DIRECTIONS FROM ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT
Albuquerque maps are available from any car
rental agency at the airport. Plan an approximate 4.0 hour drive time
from Albuquerque to Apache Point.
Turn south on Interstate 25 to San Antonio,
NM--approx. 90 miles. Turn east on State Road 380 to
Carrizozo-approx. 64 miles. If it is lunch or dinner time stop at the
Outpost Bar/Carrizozo for green chili cheeeseburgers.
After reaching Carrizozo, turn south
(right) on Hwy. 54 to Tularosa/Alamogordo--approximately 60 miles.
Turn east (left) on Highway 82 to Cloudcroft--approx. 16 miles.
Turn south (right) on State Highway 130 to Sunspot/Weed. After 1.8
miles, turn west (right) on State Highway 6563 to Sunspot. After
14.2 miles turn west (right) to follow Hwy 6563 to Sunspot. Turn
south (left) at APO's entrance; there are signs at the entrance. The
drive is one mile to the observatory. Parking is available at the
lower visitor parking lot or the Don Baldwin Operations building.
NOTES:
You must provide your own food.
Supermarkets are available in surrounding areas.
There are no restaurants located between
Cloudcroft and APO. NSO/Sac Peak has a small cafe which serves lunch
weekdays only. You can shop in Carrizozo, Tularosa, or Alamogordo. A
gas station and tourist shops are
available in Cloudcroft. In Alamogordo, a shopping mall is located at
the north edge of town adjacent to Highway 70/82; the
downtown shopping area (groceries) is East 10th Street.
Between October and April, front-wheel drive vehicles
are recommended--chains may be needed. Call APO for local weather and road conditions.
Revised November 29, 2011