Clovis, NM to Vado, NM is 309.2 miles and takes about 6h 17m via US 70, with a fuel budget near $46 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Desert Southwest, traversing New Mexico for its entirety. It's a straightforward drive, mostly on highways, making it a good option if you want to cover ground efficiently. You'll find the road conditions are a mix of highway and surface roads, so be prepared for that shift. Given the duration and distance, this route is easily manageable as a single-day trip.
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
154.6 miles from Clovis, NM
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 7m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 70
154.2 mi
2h 56m
West 2nd Street
100.6 mi
2h 7m
South Prince Street
17.4 mi
21m
US 54
13.6 mi
17m
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
9.4 mi
9m
I 25
7.7 mi
10m
East 1st Street
1.6 mi
3m
Vado Road
1.5 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
US 70
— 154.2 mi, about 2h 56m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clovis, NM and Vado, 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
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
14
Merge onto I 25
7.7 mi·10 min·I 25
15
Merge onto I 10
9.4 mi·9 min·Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward Vado
17
Enter roundabout onto NM 227
156 ft·3 sec·Vado Road
18
Continue on NM 227
1.5 mi·2 min·Vado Road
19
Turn left onto Holguin Road
0.3 mi·49 sec·Holguin Road
20
Turn left onto NM 478
0.3 mi·34 sec·Highway 478
21
Turn sharp left onto Boyer Road
30 ft·1 sec·Boyer Road
22
Arrive at destination
Boyer Road
Trip Plan
For this 6-hour drive, leaving Clovis in the morning is your best bet to ensure you have ample daylight for the entire trip. The longest stretch without a significant break is over 150 miles on US 70, so plan a fuel and rest stop before you hit that point. With a fuel cost estimated around $46, it's a relatively budget-friendly excursion. Since it's a single-day route, you have flexibility in your departure time, but an early start will make for a more relaxed pace. Keep an eye out for the changeover from highway to surface roads, which marks a shift in driving conditions.
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 154.6 miles from Clovis, NM, or about 3h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 154.2 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 68 miles or 1h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 154.6 miles or 3h 7m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 11m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Vado, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Clovis, NM
This is one driving day of about 309.2 miles and 6h 17m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 68 miles from Clovis, 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 70 for about 154.2 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 112.1 and 309.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
307.1 mi into trip|~6h 13m in|NM 227 / Vado Road
Enter roundabout onto NM 227 / Vado Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
308.9 mi into trip|~6h 16m in|NM 478 / Highway 478
Turn left onto NM 478 / Highway 478
Navigation decision point
6
309.2 mi into trip|~6h 17m in|Boyer Road
Turn sharp left onto Boyer Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$48.13 one way
$96.27 round trip
$3.95/gal25.4 MPG avg108 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$53.06
$106.13
premium
$4.71
$57.35
$114.70
diesel
$6.18
$75.22
$150.44
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$48
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$73–$98
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 108.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
92.8
1
$32.47
$14.84
Efficient EV
77.3
0
$27.06
$12.37
EV Truck/SUV
123.7
1
$43.29
$19.79
Gas CO2
108 kg
EV CO2
36 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 18, 2026
Origin
Clovis, NM
Late night
in Clovis on Monday
Local time
1:28 AM
MDT
Current temp
37°F
Clear
SW 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Vado, NM
Late night
in Vado on Monday
Local time
1:28 AM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
E 5 mph17% 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
9 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
6h 17m 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.
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 245.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route features 57% highway driving, with a significant 154.2-mile stretch on US 70. You'll experience the transition from highway cruising to surface roads after that long highway segment. Expect a good amount of rural cruising, especially as you move onto the surface road portions. The main roads you'll be on include US 70, West 2nd Street, and South Prince Street.
57% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 154.2 mi on US 70.
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 112.1 miles in near US 70; US 380 / West 2nd Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 17m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 14 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: 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; at 307.1 miles (NM 227 / Vado Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Clovis is a city in the southeastern region of New Mexico, in Curry County, near the Texas state line. It is famous for the nearby archaeological site where "Clovis man" was discovered. It is a military community supporting nearby Cannon Air Force Base.
Top landmarks
•Hotel Clovis — historic building in Clovis, New Mexico, US
•State Theater — movie theater in Clovis, New Mexico, United States
•Clovis Depot — railway station in Clovis, the United States of America
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 154.2 miles on US 70. 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.
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 Vado, 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 1 rest area 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 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; at 307.1 miles (NM 227 / Vado Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes — White Sands National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.3 hours each way, a round trip means 12.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Vado, NM before the return drive.
