Origin
Moriarty, NM
Night in Moriarty on Saturday
Local time
10:37 PM
MDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Moriarty, 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
49m
Distance
40.9 mi
66 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 46m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 58m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 53m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Moriarty, NM
Israyosoy S.
Albuquerque, NM
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 40.9-mile drive from Moriarty to Albuquerque, New Mexico, should take you about 49 minutes. It's a perfect one-day trip, easily completed in a single stretch. The route is heavily focused on I-40, accounting for 90% of the journey, making it a largely highway-based experience. With an estimated fuel cost of around $6, this drive is quite budget-friendly. You'll remain within the Desert Southwest region throughout, so expect consistent arid landscapes. This route is ideal for a quick transfer or a short excursion between these two New Mexico locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 40 | 36.2 mi | 39m |
| Howard Cavazos Boulevard South | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Central Avenue Northeast | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Pan American Freeway | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Locust Street Northeast | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Howard Cavazos Boulevard North | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Center Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 4th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 40
— 36.2 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Moriarty, NM and Albuquerque, NM.
1
Start on 4th Street
141 ft
·
8 sec
·
4th Street
2
Turn right onto Center Avenue
292 ft
·
10 sec
·
Center Avenue
3
Turn right onto NM 41
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Howard Cavazos Boulevard South
4
Continue on NM 41
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Howard Cavazos Boulevard North
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
6
Merge onto I 40
36 mi
·
39 min
·
I 40
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
17 sec
Exit 159B-C
Toward I 25 North, I 25 South: Las Cruces, Santa Fe
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 159B
Toward I 25 South: Las Cruces
Use the straight lane.
9
Merge onto I 25
0.6 mi
·
42 sec
·
Pan American Freeway
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 224B
Toward Martin Luther King Junior Avenue, Central Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn straight onto Locust Street Northeast
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Locust Street Northeast
12
Turn right onto Central Avenue Northeast
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Central Avenue Northeast
13
Arrive at destination
Central Avenue Northwest
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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
Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM
Fuel and coffeeA short stop after about 40.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.5 miles from Moriarty, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 39.6 — 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
|
Center Avenue
Turn right onto Center Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
NM 41 / Howard Cavazos Boulevard South
Turn right onto NM 41 / Howard Cavazos Boulevard South
Navigation decision point
8
37.9 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward I 25 North, I 25 South: Las Cruces, Santa Fe
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 159B-C
Toward I 25 North, I 25 South: Las Cruces, Sant...
8
38.2 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 25 South: Las Cruces
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Exit 159B
Toward I 25 South: Las Cruces
8
39.6 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward Martin Luther King Junior Avenue, Central Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 224B
Toward Martin Luther King Junior Avenue, Centra...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.18 one way
$12.35 round trip
$3.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $6.78 | $13.56 |
| premium | $4.56 | $7.34 | $14.68 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.03 | $18.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.29 | $1.96 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.58 | $1.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.73 | $2.62 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Night in Albuquerque on Saturday
Local time
10:37 PM
MDT
Current temp
82°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
43 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
49m 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 highway-centric experience on this route, with 90% of the drive taking place on major interstates. You'll spend the bulk of your time on I-40, navigating a longest uninterrupted stretch of 36.2 miles. This segment likely offers a consistent, fast-paced drive. The profile suggests a predominantly highway-focused profile, meaning you'll be on well-maintained, high-speed roads for most of the trip, with brief transitions onto local roads like Howard Cavazos Boulevard South and Central Avenue Northeast as you approach Albuquerque.
90% 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: 36.2 mi on I 40.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 40 and Howard Cavazos Boulevard South. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Center Avenue.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 40.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 49m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Center Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (NM 41 / Howard Cavazos Boulevard South): Navigation decision point; at 37.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Moriarty, NM to Albuquerque, NM, road signs begin pointing toward Santa Fe along the way.
Santa Fe
37.9 mi in
|
~43m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 40.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 36.2 miles on I 40. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Albuquerque, NM before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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: near the start (Center Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (NM 41 / Howard Cavazos Boulevard South): Navigation decision point; at 37.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Petroglyph 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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