Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
19.5 mi
31 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Santa Fe, NM
Wikimedia Commons
Nambe, NM
Khulani Faniso
This short 19.5-mile journey from Santa Fe, NM to Nambe, NM should take you about 28 minutes to complete. It's a straightforward day trip, perfect for a quick excursion without needing an overnight stay. You'll primarily be on local roads, including Taos Highway and Nambe Road, with no interstate driving involved. The estimated fuel cost for this drive is around $3, making it very budget-friendly. Both your starting and ending points are within the Desert Southwest region, so you can expect a consistent landscape throughout. This route is ideal if you're looking for a brief, easy drive between two New Mexico locations.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Taos Highway | 12.2 mi | 14m |
| Nambe Road | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Santa Fe Highway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| North Saint Francis Drive | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| Paseo de Peralta | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Summer Road | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| North Guadalupe Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Washington Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Santa Fe, NM and Nambe, NM.
Start on East San Francisco Street
Turn left onto Cathedral Place
Turn left onto East Palace Avenue
Turn right onto Washington Avenue
Turn left onto NM 475
Turn right onto North Guadalupe Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 84; US 285
Continue on US 84; US 285
Continue on US 84; US 285
Turn right onto NM 503
Turn right onto CR 113A
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Cathedral Place
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto East Palace Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Washington Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto NM 475 / Paseo de Peralta
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto North Guadalupe Street
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$2.94 one way
$5.89 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.21 | $3.23 | $6.47 |
| premium | $4.56 | $3.50 | $7.00 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.31 | $8.61 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.05 | $0.94 |
| Efficient EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.71 | $0.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.73 | $1.25 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Santa Fe on Saturday
Local time
10:25 PM
MDT
Current temp
63°F
Sunny
Destination
Night in Nambe on Saturday
Local time
10:25 PM
MDT
Current temp
38°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, with a 0% highway share. The roads, including Taos Highway and Nambe Road, are more characteristic of scenic byways or county roads rather than major interstates. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 12.2 miles on Taos Highway. This means you'll likely be making frequent adjustments and navigating through communities rather than experiencing long, high-speed segments. The drive will feel more intimate and connected to the local environment, offering a different experience than a typical highway cruise.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Cathedral Place.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 28m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Cathedral Place): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Palace Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Washington Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 28m. Total distance: 19.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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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