How far is Santa Fe, NM from La Cienega, NM?

The driving distance from Santa Fe, NM to La Cienega, NM is about 17.6 miles (28.3 km), with a travel time of about 00h 25m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 13.9 miles (22.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 50m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM MDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
17.57 mi
00h 25m
Flight
13.83 mi
22.25 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Santa Fe.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
13.83 mi
Kilometers
22.25 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
17.57 mi
Kilometers
28.28 km
Drive Time
00h 25m

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 00h 25m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in La Cienega
Sat, Apr 18, 7:27 PM MDT
Return by in Santa Fe
Sat, Apr 18, 7:52 PM MDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Santa Fe
2026-04-18T19:02
Arrive La Cienega
Sat, Apr 18, 7:27 PM MDT
Route Timing
00h 25m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM MDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:25 AM to 7:25 PM MDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:40 PM MDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Santa Fe
10:00 PM MDT
Flexible departure

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
Eldorado at Santa Fe
NM

City in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States of America

From Santa Fe
8.8 mi
00h 12m
To La Cienega
8.8 mi
00h 12m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
59°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph NW
Destination
59°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Santa Fe and La Cienega.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Santa Fe and La Cienega.

  1. 1

    Start on East San Francisco Street

    90 m · 11 sec · East San Francisco Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Cathedral Place

    866 ft · 26 sec · Cathedral Place

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn right onto East Alameda Street

    593 ft · 25 sec · East Alameda Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Old Santa Fe Trail

    3036 ft · 1 min · Old Santa Fe Trail

  5. 5

    Continue on Old Pecos Trail

    2.9 mi · 5 min · Old Pecos Trail

  6. 6

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 25 South: Albuquerque

    1546 ft · 38 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left

    11.9 mi · 12 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward CR 50F: La Clenega

    1273 ft · 29 sec

  9. 9

    Turn right onto Entrada la Cienega

    1.6 km · 3 min · Entrada la Cienega

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Camino Capilla Vieja

    1922 ft · 1 min · Camino Capilla Vieja

  11. 11

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Camino Capilla Vieja

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Santa Fe and La Cienega.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
11 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
62.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 25 South
12.2 mi · 69%
Old Pecos Trail
2.86 mi · 16%
Entrada la Cienega
0.99 mi · 6%
Old Santa Fe Trail
0.57 mi · 3%
Camino Capilla Vieja
0.36 mi · 2%
CR 50F
0.24 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 25 South

Merge slight left

11.9 mi · 00h 12m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 25m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 50m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.7 mi
13.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Eldorado at Santa Fe
00h 12m from Santa Fe
Leave By
7:40 PM MDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Santa Fe and Sunny near La Cienega.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Fe to La Cienega?

The road trip is about 17.6 miles (28.3 km) and usually takes 00h 25m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Eldorado at Santa Fe is a useful midpoint, sitting about 8.8 miles from Santa Fe and 8.8 miles from La Cienega.

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

The direct path is about 13.9 miles (22.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.7 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM MDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:40 PM MDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.35 one way or $4.70 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Santa Fe and Sunny near La Cienega.

Stop Ideas Near Eldorado at Santa Fe

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

Mid-route Guidance
These suggestions come from reviewed places and nearby services around Eldorado at Santa Fe and the surrounding midpoint area.
Torreon Park
Scenic stop 5.4 mi away

Torreon Park

Santa Fe , NM
1515 W Alameda St, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Rating 4.5/5 102 reviews Tourist attraction,Park
City of Santa Fe
Meeting point 6.6 mi away

City of Santa Fe

Santa Fe , NM
200 Lincoln Ave, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Rating 4.6/5 5 reviews City Hall
Stop photo coming soon
Nearby stop 5 mi away

Santa Fe Housing Authority

Santa Fe , NM
664 Alta Vista St, Santa Fe, NM 87505
Rating 4.0/5 8 reviews Housing authority
City Hall Park
Scenic stop 6.6 mi away

City Hall Park

Santa Fe , NM
200 Lincoln Ave, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Rating 4.0/5 2 reviews Park

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Eldorado at Santa Fe.

RAIL

Lamy station

7 mi away
Santa Fe County Road 33
BUS

Santa Fe (Lamy Shuttle), New Mexico

18 mi away
No specific stop location
RAIL

Las Vegas station

66 mi away
Railroad & Lincoln Streets
RAIL

Alvarado Transportation Center

81 mi away
320 First Street SW

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Santa Fe and La Cienega. Straight-line distance: 13.83 mi (22.25 km).

Santa Fe

#1 Santa Fe

The capital of New Mexico.

Population84,996
Coordinates35.6869800, -105.9378000
Altitude2132
CountryUnited States
La Cienega

#2 La Cienega

City in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States of America

Population3,819
Coordinates35.5628100, -106.1308600
Altitude1808
CountryUnited States
Start: Santa Fe (-105.9378, 35.68698)
End: La Cienega (-106.13086, 35.56281)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 28 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 35m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 26m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 21m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 17m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 15m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.62 gal
2.35 L · about $2.35
Round trip
$4.70
1.24 gal · 4.7 L
Estimated CO2
5.5 kg one way
Round trip: 11 kg / 24 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.79 $2.35 $4.70
Mid-grade $4.26 $2.64 $5.28
Premium $4.63 $2.87 $5.74
Diesel $5.42 $3.36 $6.71

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 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Santa Fe and La Cienega. The current time is 19:02:41.

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.