Origin
Carlsbad, NM
Evening in Carlsbad on Saturday
Local time
8:49 PM
MDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Carlsbad, NM to Loving, NM
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
15m
Distance
12.8 mi
21 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 14m
★
6 AM
0h 16m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 17m
12 PM
0h 16m
3 PM
0h 17m
5 PM
0h 18m
8 PM
0h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carlsbad, NM
Malcolm Garret
Loving, NM
www.kaboompics.com
Trip Overview
Carlsbad, NM to Loving, NM is 12.8 miles and takes about 15 minutes via Pecos Highway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within the Desert Southwest region, connecting two New Mexico communities. Expect a local driving experience with frequent turns rather than a straightforward highway cruise. Given its brief duration, this trip is ideal for a same-day excursion, allowing for plenty of flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pecos Highway | 9 mi | 10m |
| North Canal Street | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| South Canal Street | 0.8 mi | <1m |
| North 8th Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Cedar Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North 4th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Pecos Highway
— 9 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carlsbad, NM and Loving, NM.
1
Start on US 285
308 ft
·
11 sec
·
North Canal Street
2
Continue on US 285
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
North Canal Street
3
Continue on US 285
0.8 mi
·
56 sec
·
South Canal Street
4
Continue on US 285
9.0 mi
·
10 min
·
Pecos Highway
5
Turn slight left onto US 285
0.4 mi
·
31 sec
·
North 8th Street
6
Turn left onto West Cedar Street
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
West Cedar Street
7
Turn left onto North 4th Street
105 ft
·
4 sec
·
North 4th Street
8
Arrive at destination
North 4th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
2 of 22 decision points cluster between mile 12.5 and 12.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
12.5 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
West Cedar Street
Turn left onto West Cedar Street
Navigation decision point
5
12.8 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
North 4th Street
Turn left onto North 4th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.93 one way
$3.87 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $2.12 | $4.24 |
| premium | $4.56 | $2.30 | $4.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.83 | $5.65 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.34 | $0.61 |
| Efficient EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.12 | $0.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.79 | $0.82 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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.
Destination
Loving, NM
Evening in Loving on Saturday
Local time
8:49 PM
MDT
Current temp
56°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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
15m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized by frequent turns, making it a very local driving experience. With 0% highway share, you'll be navigating surface streets for the entire 12.8 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 9 miles along Pecos Highway. The road profile suggests a route that requires attention to navigation, transitioning between Pecos Highway, North Canal Street, and South Canal Street. It's not a high-speed journey but rather a series of turns that guide you through the local landscape.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9 mi on Pecos Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 12.5 miles in near West Cedar Street.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Carlsbad, NM to Loving, NM is easy. At 15m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 12.5 miles (West Cedar Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.8 miles (North 4th Street): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 15m. Total distance: 12.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9 miles on Pecos Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 12.5 miles (West Cedar Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.8 miles (North 4th Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Loving, NM before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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