truck/SUV
19.8
0
$6.93
$3.17
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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 16, 2026
Origin
Albuquerque, NM
Night
in Albuquerque on Saturday
Local time
10:19 PM
MDT
Current temp
79°F
Mostly Sunny
S 5 to 15 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Fire Weather Watch
Fire Weather Watch issued April 16 at 6:14AM MDT until April 17 at 8:00PM MDT by NWS El Paso Tx/Santa Teresa NM
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 6:06AM MDT until April 17 at 12:00PM MDT by NWS El Paso Tx/Santa Teresa NM
Destination
McIntosh, NM
Night
in McIntosh on Saturday
Local time
10:19 PM
MDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
1 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 2m on the road
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is primarily a highway-focused drive, with 75% of the route utilizing major roads like the Coronado Freeway. You'll experience a longest continuous stretch of 36.4 miles on the Coronado Freeway, offering a steady pace for a significant portion of your journey. As you transition to State Road 41 and Howard Cavazos Boulevard South, expect the character to shift slightly towards more local road conditions. The drive offers a blend of efficient highway travel and a gradual introduction to the surrounding landscape.
75% 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: 36.4 mi on Coronado Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Coronado Freeway and State Road 41. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.5 miles you will encounter 11 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 1.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 2m. Total distance: 49.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 36.4 miles on Coronado Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 McIntosh, NM before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
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 1.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Petroglyph National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at McIntosh, NM before heading back.
