Anthony, NM to Los Alamos, NM is 342.3 miles and takes about 6h 10m via I 25 and Los Alamos Highway, with a fuel budget near $50 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Desert Southwest, traversing New Mexico for its entirety. Expect a predominantly highway experience, making it a straightforward drive. With only one recommended stop and a drive time under seven hours, it's well-suited for a single-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your departure time.
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
171.2 miles from Anthony, NM
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 58m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 25
281.5 mi
4h 46m
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
17.6 mi
17m
Los Alamos Highway
16.4 mi
24m
Taos Highway
12.2 mi
14m
North Saint Francis Drive
2.4 mi
3m
South Anthony Drive
1.5 mi
2m
Central Avenue
1 mi
1m
East O'Hara Road
0.9 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 25
— 281.5 mi, about 4h 46m
Traffic on I-25
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 70 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 Anthony, NM and Los Alamos, NM.
1
Start on this road
107 ft·9 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto Miller Street
177 ft·9 sec·Miller Street
3
Turn right onto NM 460
1.5 mi·2 min·South Anthony Drive
4
Turn right onto NM 404
0.9 mi·1 min·East O'Hara Road
5
Turn left
0.2 mi·33 sec
6
Merge onto I 10
18 mi·17 min·Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
7
Take the exit
1.0 mi·2 min
Toward I 25 North: Las Cruces, Albuquerque
8
Continue on I 25
26 mi·28 min·I 25
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·49 sec
10
Merge onto I 25
255 mi·4 hr 18 min·I 25
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward US 84, US 285 North
12
Keep slight left at fork
4.2 mi·8 min
Toward US 84, US 285 North: Los Alamos, Espanola, Taos
13
Continue on US 84; US 285
2.4 mi·3 min·North Saint Francis Drive
14
Continue on US 84; US 285
12 mi·14 min·Taos Highway
15
Continue on US 84; US 285
0.9 mi·1 min·Santa Fe Highway
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.1 mi·21 sec
Toward NM 502: Los Alamos HighwayUse the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork
490 ft·15 sec
Toward NM 502: Los Alamos HighwayUse the straight lane.
18
Merge onto NM 502
16 mi·24 min·Los Alamos Highway
19
Enter roundabout onto Central Avenue
94 ft·1 sec·Central Avenue
20
Continue on Central Avenue
0.9 mi·1 min·Central Avenue
21
Continue on Canyon Road
0.6 mi·1 min·Canyon Road
22
Turn right onto Diamond Drive
0.3 mi·39 sec·Diamond Drive
23
Turn right onto Orange Street
0.4 mi·1 min·Orange Street
24
Continue on Orange Street
0.3 mi·45 sec·Orange Street
25
Arrive at destination
Orange Street
Trip Plan
Consider departing early from Anthony, NM, to maximize daylight and allow for a relaxed pace. While this route is designed for a single day, the 6h 10m duration means you'll be on the road for a substantial part of the day. Plan for one stop to break up the drive, perhaps around the halfway point. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you get closer to Los Alamos, as services can become more spread out. The $50 fuel estimate is a good baseline for budgeting. Since it's a manageable one-day drive, you have the flexibility to adjust your departure time based on your schedule.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 171.2 miles from Anthony, NM, or about 2h 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 281.5 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 75 miles or 1h 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 171.2 miles or 2h 58m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 51m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Los Alamos, NM than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Anthony, 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 Anthony, NM
This is one driving day of about 342.3 miles and 6h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 75 miles from Anthony, 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 I 25 for about 281.5 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 20.3 and 323.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
20.3 mi into trip|~22m in
Take the exit toward I 25 North: Las Cruces, Albuquerque
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 25 North: Las Cruces, Albuquerque
5
47.8 mi into trip|~54m in|I 25
Merge onto I 25
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
303.5 mi into trip|~5h 12m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 84, US 285 North: Los Alamos, Espanola, Taos
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 84, US 285 North: Los Alamos, Espanol...
6
323.1 mi into trip|~5h 40m in
Take the exit toward NM 502: Los Alamos Highway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward NM 502: Los Alamos Highway
8
323.3 mi into trip|~5h 40m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NM 502: Los Alamos Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward NM 502: Los Alamos Highway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$53.29 one way
$106.57 round trip
$3.95/gal25.4 MPG avg120 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$58.74
$117.49
premium
$4.71
$63.49
$126.97
diesel
$6.18
$83.27
$166.54
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$53
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$78–$103
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 119.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $36 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
102.7
1
$35.94
$16.43
Efficient EV
85.6
0
$29.95
$13.69
EV Truck/SUV
136.9
1
$47.92
$21.91
Gas CO2
120 kg
EV CO2
40 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 19, 2026
Origin
Anthony, NM
Afternoon
in Anthony on Tuesday
Local time
12:14 PM
MDT
Current temp
56°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
NE 1 mph19% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Los Alamos, NM
Afternoon
in Los Alamos on Tuesday
Local time
12:14 PM
MDT
Current temp
44°F
Partly Cloudy
0 mph1% chanceLive forecast
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
12 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
6h 10m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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.
Manhattan Project National Historical Park
National Historical Park
The Manhattan Project is one of the most transformative events of the 20th century. It ushered in the nuclear age with the development of the world’s first atomic bombs. Most of this development took...
1 mi from route
~1 min detour
Free
near mile 342.3
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
~18 min detour
Free
near mile 247.9
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...
8 mi from route
~19 min detour
$25
near mile 342.3
Pecos is a natural and cultural crossroads through which hunters, gatherers, traders, missionaries, immigrants, soldiers, ranchers, and other travelers passed and lived. Follow in their footsteps and...
18 mi from route
~45 min detour
Free
near mile 306.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly highway, with 82% of the 342.3 miles spent on high-speed roads like I 25. You'll encounter the longest continuous stretch on I 25, covering 281.5 miles. The final segment, transitioning from highway to surface roads, will be on Los Alamos Highway as you approach your destination. Be prepared for a significant amount of time on interstates before reaching the more rural approach to Los Alamos.
82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 281.5 mi on I 25.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 25 and Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 20.3 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 342.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 20.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.8 miles (I 25): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 303.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
7,221 ft3,800 ft
Total Climb
4,072 ft
Total Descent
651 ft
Highest Point
7,221 ft
~342.3 mi in
Elevation Range
3,421 ft
Notable High Points
4,334 ft at ~48.9 miles+166 ft prominence
5,084 ft at ~122.3 miles+208 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Anthony, NM and Los Alamos, NM, road signs point toward Albuquerque, Espanola and Taos.
Los Alamos is a small town in northern New Mexico, about an hour northwest of Santa Fe. Its claim to fame is the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), where Oppenheimer and other physicists created the world's first atomic bomb during World War II, concluding the Golden Age of Modern Physics and heralding the Atomic Age. Many of Los Alamos's 12,000 residents work at the laboratory. White Rock, with about 6,000, is a part of Los Alamos, but is separated from the main town by LANL. Nearly all of LANL is closed to the public, but the town has a couple of museums which are good places to learn about the history of the town.
Top landmarks
•Manhattan Project National Historical Park — Historic Park covering Manhattan Project infrastructure in New Mexico, Tennessee...
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 10m. Total distance: 342.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 10m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 281.5 miles on I 25. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 18 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.
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 Los Alamos, NM before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 18 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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 20.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.8 miles (I 25): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 303.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Petroglyph National Monument and Bandelier National Monument (4 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.2 hours each way, a round trip means 12.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Los Alamos, NM before the return drive.
