Chaparral, NM to Meadow Lake, NM is 249.4 miles and takes about 4h 37m via I 25 and Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $39 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within New Mexico, traversing the Desert Southwest region for its entirety. It's a straightforward, predominantly highway trip suitable for a single day of travel. You'll find the route offers a consistent experience without significant changes in terrain or pace. Plan for a fairly direct trip with minimal complications, making it a good option if you're looking for efficient travel between these two points.
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
124.7 miles from Chaparral, NM
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 20m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 25
202.6 mi
3h 24m
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
17.6 mi
17m
O'Hara Road
8 mi
11m
Meadow Lake Road
7.9 mi
14m
East Lisa Drive
4.7 mi
9m
Main Street Northeast
1.6 mi
2m
North el Cerro Loop
1.5 mi
3m
Prescott Anthony Drive
1 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
I 25
— 202.6 mi, about 3h 24m
Traffic on I-25
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 22 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~380 veh/hr typical
· worst 496
Quietest
1 AM
~40 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 50 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 Chaparral, NM and Meadow Lake, NM.
1
Start on Prescott Anthony Drive
1.0 mi·3 min·Prescott Anthony Drive
2
Turn left onto East Lisa Drive
4.7 mi·9 min·East Lisa Drive
3
At end of road, turn left onto NM 213
0.2 mi·22 sec·War Road
4
Enter roundabout onto NM 404
26 ft·0 sec·O'Hara Road
5
Continue on NM 404
8.0 mi·11 min·O'Hara Road
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·32 sec
7
Merge onto I 10
18 mi·17 min·Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
8
Take the exit
1.0 mi·2 min
Toward I 25 North: Las Cruces, Albuquerque
9
Continue on I 25
26 mi·28 min·I 25
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi·49 sec
11
Merge onto I 25
176 mi·2 hr 56 min·I 25
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·35 sec
Toward NM 6: Los Lunas
13
Turn right onto NM 6
0.1 mi·12 sec·Main Street Southwest
14
Continue on NM 6
0.8 mi·1 min·Main Street Northwest
15
Continue on NM 6
0.6 mi·59 sec·Main Street Southwest
16
Continue on NM 6
1.6 mi·2 min·Main Street Northeast
17
Turn right onto NM 263
0.4 mi·48 sec·El Cerro Road
18
Continue on NM 263
0.3 mi·42 sec·Vigil Road
19
Continue on NM 263
1.5 mi·3 min·North el Cerro Loop
20
Continue on Meadow Lake Road
7.9 mi·14 min·Meadow Lake Road
21
Turn right onto Sportsman Drive
0.2 mi·47 sec·Sportsman Drive
22
Turn right onto Sportsman Court
500 ft·21 sec·Sportsman Court
23
Arrive at destination
Sportsman Court
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 37m duration, leaving Chaparral in the morning should allow you to reach Meadow Lake well before sunset. There is one recommended stop for this 249.4-mile route, so plan to stretch your legs and refuel at a convenient point along I 25. The fuel cost is estimated at $39, so factor that into your budget. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 202.6-mile stretch on I 25, as services might be spaced out in this section of the Desert Southwest. This is a manageable drive that can easily be completed in one day without feeling rushed.
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 124.7 miles from Chaparral, NM, or about 2h 20m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 202.6 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 55 miles or 1h 9m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 124.7 miles or 2h 20m 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 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Meadow Lake, NM than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Chaparral, 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 Chaparral, NM
This is one driving day of about 249.4 miles and 4h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 55 miles from Chaparral, 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 202.6 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 5.6 and 249.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
5.6 mi into trip|~13m in|NM 213 / War Road
At end of road, turn left onto NM 213 / War Road
Navigation decision point
6
5.9 mi into trip|~13m in|NM 404 / O'Hara Road
Enter roundabout onto NM 404 / O'Hara Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
31.7 mi into trip|~43m 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
235.9 mi into trip|~4h 11m in|NM 6 / Main Street Southwest
Turn right onto NM 6 / Main Street Southwest
Navigation decision point
5
249.3 mi into trip|~4h 37m in|Sportsman Court
Turn right onto Sportsman Court
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.62 one way
$69.24 round trip
$3.53/gal25.4 MPG avg87 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.95
$38.74
$77.47
premium
$4.29
$42.11
$84.23
diesel
$4.80
$47.09
$94.18
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 87.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
74.8
0
$26.19
$11.97
Efficient EV
62.4
0
$21.82
$9.98
EV Truck/SUV
99.8
1
$34.92
$15.96
Gas CO2
87 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (67% 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 Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Chaparral, NM
Late night
in Chaparral on Sunday
Local time
12:19 AM
MDT
Current temp
68°F
Mostly Cloudy
W 6 mph13% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 18 at 3:13AM MDT until July 18 at 6:00PM MDT by NWS Albuquerque NM
Destination
Meadow Lake, NM
Late night
in Meadow Lake on Sunday
Local time
12:19 AM
MDT
Current temp
62°F
Partly Cloudy
SE 5 mph9% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 18 at 3:13AM MDT until July 18 at 6:00PM MDT by NWS Albuquerque NM
101°F
Socorro, NM
125 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
6 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
4h 37m 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...
24 mi from route
~60 min detour
Free
near mile 240.8
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 mostly highway, with 81% of the 249.4 miles on I 25 and Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 202.6 miles on I 25, indicating extended periods of consistent driving. Surface roads like O'Hara Road make up the remaining portion, likely appearing towards the end of your drive. Expect to see plenty of exits and potential for rural cruising once you leave the main interstate.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 202.6 mi on I 25.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 25 and Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 5.6 miles in near NM 213 / War Road.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 37m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.6 miles (NM 213 / War Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.9 miles (NM 404 / O'Hara Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 31.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
5,448 ft3,888 ft
Total Climb
2,077 ft
Total Descent
702 ft
Highest Point
5,448 ft
~249.4 mi in
Elevation Range
1,560 ft
Notable High Points
4,266 ft at ~53.5 miles+170 ft prominence
5,012 ft at ~142.5 miles+5 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Chaparral, NM to Meadow Lake, NM, road signs begin pointing toward Albuquerque along the way.
The longest stretch is about 202.6 miles on I 25. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza 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 5.6 miles (NM 213 / War Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.9 miles (NM 404 / O'Hara Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 31.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Petroglyph National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.6 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Meadow Lake, NM, but most travelers stay overnight.
