Origin
Roswell, NM
Evening in Roswell on Saturday
Local time
8:40 PM
MDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Roswell, NM to Moriarty, NM
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 8m
Distance
163 mi
262 km
Drive Score
10/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$24
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 57m
★
6 AM
3h 9m
8 AM
3h 32m
10 AM
3h 17m
12 PM
3h 15m
3 PM
3h 18m
5 PM
3h 31m
8 PM
3h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Roswell, NM
Wikimedia Commons
Moriarty, NM
Israyosoy S.
Trip Overview
The drive from Roswell, NM to Moriarty, NM covers 163 miles and takes about 3h 8m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North Main Street, US 54, I 40 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 97.8 miles on North Main Street. At current regular gas prices, budget about $23.88 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
81.5 miles from Roswell, NM
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 34m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Main Street | 97.8 mi | 1h 52m |
| US 54 | 42 mi | 49m |
| I 40 | 21.2 mi | 21m |
| Howard Cavazos Boulevard South | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Howard Cavazos Boulevard North | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West 2nd Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Center Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 4th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Main Street
— 97.8 mi, about 1h 52m
Traffic on I-40
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 50 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~3,021 veh/hr typical · worst 3,556
Quietest
2 AM
~333 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 102 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 Roswell, NM and Moriarty, NM.
1
Start on US 70; US 380
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
West 2nd Street
2
Turn left onto US 70; US 285
98 mi
·
1 hr 52 min
·
North Main Street
3
Continue on US 54; US 60; US 285
42 mi
·
49 min
·
US 54; US 60; US 285
4
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 40
21 mi
·
21 min
·
I 40
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward NM 41
7
Turn left onto NM 41
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Howard Cavazos Boulevard North
8
Continue on NM 41
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Howard Cavazos Boulevard South
9
Turn left onto Center Avenue
292 ft
·
13 sec
·
Center Avenue
10
Turn left onto 4th Street
141 ft
·
6 sec
·
4th Street
11
Arrive at destination
4th Street
Trip Plan
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 81.5 miles from Roswell, NM, or about 1h 34m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 97.8 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 36 miles or 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 81.5 miles or 1h 34m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Moriarty, NM than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Roswell, 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 Roswell, NM
This is one driving day of about 163 miles and 3h 8m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 36 miles from Roswell, 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 North Main Street for about 97.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
82 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 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 81.5 miles from Roswell, NM, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before North Main Street if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 97.8 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 0.1 and 163 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 70; US 285 / North Main Street
Turn left onto US 70; US 285 / North Main Street
Navigation decision point
6
139.9 mi into trip
|
~2h 42m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
161.3 mi into trip
|
~3h 4m in
Take the exit toward NM 41
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward NM 41
4
163 mi into trip
|
~3h 8m in
|
Center Avenue
Turn left onto Center Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
163 mi into trip
|
~3h 8m in
|
4th Street
Turn left onto 4th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.88 one way
$47.76 round trip
$3.72/gal
25.4 MPG avg
57 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.13 | $26.51 | $53.02 |
| premium | $4.49 | $28.79 | $57.58 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $35.93 | $71.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 57 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 48.9 | 0 | $17.12 | $7.82 |
| Efficient EV | 40.8 | 0 | $14.26 | $6.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 65.2 | 0 | $22.82 | $10.43 |
Gas CO2
57 kg
EV CO2
19 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
Moriarty, NM
Evening in Moriarty on Saturday
Local time
8:40 PM
MDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
65°F
Santa Rosa, NM
82 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
14 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 8m 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?
163 mi in 3h 8m — 39% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: North Main Street.
39% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 97.8 mi on North Main Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 70; US 285 / North Main Street.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Roswell, NM to Moriarty, NM is easy. At 3h 8m with 39% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 70; US 285 / North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 139.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 161.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
7,091 ft
3,574 ft
Total Climb
3,516 ft
Total Descent
871 ft
Highest Point
7,091 ft
~139.8 mi in
Elevation Range
3,516 ft
Notable High Points
7,091 ft at ~139.8 miles
+542 ft prominence
About the Cities
Starting in Roswell, NM
Full guide →Founded 1869
Roswell is a city in the southeastern region of the state of New Mexico, United States of America. It has attained a quirky sort of fame/notoriety as the result of an alleged UFO crash (!) in 1947.
Top landmarks
- • International UFO Museum And Research Center — museum in Roswell, New Mexico, U.S.
- • Chaves County Courthouse — county courthouse of Chaves County, New Mexico
- • Mimms Museum of Technology and Art — Technology and Art museum in Roswell, Georgia, USA with a focus on computing his...
Arriving in Moriarty, NM
Full guide →Moriarty is a town in Central 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 3h 8m. Total distance: 163 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (39%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 97.8 miles on North Main Street. 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: at 0.1 miles (US 70; US 285 / North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 139.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 161.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Possible but tiring. At 3.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Moriarty, NM, but most travelers stay overnight.
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 FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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