Artesia to Sunland Park is 208.6 miles and takes about 3h 57m via US Highway 62, with a fuel budget near $32 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New Mexico, connecting two points in the Desert Southwest. You'll encounter a mix of highway and surface road driving on this relatively short, single-day excursion. Given the straightforward nature of the route and its manageable distance, it's a practical option for getting from point A to point B without a major time commitment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
104.3 miles from Artesia, NM
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 57m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US Highway 62
102.3 mi
1h 46m
National Parks Highway
33.5 mi
37m
Seven Rivers Highway
26.3 mi
29m
Montana Avenue
21.4 mi
27m
I 10
7.2 mi
9m
Pierce Street
3.4 mi
5m
North Canal Street
3.2 mi
4m
South 1st Street
3 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
US Highway 62
— 102.3 mi, about 1h 46m
Traffic on I-10
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
7 AM
~6,366 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~452 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
14.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 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 Artesia, NM and Sunland Park, NM.
1
Start on US 82
79 ft·6 sec·West Main Street
2
Continue on US 82
0.3 mi·45 sec·West Main Street
3
Turn right onto US 285
3.0 mi·3 min·South 1st Street
4
Continue on US 285
26 mi·29 min·Seven Rivers Highway
5
Continue on US 285
2.1 mi·2 min·Artesia Highway
6
Continue on US 285
3.4 mi·5 min·Pierce Street
7
Continue on US 285
3.2 mi·4 min·North Canal Street
8
Turn slight right onto US 62; US 180
34 mi·37 min·National Parks Highway
9
Continue on US 62; US 180
102 mi·1 hr 46 min·US Highway 62
10
Continue on US 62; US 180
21 mi·27 min·Montana Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn slight left onto US 62; US 180
0.5 mi·40 sec·East Paisano Drive
12
Turn right onto US 180
163 ft·3 sec·Gateway Boulevard West
13
Take the ramp onto US 180
0.2 mi·25 sec·US 180
Toward I 10 West
14
Merge onto I 10
7.2 mi·9 min·I 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi·43 sec
Exit 16Toward Executive Center Boulevard, Mesa Park Drive
16
Turn sharp left onto Executive Center Boulevard
0.6 mi·1 min·Executive Center Boulevard
17
Turn right onto US 85
0.5 mi·57 sec·West Paisano Drive
18
Continue on US 85
0.4 mi·30 sec·Camino Real de Tierra Adentro
19
Take the exit
0.4 mi·45 sec
Toward FM 273: McNutt RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Turn straight onto McNutt Road
2.5 mi·4 min·McNutt Road
21
Turn left onto Loma Vista Drive
86 ft·3 sec·Loma Vista Drive
22
Keep slight left at fork onto Loma Vista Drive
0.2 mi·57 sec·Loma Vista Drive
23
At end of road, turn right onto Valle Vista Drive
370 ft·16 sec·Valle Vista Drive
24
Arrive at destination
Valle Vista Drive
Trip Plan
With a drive time under four hours, this route is easily completed in a single day. Leaving Artesia in the morning will give you ample time to reach Sunland Park with daylight to spare. Plan for one stop to break up the drive, perhaps around the halfway mark, though the 102.3-mile stretch on US Highway 62 might be a good point to consider stretching your legs before reaching that longest segment. Keep an eye on fuel, especially before heading out, as services can be spread out in this region, and your estimated fuel cost is $32.
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 104.3 miles from Artesia, NM, or about 1h 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 102.3 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 46 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 104.3 miles or 1h 57m 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 6m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sunland Park, NM than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Artesia, 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 Artesia, NM
This is one driving day of about 208.6 miles and 3h 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 miles from Artesia, 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 US Highway 62 for about 102.3 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 196.3 and 208.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
196.3 mi into trip|~3h 38m in|I 10
Merge onto I 10
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
203.5 mi into trip|~3h 47m in
Take the exit toward Executive Center Boulevard, Mesa Park Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 16
Toward Executive Center Boulevard, Mesa Park Dr...
6
205.4 mi into trip|~3h 50m in
Take the exit toward FM 273: McNutt Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward FM 273: McNutt Road
5
208.3 mi into trip|~3h 56m in|Loma Vista Drive
Keep slight left at fork onto Loma Vista Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
208.5 mi into trip|~3h 56m in|Valle Vista Drive
At end of road, turn right onto Valle Vista Drive
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$28.96 one way
$57.92 round trip
$3.53/gal25.4 MPG avg73 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.95
$32.40
$64.80
premium
$4.29
$35.22
$70.45
diesel
$4.80
$39.39
$78.78
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 73 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
EV Charging Along Route
13 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
El Paso, TX - Joe Battle Boulevard - Tesla Supercharger
El Paso, TX
Tesla
12 DCFC
El Paso, TX - Gateway Boulevard East - Tesla Supercharger
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
62.6
0
$21.90
$10.01
Efficient EV
52.2
0
$18.25
$8.34
EV Truck/SUV
83.4
1
$29.20
$13.35
Gas CO2
73 kg
EV CO2
24 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 19, 2026
Origin
Artesia, NM
Late night
in Artesia on Sunday
Local time
12:39 AM
MDT
Current temp
67°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SE 5 to 10 mph35% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 18 at 6:22PM MDT until July 18 at 8:15PM MDT by NWS El Paso Tx/Santa Teresa NM
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 18 at 6:15PM MDT until July 19 at 6:00PM MDT by NWS Albuquerque NM
Destination
Sunland Park, NM
Late night
in Sunland Park on Sunday
Local time
12:39 AM
MDT
Current temp
71°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
SSW 2 to 6 mph71% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Warning
Flash Flood Warning issued July 18 at 6:22PM MDT until July 18 at 8:15PM MDT by NWS El Paso Tx/Santa Teresa NM
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 18 at 6:15PM MDT until July 19 at 6:00PM MDT by NWS Albuquerque NM
100°F
Carlsbad, NM
104 mi in
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
4 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
3h 57m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
National Park
High ancient sea ledges, deep rocky canyons, flowering cactus, and desert wildlife—treasures above the ground in the Chihuahuan Desert. Hidden beneath the surface are more than 119 caves—formed when s...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is 53% highway, meaning you'll spend a little over half the drive on higher-speed roads. The longest continuous stretch you'll experience is 102.3 miles on US Highway 62. After that, expect a shift to surface roads for the remainder of your trip. You'll notice the transition from faster highway cruising to potentially more varied speeds and traffic patterns as you move onto National Parks Highway and Seven Rivers Highway.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 102.3 mi on US Highway 62.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 196.3 miles in near I 10.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 57m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 196.3 miles (I 10): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 203.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 205.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 102.3 miles on US Highway 62. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 196.3 miles (I 10): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 203.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 205.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Carlsbad Caverns National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Sunland Park, NM, but most travelers stay overnight.
