DIRECTIONS FROM EL PASO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO APACHE POINT OBSERVATORY

El Paso maps are available from any car rental agency at the airport. Plan an approximate 3 hour drive time from El Paso to Apache Point.

Travel Airport Road towards Ft. Bliss; this road turns into Fred Wilson Blvd. Travel to Hwy. 54--Patriot Freeway--approx. 6 miles. Turn north on Hwy. 54 to Alamogordo--approx. 86 miles. Turn north on the Tularosa Relief Route to follow 54/70.

The Relief Route ends at Hwy. 82--approx. 5 miles. Continue east 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 1 mile to the observatory. Parking is available at the lower visitor parking lot or the Don Baldwin Operations building.

NOTES:

The INS operates an immigration patrol check station in Orogrande, NM, half-way between Alamogordo and El Paso. If you are a non-resident of the United States, you must carry your passport and visa for identification.

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