How far is Lovington, NM from Los Alamos, NM?

The driving distance from Lovington, NM to Los Alamos, NM is about 321.1 miles (516.8 km), with a travel time of about 06h 49m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 264.2 miles (425.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 13h 39m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
321.13 mi
06h 49m
Flight
264.19 mi
425.17 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lovington.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
264.19 mi
Kilometers
425.17 km
Flight Time
00h 31m

Driving Distance

Road route
321.13 mi
Kilometers
516.81 km
Drive Time
06h 49m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 06h 49m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Los Alamos
Thu, Apr 23, 4:56 AM MDT
Return by in Lovington
Thu, Apr 23, 11:46 AM MDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lovington
2026-04-22T22:07
Arrive Los Alamos
Thu, Apr 23, 4:56 AM MDT
Route Timing
06h 49m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:50 PM to 2:20 PM MDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
10:20 PM MDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Lovington
8:00 PM MDT
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Vaughn
NM

Human settlement in Guadalupe County, New Mexico, United States of America

From Lovington
160.6 mi
03h 24m
To Los Alamos
160.5 mi
03h 24m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
88°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
15 to 25 mph SW
Destination
70°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
5 to 20 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Lovington and Los Alamos.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lovington and Los Alamos.

  1. 1

    Start on East Avenue D

    7 m · 4 sec · East Avenue D

  2. 2

    Turn right onto South Main Avenue

    1509 ft · 22 sec · South Main Avenue

  3. 3

    Continue on North Main Street

    1 mi · 1 min · North Main Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Tatum Highway

    1.2 mi · 1 min · Tatum Highway

  5. 5

    Continue on Plains Highway

    2815 ft · 36 sec · Plains Highway

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right

    1 km · 2 min

  7. 7

    Continue on Tatum Highway

    19 mi · 22 min · Tatum Highway

  8. 8

    Turn left onto West Broadway Street

    71.3 mi · 1 hr 44 min · West Broadway Street

  9. 9

    Turn right onto North Atkinson Avenue

    2 mi · 5 min · North Atkinson Avenue

  10. 10

    Turn left onto East Country Club Road

    1.6 km · 2 min · East Country Club Road

  11. 11

    Turn right onto North Main Street

    95.8 mi · 1 hr 48 min · North Main Street

  12. 12

    Continue straight

    83.2 mi · 1 hr 39 min

  13. 13

    Turn left

    1168 ft · 29 sec

  14. 14

    Merge slight left

    5.9 mi · 6 min

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward NM 466: Old Pecos Trail

    981 ft · 24 sec

  16. 16

    Keep slight right

    152 m · 13 sec

  17. 17

    Turn straight onto Old Pecos Trail

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Old Pecos Trail

  18. 18

    Keep slight right to continue on Old Pecos Trail

    1.7 mi · 3 min · Old Pecos Trail

  19. 19

    Continue on Old Santa Fe Trail

    3030 ft · 1 min · Old Santa Fe Trail

  20. 20

    Turn left onto East Alameda Street

    2130 ft · 1 min · East Alameda Street

  21. 21

    Turn right onto North Guadalupe Street

    1.4 km · 2 min · North Guadalupe Street

  22. 22

    Take the ramp straight

    1392 ft · 34 sec

  23. 23

    Merge slight left onto North Saint Francis Drive

    1.5 mi · 2 min · North Saint Francis Drive

  24. 24

    Continue on Taos Highway

    12.2 mi · 14 min · Taos Highway

  25. 25

    Continue on Santa Fe Highway

    1.5 km · 2 min · Santa Fe Highway

  26. 26

    Take the exit slight right toward NM 502: Los Alamos Highway

    787 ft · 22 sec

  27. 27

    Keep slight left to continue on NM 502: Los Alamos Highway

    149 m · 15 sec

  28. 28

    Merge slight right onto Los Alamos Highway

    16.4 mi · 24 min · Los Alamos Highway

  29. 29

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Central Avenue

    29 m · 1 sec · Central Avenue

  30. 30

    Exit the roundabout onto Central Avenue

    1.5 km · 2 min · Central Avenue

  31. 31

    Continue on Canyon Road

    3265 ft · 1 min · Canyon Road

  32. 32

    Turn right onto Diamond Drive

    1519 ft · 40 sec · Diamond Drive

  33. 33

    Turn right onto Orange Street

    2188 ft · 1 min · Orange Street

  34. 34

    Continue on Orange Street

    1339 ft · 46 sec · Orange Street

  35. 35

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Orange Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Lovington and Los Alamos.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
35 steps
13 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
9
3 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
North Main Street
186 mi · 58%
West Broadway Street
71.3 mi · 22%
Tatum Highway
20.1 mi · 6%
Los Alamos Highway
16.4 mi · 5%
Taos Highway
12.2 mi · 4%
Old Pecos Trail
2.88 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

North Main Street

Turn right onto North Main Street

95.8 mi · 01h 48m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
06h 49m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
13h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+56.9 mi
264.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Vaughn
03h 24m from Lovington
Leave By
10:20 PM MDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Lovington and Sunny near Los Alamos.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Lovington to Los Alamos?

The road trip is about 321.1 miles (516.8 km) and usually takes 06h 49m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Vaughn is a useful midpoint, sitting about 160.6 miles from Lovington and 160.5 miles from Los Alamos.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 264.2 miles (425.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 56.9 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $42.91 one way or $85.81 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 100.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Lovington and Sunny near Los Alamos.

Stop Ideas Near Vaughn

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Vaughn, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Vaughn.

RAIL

Las Vegas station

110 mi away
Railroad & Lincoln Streets
RAIL

Lamy station

115 mi away
Santa Fe County Road 33

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lovington and Los Alamos. Straight-line distance: 264.19 mi (425.17 km).

Lovington

#1 Lovington

City in Lea County, New Mexico, United States

Population11,474
Coordinates32.9440100, -103.3485500
Altitude1192
CountryUnited States
Los Alamos

#2 Los Alamos

Townsite in New Mexico

Population12,019
Coordinates35.8880800, -106.3069700
Altitude2198
CountryUnited States
Start: Lovington (-103.34855, 32.94401)
End: Los Alamos (-106.30697, 35.88808)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 517 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)10h 42m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 01m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 25m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 21m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 35m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 00m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
11.33 gal
42.9 L · about $42.91
Round trip
$85.81
22.66 gal · 85.8 L
Estimated CO2
100.7 kg one way
Round trip: 201.4 kg / 444 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.79 $42.91 $85.81
Mid-grade $4.26 $48.25 $96.51
Premium $4.63 $52.40 $104.80
Diesel $5.42 $61.35 $122.70

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in New Mexico · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Lovington and Los Alamos. The current time is 22:07:00.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.