Next 7 departures
- SatOct 3
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 63–74°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Rain showers likely71°F Decatur8 AM CDT Rain showers likely65°F Wichita Falls9:15 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers64°F Childress10:45 AM CDT Partly sunny64°F Amarillo12:45 PM CDT Partly sunny63°F Texas–New Mexico line12:45 PM MDT Mostly sunny67°F Santa Rosa2 PM MDT Sunny72°F Albuquerque3:45 PM MDT Sunny74°F US-550 west of Cuba5:15 PM MDT Sunny69°F New Mexico–Colorado line6:45 PM MDT Mostly sunny69°F Durango7:15 PM MDT Mostly clear67°F - SunOct 4
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 65–78°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Slight chance of light rain showers71°F Decatur8 AM CDT Mostly cloudy65°F Wichita Falls9:15 AM CDT Partly sunny67°F Childress10:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny67°F Amarillo12:45 PM CDT Mostly sunny68°F Texas–New Mexico line12:45 PM MDT Mostly sunny72°F Santa Rosa2 PM MDT Mostly sunny73°F Albuquerque3:45 PM MDT Sunny78°F US-550 west of Cuba5:15 PM MDT Sunny67°F New Mexico–Colorado line6:45 PM MDT Sunny70°F Durango7:15 PM MDT Mostly clear66°F - MonOct 5
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 64–76°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Mostly sunny66°F Decatur8 AM CDT Mostly sunny65°F Wichita Falls9:15 AM CDT Sunny66°F Childress10:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny65°F Amarillo12:45 PM CDT Sunny68°F Texas–New Mexico line12:45 PM MDT Sunny74°F Santa Rosa2 PM MDT Sunny76°F Albuquerque3:45 PM MDT Sunny74°F US-550 west of Cuba5:15 PM MDT Sunny66°F New Mexico–Colorado line6:45 PM MDT Sunny66°F Durango7:15 PM MDT Clear64°F - TueOct 6
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 61–82°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Sunny63°F Decatur8 AM CDT Sunny61°F Wichita Falls9:15 AM CDT Sunny63°F Childress10:45 AM CDT Sunny69°F Amarillo12:45 PM CDT Sunny73°F Texas–New Mexico line12:45 PM MDT Sunny77°F Santa Rosa2 PM MDT Sunny82°F Albuquerque3:45 PM MDT Sunny77°F US-550 west of Cuba5:15 PM MDT Sunny67°F New Mexico–Colorado line6:45 PM MDT Sunny67°F Durango7:15 PM MDT Clear65°F - WedOct 7
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 61–80°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Mostly sunny61°F Decatur8 AM CDT Sunny61°F Wichita Falls9:15 AM CDT Sunny65°F Childress10:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny71°F Amarillo12:45 PM CDT Mostly sunny74°F Texas–New Mexico line12:45 PM MDT Sunny77°F Santa Rosa2 PM MDT Sunny80°F Albuquerque3:45 PM MDT Sunny80°F US-550 west of Cuba5:15 PM MDT Sunny67°F New Mexico–Colorado line6:45 PM MDT Mostly sunny68°F Durango7:15 PM MDT Clear66°F - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 61–80°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Mostly sunny63°F Decatur8 AM CDT Sunny61°F Wichita Falls9:15 AM CDT Sunny66°F Childress10:45 AM CDT Sunny73°F Amarillo12:45 PM CDT Sunny75°F Texas–New Mexico line12:45 PM MDT Sunny78°F Santa Rosa2 PM MDT Sunny80°F Albuquerque3:45 PM MDT Sunny78°F US-550 west of Cuba5:15 PM MDT Sunny66°F New Mexico–Colorado line6:45 PM MDT Sunny68°F Durango7:15 PM MDT Clear64°F - FriOct 9
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 64–79°F along the way. The forecast does not reach the last checkpoint yet.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Sunny66°F Decatur8 AM CDT Sunny65°F Wichita Falls9:15 AM CDT Sunny71°F Childress10:45 AM CDT Sunny73°F Amarillo12:45 PM CDT Sunny75°F Texas–New Mexico line12:45 PM MDT Sunny78°F Santa Rosa2 PM MDT Sunny79°F Albuquerque3:45 PM MDT Sunny76°F US-550 west of Cuba5:15 PM MDT Sunny64°F New Mexico–Colorado line6:45 PM MDT Sunny67°F Durango7:15 PM MDT Not forecast yet—
