Origin
Grants, NM
Evening in Grants on Saturday
Local time
8:48 PM
MDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Grants, NM to Albuquerque, 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 24m
Distance
78.4 mi
126 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Grants, NM
Samir Smier
Albuquerque, NM
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 78.4 miles across the high desert of New Mexico, this straightforward trip connects Grants to Albuquerque in about 1 hour and 24 minutes. Because the distance is relatively short, it is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, allowing you to easily complete the journey in one go. You can expect to spend approximately $12 on fuel, making this an economical transit between these two Desert Southwest hubs. While you won't need an overnight stay to bridge the gap, the drive offers a reliable link between the smaller community of Grants and the larger urban environment of Albuquerque. It is a practical, no-nonsense route that serves as a functional transition across the New Mexico landscape.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 Business | 73.2 mi | 1h 14m |
| East Santa Fe Avenue | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| 3rd Street Northwest | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| Historic Route 66 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| San Jose Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 5th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Indian School Road Northwest | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 2nd Street Northwest | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40 Business
— 73.2 mi, about 1h 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Grants, NM and Albuquerque, NM.
1
Start on San Jose Drive
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
San Jose Drive
2
Continue on San Jose Drive
61 ft
·
4 sec
·
San Jose Drive
3
Turn right onto 5th Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
5th Street
4
Turn right onto I 40 Business; NM 122
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Historic Route 66
5
Continue on I 40 Business; NM 122
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
East Santa Fe Avenue
6
Take the ramp onto I 40 Business
73 mi
·
1 hr 14 min
·
I 40 Business
Use the straight lane.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 159A
Toward 4th Street - 2nd Street University Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on Indian School Road Northwest
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Indian School Road Northwest
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
9
Turn right onto 2nd Street Northwest
431 ft
·
8 sec
·
2nd Street Northwest
10
Continue on 3rd Street Northwest
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
3rd Street Northwest
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn right onto Central Avenue Northwest
216 ft
·
7 sec
·
Central Avenue Northwest
12
Arrive at destination
Central Avenue Northwest
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
39 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 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 39.2 miles from Grants, NM, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 40 Business if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 73.2 miles.
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 0.2 and 76.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
5th Street
Turn right onto 5th Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 40 Business; NM 122 / Historic Route 66
Turn right onto I 40 Business; NM 122 / Historic Route 66
Navigation decision point
4
3.2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 40 Business
Take the ramp onto I 40 Business
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
76.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 20m in
Take the exit toward 4th Street - 2nd Street University Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 159A
Toward 4th Street - 2nd Street University Boule...
5
76.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 21m in
|
2nd Street Northwest
Turn right onto 2nd Street Northwest
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.84 one way
$23.68 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
27 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $13.00 | $26.00 |
| premium | $4.56 | $14.07 | $28.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.31 | $34.62 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.5 | 0 | $8.23 | $3.76 |
| Efficient EV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.86 | $3.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 31.4 | 0 | $10.98 | $5.02 |
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (67% 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
Albuquerque, NM
Evening in Albuquerque on Saturday
Local time
8:48 PM
MDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
71°F
Laguna, NM
39 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
8 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 24m 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?
This trip is heavily highway-focused, with 94% of your travel taking place on major thoroughfares. You will spend the vast majority of your time on I-40 Business, which accounts for a 73.2-mile stretch of the journey. Expect a consistent, fast-paced experience as you transition from the open road onto East Santa Fe Avenue and eventually 3rd Street Northwest upon your arrival. Because the route is dominated by this long, uninterrupted highway section, it maintains a steady, predictable rhythm behind the wheel. It is an efficient, high-speed connection that prioritizes speed and directness over the slower pace of local backroads.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 73.2 mi on I 40 Business.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 Business and East Santa Fe Avenue. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near 5th Street.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Grants, NM to Albuquerque, NM is easy. At 1h 24m with 94% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (I 40 Business; NM 122 / Historic Route 66): Navigation decision point; at 3.2 miles (I 40 Business): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
6,452 ft
4,955 ft
Total Climb
530 ft
Total Descent
2,027 ft
Highest Point
6,452 ft
Elevation Range
1,497 ft
Notable High Points
6,209 ft at ~16.3 miles
+28 ft prominence
5,780 ft at ~65.3 miles
+153 ft prominence
About the Cities
Starting 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.
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 24m. Total distance: 78.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 73.2 miles on I 40 Business. 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 0.2 miles (5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (I 40 Business; NM 122 / Historic Route 66): Navigation decision point; at 3.2 miles (I 40 Business): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Petroglyph National Monument, 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 Albuquerque, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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