Lovington to Anthony is 255.9 miles and takes about 4h 59m via US Highway 62 and National Parks Highway, with a fuel budget near $37 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Desert Southwest region, offering a consistent landscape for its duration. It's a straightforward drive, mostly on well-maintained highways, making it a practical choice for a single day of travel. With only one recommended stop, you can expect a relatively uninterrupted drive from start to finish.
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
127.9 miles from Lovington, NM
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 33m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US Highway 62
102.3 mi
1h 46m
National Parks Highway
33.5 mi
37m
West Carlsbad Highway
29.6 mi
33m
Purple Heart Memorial Freeway
24.3 mi
31m
Hobbs Highway
20.4 mi
21m
South NM Highway 483
13.7 mi
24m
Montana Avenue
12.3 mi
15m
East Greene Street
6.5 mi
8m
Longest stretch:
US Highway 62
— 102.3 mi, about 1h 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lovington, NM and Anthony, NM.
1
Start on NM 83
21 ft·7 sec·East Avenue D
2
Turn left onto NM 18
0.9 mi·1 min·South Main Avenue
3
Turn right onto McAlister Drive
0.1 mi·27 sec·McAlister Drive
4
Turn right onto NM 483
387 ft·13 sec·West Avenue R
5
Turn left onto NM 483
2.3 mi·4 min·South 2nd Street
6
Continue on NM 483
14 mi·24 min·South NM Highway 483
7
Turn right onto US 62; US 180
30 mi·33 min·West Carlsbad Highway
8
Continue on US 62; US 180
20 mi·21 min·Hobbs Highway
9
Continue on US 62; US 180
6.5 mi·8 min·East Greene Street
10
Turn left onto US 62; US 180; US 285
2.0 mi·2 min·South Canal Street
11
Turn slight right onto US 62; US 180
34 mi·37 min·National Parks Highway
12
Continue on US 62; US 180
102 mi·1 hr 46 min·US Highway 62
13
Continue on US 62; US 180
12 mi·15 min·Montana Avenue
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·39 sec
Toward Loop 375 North
15
Merge onto Loop 375
24 mi·31 min·Purple Heart Memorial Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn right onto Loop 375
0.8 mi·1 min·Talbot Avenue
17
At end of road, turn right onto TX 20
4.9 mi·7 min·Doniphan Drive
18
Continue on TX 20
1.6 mi·2 min·South Main Street
19
Enter roundabout onto NM 460
106 ft·1 sec·South Anthony Drive
20
Continue on NM 460
115 ft·4 sec·South Anthony Drive
21
Turn right onto Miller Street
177 ft·12 sec·Miller Street
22
Turn left
107 ft·7 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 59m estimated drive time, leaving Lovington in the morning should comfortably get you to Anthony before dark. You'll want to plan for fuel before departing, as the $37 estimated cost suggests a need for at least one fill-up. With only one recommended stop and a substantial 102.3-mile highway segment, consider making your primary break around the halfway point to stretch your legs. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longer highway portions where services might be spaced out.
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 127.9 miles from Lovington, NM, or about 2h 33m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 102.3 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 56 miles or 1h 13m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 127.9 miles or 2h 33m 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 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Anthony, NM than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lovington, 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 Lovington, NM
This is one driving day of about 255.9 miles and 4h 59m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 miles from Lovington, 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 Highway 62 for about 102.3 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 224.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|NM 18 / South Main Avenue
Turn left onto NM 18 / South Main Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
1 mi into trip|~1m in|NM 483 / West Avenue R
Turn right onto NM 483 / West Avenue R
Navigation decision point
4
1.1 mi into trip|~1m in|NM 483 / South 2nd Street
Turn left onto NM 483 / South 2nd Street
Navigation decision point
4
17.1 mi into trip|~30m in|US 62; US 180 / West Carlsbad Highway
Turn right onto US 62; US 180 / West Carlsbad Highway
Navigation decision point
5
224.1 mi into trip|~4h 15m in|Loop 375 / Purple Heart Memorial Freeway
Merge onto Loop 375 / Purple Heart Memorial Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$35.52 one way
$71.05 round trip
$3.53/gal25.4 MPG avg90 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.95
$39.75
$79.49
premium
$4.29
$43.21
$86.42
diesel
$4.80
$48.32
$96.64
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$36
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$61–$86
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 89.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
76.8
0
$26.87
$12.28
Efficient EV
64
0
$22.39
$10.24
EV Truck/SUV
102.4
1
$35.83
$16.38
Gas CO2
90 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (67% 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 Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Lovington, NM
Late night
in Lovington on Sunday
Local time
12:38 AM
MDT
Current temp
64°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
SE 10 mph30% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 18 at 3:13AM MDT until July 18 at 6:00PM MDT by NWS Albuquerque NM
Destination
Anthony, NM
Late night
in Anthony on Sunday
Local time
12:38 AM
MDT
Current temp
69°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 3 mph36% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 18 at 3:13AM MDT until July 18 at 6:00PM MDT by NWS Albuquerque NM
100°F
Carlsbad, NM
128 mi in
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
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
4h 59m 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.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
National Park
High ancient sea ledges, deep rocky canyons, flowering cactus, and desert wildlife—treasures above the ground in the Chihuahuan Desert. Hidden beneath the surface are more than 119 caves—formed when s...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 55% of this 255.9-mile route on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 102.3 miles on US Highway 62. Expect a mixed driving experience, transitioning from highway cruising to surface roads as you progress. This means you'll encounter fewer exits and more rural driving for significant portions of the trip.
55% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 102.3 mi on US Highway 62.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 early in the drive near NM 18 / South Main Avenue.
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 59m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (NM 18 / South Main Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (NM 483 / West Avenue R): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (NM 483 / South 2nd Street): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
5,640 ft3,129 ft
Total Climb
4,126 ft
Total Descent
4,235 ft
Highest Point
5,640 ft
~127.9 mi in
Elevation Range
2,511 ft
Notable High Points
5,640 ft at ~127.9 miles+1,678 ft prominence
5,218 ft at ~201 miles+669 ft prominence
4,046 ft at ~237.6 miles+14 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Lovington, NM to Anthony, NM, road signs begin pointing toward Loop 375 North along the way.
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 102.3 miles on US Highway 62. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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: near the start (NM 18 / South Main Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (NM 483 / West Avenue R): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (NM 483 / South 2nd Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Carlsbad Caverns National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 5.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 10.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Anthony, NM, but most travelers stay overnight.
