Lee Acres, NM to Chaparral, NM is 263.3 miles and takes about 4h 45m via Pan American Freeway, with a fuel budget near $38 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Desert Southwest, offering a straightforward drive across New Mexico. Most of your time will be spent on the highway, making it a practical choice for a quicker transit. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short duration, this route is well-suited for a single-day drive.
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
131.6 miles from Lee Acres, NM
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 19m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Pan American Freeway
228.9 mi
3h 53m
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
17 mi
17m
East O'Hara Road
8.1 mi
12m
West Lisa Drive
4.7 mi
9m
4th Street Northwest
1.2 mi
2m
Prescott Anthony Drive
1 mi
3m
Griegos Road Northwest
0.7 mi
1m
Comanche Road Northeast
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Pan American Freeway
— 228.9 mi, about 3h 53m
Traffic on I-25
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 50 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~715 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,027
Quietest
2 AM
~53 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
13.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 93 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lee Acres, NM and Chaparral, NM.
1
Start on Fairway Road Northwest
0.3 mi·1 min·Fairway Road Northwest
2
Turn left onto Solar Road Northwest
0.2 mi·39 sec·Solar Road Northwest
3
Turn right onto 4th Street Northwest
1.2 mi·2 min·4th Street Northwest
4
Turn left onto Griegos Road Northwest
0.7 mi·1 min·Griegos Road Northwest
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on Comanche Road Northeast
0.6 mi·1 min·Comanche Road Northeast
6
Turn right onto Pan American Freeway Northeast
0.2 mi·17 sec·Pan American Freeway Northeast
7
Take the ramp
475 ft·11 sec
Toward I 25 South: Las Cruces
8
Merge onto I 25
229 mi·3 hr 53 min·Pan American Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 10
17 mi·17 min·Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·32 sec
Toward NM 404: Anthony, Chaparral
11
Turn left onto NM 404
8.1 mi·12 min·East O'Hara Road
12
Enter roundabout onto NM 213
247 ft·4 sec·War Road
13
Continue on NM 213
0.2 mi·27 sec·War Road
14
Turn right onto West Lisa Drive
4.7 mi·9 min·West Lisa Drive
15
Turn right onto Prescott Anthony Drive
1.0 mi·3 min·Prescott Anthony Drive
16
Arrive at destination
Prescott Anthony Drive
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 45m estimated drive time, leaving Lee Acres in the morning should allow ample time to reach Chaparral before evening. With only one stop suggested and a budget of $38 for fuel, you can easily complete this drive in a single day. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longer 228.9-mile highway segment, as services can be spaced out in this region. The relatively short distance means you have flexibility if you need to stop more frequently for breaks.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 131.6 miles from Lee Acres, NM, or about 2h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 228.9 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 58 miles or 1h 4m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 131.6 miles or 2h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chaparral, NM than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lee Acres, 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 Lee Acres, NM
This is one driving day of about 263.3 miles and 4h 45m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 58 miles from Lee Acres, 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 Pan American Freeway for about 228.9 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 249.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|Solar Road Northwest
Turn left onto Solar Road Northwest
Navigation decision point
4
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|4th Street Northwest
Turn right onto 4th Street Northwest
Navigation decision point
4
1.7 mi into trip|~4m in|Griegos Road Northwest
Turn left onto Griegos Road Northwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
3.2 mi into trip|~8m in|I 25 / Pan American Freeway
Merge onto I 25 / Pan American Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
249.1 mi into trip|~4h 19m in
Take the exit toward NM 404: Anthony, Chaparral
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NM 404: Anthony, Chaparral
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$40.99 one way
$81.98 round trip
$3.95/gal25.4 MPG avg92 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$45.19
$90.37
premium
$4.71
$48.83
$97.67
diesel
$6.18
$64.05
$128.10
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$41
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$66–$91
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 92.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
79
0
$27.65
$12.64
Efficient EV
65.8
0
$23.04
$10.53
EV Truck/SUV
105.3
1
$36.86
$16.85
Gas CO2
92 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 17, 2026
Origin
Lee Acres, NM
Late night
in Lee Acres on Sunday
Local time
5:46 AM
MDT
Current temp
33°F
Mostly Clear
NE 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 7:51PM MDT until October 17 at 9:00AM MDT by NWS Albuquerque NM
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 6:40PM MDT until October 17 at 9:00AM MDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
Destination
Chaparral, NM
Late night
in Chaparral on Sunday
Local time
5:46 AM
MDT
Current temp
40°F
Mostly Clear
E 13 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 7:51PM MDT until October 17 at 9:00AM MDT by NWS Albuquerque NM
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 6:40PM MDT until October 17 at 9:00AM MDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX
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
7 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
4h 45m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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.
Petroglyph National Monument
National Monument
Petroglyph National Monument protects one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America, featuring designs and symbols carved onto volcanic rocks by Native Americans and Spanish settlers 400 to 700...
6 mi from route
~15 min detour
Free
Caution: Be City Smart: Take precautions to secure your vehicle and valuables.
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Eighty-seven percent of this 263.3-mile route is highway, with the longest stretch of continuous highway driving being 228.9 miles on the Pan American Freeway. You'll transition to surface roads, like East O'Hara Road, for the remaining portion. Expect a mostly highway experience with some rural cruising as you approach your destination.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 228.9 mi on Pan American Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pan American Freeway and Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Solar Road Northwest.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 45m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Solar Road Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (4th Street Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (Griegos Road Northwest): Lane positioning matters here.
The longest stretch is about 228.9 miles on Pan American Freeway. 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
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 0.3 miles (Solar Road Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (4th Street Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (Griegos Road Northwest): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Petroglyph National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Chaparral, NM, but most travelers stay overnight.
