This 397.8-mile journey from Clovis, NM to Arenas Valley, NM will take approximately 8 hours and 3 minutes to complete. Primarily using US 70 and West 2nd Street, you'll experience a mixed drive that is best tackled over two days, rather than a single push. With a fuel cost estimated at $60, this route offers a straightforward path through the Desert Southwest region, remaining within New Mexico for its entirety. Planning for two stops along the way will help break up the driving time and make for a more comfortable trip.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
198.9 miles from Clovis, NM
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 4h 3m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 70
154.7 mi
2h 57m
West 2nd Street
100.6 mi
2h 7m
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
51.7 mi
52m
US-180
37.9 mi
45m
South Prince Street
17.4 mi
21m
US 54
13.6 mi
17m
West Picacho Avenue
6.5 mi
9m
North Gold Avenue (Silver City Highway NW)
4 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
US 70
— 154.7 mi, about 2h 57m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clovis, NM and Arenas Valley, NM.
1
Start on North Main Street
0.4 mi·55 sec·North Main Street
2
Turn left onto US 60; US 70; US 84
0.5 mi·46 sec·East 1st Street
3
Turn right onto US 70
17 mi·21 min·South Prince Street
4
Continue on US 70
0.3 mi·50 sec·North Chicago Avenue
5
Turn right onto East 1st Street
1.1 mi·2 min·East 1st Street
6
Continue on US 70
1.0 mi·1 min·West 2nd Street
7
Continue on US 70
91 mi·1 hr 45 min·US 70
8
Turn right onto US 70; US 380
100 mi·2 hr 6 min·West 2nd Street
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn left onto North Bookout Road
1.5 mi·2 min·North Bookout Road
10
Turn left onto US 54; US 70
8.7 mi·10 min·US 54; US 70
11
Take the exit onto US 54; US 70
4.9 mi·7 min·US 54; US 70
12
Take the exit onto US 70
63 mi·1 hr 11 min·US 70
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on US 70
2.4 mi·5 min·North Main Street
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn right onto US 70
2.9 mi·4 min·West Picacho Avenue
Use the straight lane.
15
Continue on US 70
3.6 mi·5 min·West Picacho Avenue
Use the straight lane.
16
Keep slight right at fork onto US 70
0.5 mi·58 sec·US 70
Toward Arizona
17
Merge onto I 10
52 mi·52 min·Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
18
Take the exit onto US 180
0.3 mi·34 sec·US 180
Toward US 180 West, NM 26 East: Silver City, Hatch
19
Turn right onto US 180
4.0 mi·6 min·North Gold Avenue (Silver City Highway NW)
20
Continue on US 180
38 mi·45 min·US-180
21
Continue on US 180
3.9 mi·7 min·Silver Heights Boulevard
22
Turn right onto Arenas Valley Road
1.0 mi·2 min·Arenas Valley Road
23
Arrive at destination
Arenas Valley Road
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 8-hour drive, consider starting early in the morning to maximize daylight hours. With a recommended two-day itinerary and two planned stops, you can comfortably cover roughly half the distance each day. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 154.7-mile stretch on US 70, as services might be spread out. The $60 fuel cost is an estimate, so it's always wise to budget a little extra. A practical tip for this route is to download offline maps, as cell service can be spotty in certain sections.
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.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 198.9 miles from Clovis, NM, or about 4h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 154.7 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 88 miles or 1h 46m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 198.9 miles or 4h 3m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 198.9 miles or 4h 3m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 47m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Arenas Valley, NM than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Clovis, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Clovis, NM
Aim for roughly 199 miles and 4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Arenas Valley, NM
Aim for roughly 199 miles and 4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 88 miles from Clovis, NM.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 70 for about 154.7 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 18.7 and 350.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
18.7 mi into trip|~23m in|East 1st Street
Turn right onto East 1st Street
Navigation decision point
5
112.1 mi into trip|~2h 13m in|US 70; US 380 / West 2nd Street
Turn right onto US 70; US 380 / West 2nd Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
226.7 mi into trip|~4h 40m in|US 70
Take the exit onto US 70
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
298.5 mi into trip|~6h 7m in|US 70
Keep slight right at fork onto US 70 toward Arizona
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Arizona
5
350.6 mi into trip|~7h in|US 180
Take the exit onto US 180 toward US 180 West, NM 26 East: Silver City, Hatch
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 180 West, NM 26 East: Silver City, Ha...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$60.08 one way
$120.15 round trip
$3.84/gal25.4 MPG avg139 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.21
$65.95
$131.90
premium
$4.56
$71.40
$142.80
diesel
$5.61
$87.83
$175.66
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$60
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$190–$300
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 139.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $42 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
119.3
1
$41.77
$19.09
Efficient EV
99.5
1
$34.81
$15.91
EV Truck/SUV
159.1
1
$55.69
$25.46
Gas CO2
139 kg
EV CO2
47 kg (66% 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Clovis, NM
Evening
in Clovis on Saturday
Local time
7:13 PM
MDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Arenas Valley, NM
Evening
in Arenas Valley on Saturday
Local time
7:13 PM
MDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live 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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
8h 3m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
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.
White Sands National Park
National Park
Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles...
8 mi from route
~20 min detour
$25
near mile 246.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive features a 52% highway share, meaning you'll spend a good portion of your time on faster roads, though expect a mixed driving experience overall. The longest uninterrupted stretch is a significant 154.7 miles on US 70, so be sure to plan your fuel stops accordingly. As you travel, the road will transition from more urban-feeling segments, like West 2nd Street, to the open expanses of highways like US 70. This blend means you'll encounter varying conditions, from potentially busier areas to more remote stretches.
52% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 154.7 mi on US 70.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 18.7 miles in near East 1st Street.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 397.8 miles you will encounter 12 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 18.7 miles (East 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 112.1 miles (US 70; US 380 / West 2nd Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 226.7 miles (US 70): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Clovis, NM and Arenas Valley, NM, road signs point toward Arizona and Hatch.
Arizona
298.5 mi in|~6h 7m|via US 70
Hatch
350.6 mi in|~7h|via US 180
Who Is This Route For?
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
8h 3m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (52%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 154.7 miles on US 70. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 199 miles on day one.
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.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Arenas Valley, 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 2 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
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 18.7 miles (East 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 112.1 miles (US 70; US 380 / West 2nd Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 226.7 miles (US 70): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — White Sands National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 8.1 hours each way, a round trip means 16.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Arenas Valley, NM before the return drive.
