Origin
Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM
Late night in Eldorado at Santa Fe on Sunday
Local time
4:36 AM
MDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM to Rio Rancho, NM
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
64.4 mi
104 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM
Ken Jacobsen
Rio Rancho, NM
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 64.4-mile drive from Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM, to Rio Rancho, NM, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 8 minutes. With a modest fuel cost of around $10, it's an economical option for a single-day excursion. The route primarily utilizes local roads, Avenida Eldorado, and US 550 North, offering a direct connection between these two New Mexico communities. Given its short duration, it's perfectly suited as a day trip, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. You'll be traveling within the Desert Southwest region throughout this journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenida Eldorado | — | — |
| Avenue Eldorado | — | — |
| US 550 North | — | — |
| Pat D'Arco Highway | — | — |
| Sara Road Southeast | — | — |
| 35th Circle Southeast | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Avenida Eldorado
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM and Rio Rancho, NM.
1
Start on Avenida de los Compadres
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
Avenida de los Compadres
2
Turn left onto Avenida Eldorado
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Avenida Eldorado
3
Continue on Avenue Eldorado
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Avenue Eldorado
4
At the end of the road, turn left
1.9 mi
·
2 min
5
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
6
Merge slight left
48 mi
·
47 min
7
Take the exit slight right toward NM 165 East, US 550 North: Placitas, Bernalillo
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
NM 165 East, US 550 North: Placitas, Bernalillo
8
Keep slight right
240 ft
·
6 sec
9
Merge slight left
1.7 mi
·
3 min
10
Continue straight
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
11
Take the exit slight left
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
12
Turn left onto Pat D'Arco Highway
8.7 mi
·
13 min
·
Pat D'Arco Highway
13
Turn right onto Sara Road Southeast
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Sara Road Southeast
14
Turn left onto 35th Circle Southeast
144 ft
·
6 sec
·
35th Circle Southeast
15
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.2 miles from Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.73 one way
$19.45 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $10.68 | $21.35 |
| premium | $4.56 | $11.56 | $23.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.22 | $28.44 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.3 | 0 | $6.76 | $3.09 |
| Efficient EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.64 | $2.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.8 | 0 | $9.02 | $4.12 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
Rio Rancho, NM
Late night in Rio Rancho on Sunday
Local time
4:36 AM
MDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
54°F
Agua Fria, NM
32 mi in
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
33 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
1h 8m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for most of this 64.4-mile journey. With a highway share of 0%, you won't encounter any interstate stretches, meaning you'll be navigating city streets and standard highways for the entire duration. The longest uninterrupted stretch isn't specified, but the 'turn-heavy' profile suggests frequent changes in direction rather than long, straightaways. This means you'll be actively engaged with the road, making it feel more like a local commute than a highway cruise.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: Avenida Eldorado.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
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.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM to Rio Rancho, NM is easy. At 1h 8m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM to Rio Rancho, NM is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 8m. Total distance: 64.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m 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
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.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM to Rio Rancho, NM is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Rio Rancho, 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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