Origin
Gallup, NM
Late night in Gallup on Tuesday
Local time
2:11 AM
MDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gallup, NM to Grants, NM
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
62.3 mi
100 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gallup, NM
Wikimedia Commons
Grants, NM
Samir Smier
Trip Overview
This short, 62.3-mile drive from Gallup to Grants, New Mexico, is easily manageable in about 57 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily navigate local roads like Highway 66 and Ford Drive, with a brief section on the Miyamura Overpass. With a fuel cost estimated at just $10, this route offers an economical way to travel between two points in the Desert Southwest. Given its short duration and local road focus, it's best suited for a single, straightforward journey. You won't need to break this one up overnight.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 58.8 mi | 59m |
| Historic Route 66 | 1 mi | 1m |
| East Historic Highway 66 | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| I 40 Business | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| San Rafael Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| San Jose Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 5th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Ford Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 58.8 mi, about 59m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gallup, NM and Grants, NM.
1
Start on I 40 BUS; NM 118; US 66 Hist
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
East Historic Highway 66
2
Turn left onto NM 609
408 ft
·
6 sec
·
Miyamura Overpass
3
Continue on NM 609
429 ft
·
7 sec
·
Ford Drive
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
5
Merge onto I 40
59 mi
·
59 min
·
I 40
6
Take the exit onto I 40 Business
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
I 40 Business
Toward I 40: Grants
7
Turn straight onto NM 53
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
San Rafael Road
8
Turn slight right
176 ft
·
7 sec
9
Turn straight onto I 40 Business; NM 122
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Historic Route 66
10
Turn right onto 5th Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
5th Street
11
At end of road, turn left onto San Jose Drive
397 ft
·
17 sec
·
San Jose Drive
12
Keep slight right at fork onto San Jose Drive
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
San Jose Drive
13
Arrive at destination
San Jose Drive
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 31.2 miles from Gallup, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 62.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
NM 609 / Miyamura Overpass
Turn left onto NM 609 / Miyamura Overpass
Navigation decision point
4
60.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
I 40 Business
Take the exit onto I 40 Business toward I 40: Grants
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 40: Grants
4
62 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
5th Street
Turn right onto 5th Street
Navigation decision point
6
62.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
San Jose Drive
At end of road, turn left onto San Jose Drive
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
62.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
San Jose Drive
Keep slight right at fork onto San Jose Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.41 one way
$18.82 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $10.33 | $20.66 |
| premium | $4.56 | $11.18 | $22.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.76 | $27.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.7 | 0 | $6.54 | $2.99 |
| Efficient EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.45 | $2.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.9 | 0 | $8.72 | $3.99 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Grants, NM
Late night in Grants on Tuesday
Local time
2:11 AM
MDT
Current temp
69°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
5 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 6m 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 this 62.3-mile journey, with 0% highway share. This means you'll be dealing with more frequent turns and traffic signals than on an interstate. The route is characterized by its local road nature, likely involving urban and suburban driving. While there isn't a defined 'longest stretch' due to the urban transitions, be prepared for a connected series of local roads rather than long, open stretches. The drive will feel like navigating through communities rather than open country.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 58.8 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and Historic Route 66. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near NM 609 / Miyamura Overpass.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 6m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (NM 609 / Miyamura Overpass): Navigation decision point; at 60.2 miles (I 40 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 62 miles (5th Street): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting in Gallup, NM
Full guide →Gallup is an important gateway to the Navajo Nation and other nearby attractions in the state of New Mexico. Gallup has numerous trading posts and Indian-themed gift shops, and an abundance of natural scenery surrounding town. In 2020, it was home to 22,000 people.
Arriving in Grants, NM
Full guide →Grants is a small town in western New Mexico, United States. It is one of the stops along the historic Route 66 highway west of Albuquerque, New Mexico's largest city.
Top landmarks
- • Charley's Automotive Service — roadside business and home complex on the former route of U.S. Route 66, in Gran...
- • Grants-Milan Flight Service Station — flight service station in Cibola County, New Mexico
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 62.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 58.8 miles on I 40. 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 0.9 miles (NM 609 / Miyamura Overpass): Navigation decision point; at 60.2 miles (I 40 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 62 miles (5th Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes — El Malpais National Monument and El Morro National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Grants, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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