The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
The route, stop by stop
Checkpoints in order, with driving time from Dallas (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Dallas, TXStart 452 ftelevation
- Decatur, TXMile 66 · 1 h 3 min 1,102 ftelevation
- Wichita Falls, TXMile 140 · 2 h 9 min 985 ftelevation
- Childress, TXMile 248 · 3 h 52 min 1,876 ftelevation
- Amarillo, TXMile 363 · 5 h 39 min 3,665 ftelevation
- Texas–New Mexico lineState line · Mile 434 · 6 h 40 min 3,834 ftelevation
- Santa Rosa, NMMile 532 · 8 h 3 min 4,619 ftelevation
- Albuquerque, NMMile 645 · 9 h 41 min 4,956 ftelevation
- US-550 west of Cuba, NMMile 737 · 11 h 13 min 7,378 ftelevation
- New Mexico–Colorado lineState line · Mile 835 · 12 h 50 min 5,982 ftelevation
- Durango, COMile 858 · 13 h 17 min 6,563 ftelevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with an inch or more of snow, at Dallas, US-550 west of Cuba and Durango.
| Month | Dallas 440 ft | US-550 west of Cuba Johnson Ranch station · 7,203 ft | Durango 6,761 ft | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | |
| Jan | 58° / 38° | 0 | 40° / 13° | 2.9 | 39° / 13° | 4.3 |
| Feb | 62° / 42° | 0.3 | 46° / 19° | 2.3 | 45° / 19° | 4.5 |
| Mar | 70° / 49° | 0.1 | 56° / 24° | 1.6 | 54° / 25° | 1.9 |
| Apr | 77° / 57° | 0 | 64° / 29° | 0.8 | 63° / 30° | 1.2 |
| May | 85° / 66° | 0 | 73° / 37° | 0.1 | 71° / 37° | 0.1 |
| Jun | 93° / 74° | 0 | 84° / 46° | 0 | 81° / 46° | 0 |
| Jul | 97° / 78° | 0 | 86° / 54° | 0 | 85° / 53° | 0 |
| Aug | 97° / 77° | 0 | 84° / 52° | 0 | 82° / 52° | 0 |
| Sep | 90° / 70° | 0 | 78° / 44° | 0 | 76° / 45° | 0 |
| Oct | 80° / 59° | 0 | 66° / 31° | 0.1 | 64° / 33° | 0.4 |
| Nov | 68° / 48° | 0 | 53° / 22° | 1.3 | 50° / 23° | 1.6 |
| Dec | 59° / 40° | 0.1 | 42° / 13° | 3.2 | 40° / 13° | 3.4 |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: DALLAS LOVE FLD (USW00013960, 440 ft); JOHNSON RCH (USC00294398, 7,203 ft); DURANGO (USC00052441, 6,761 ft). Snow days are days with at least 1 inch of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Road conditions
Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for Texas, New Mexico and Colorado rather than repeat them.
- Texas · TxDOTDriveTexas road conditions
- New Mexico · NMDOTNMRoads conditions and cameras
- Colorado · CDOTCOtrip conditions and cameras
- Colorado · winter rulesTraction and chain laws
Check the official National Weather Service forecast and each state's road report before you leave.
Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there
Road Travel plans the drive from Dallas to Durango with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.
Questions about this drive
How long is the drive from Dallas to Durango?
858 miles, about 13 hours of driving without stops, by way of US-287, I-40 and US-550. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
On US-550 west of Cuba, at 7,378 ft. It comes at mile 737, about 11 h 13 min of driving after you leave Dallas.
Does it snow on US-550 west of Cuba in November?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, Johnson Ranch (7,203 ft), averages 2.6 inches of snow in November, with about one day of 1 inch or more (1991–2020 normals).
How cold is Durango in January?
Durango averages a high of 39°F and a low of 13°F in January (1991–2020 normals).