Next 7 departures
- SatOct 3
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 62–71°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Rain showers likely71°F Weatherford8 AM CDT Rain showers likely66°F Eastland9 AM CDT Light rain showers likely62°F Abilene9:45 AM CDT Light rain showers likely65°F Post11:30 AM CDT Slight chance of light rain showers66°F Texas–New Mexico line12:15 PM MDT Partly sunny64°F Roswell2 PM MDT Mostly cloudy70°F Ruidoso3:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny64°F - SunOct 4
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 62–75°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Slight chance of light rain showers71°F Weatherford8 AM CDT Mostly cloudy66°F Eastland9 AM CDT Slight chance of light rain showers62°F Abilene9:45 AM CDT Mostly cloudy67°F Post11:30 AM CDT Partly sunny71°F Texas–New Mexico line12:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny73°F Roswell2 PM MDT Mostly sunny75°F Ruidoso3:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny64°F - MonOct 5
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 63–75°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Mostly sunny66°F Weatherford8 AM CDT Partly sunny63°F Eastland9 AM CDT Partly sunny63°F Abilene9:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny67°F Post11:30 AM CDT Partly sunny69°F Texas–New Mexico line12:15 PM MDT Mostly sunny72°F Roswell2 PM MDT Mostly sunny75°F Ruidoso3:15 PM MDT Slight chance of thunderstorms67°F - TueOct 6
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 59–79°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Sunny63°F Weatherford8 AM CDT Sunny59°F Eastland9 AM CDT Mostly sunny60°F Abilene9:45 AM CDT Sunny67°F Post11:30 AM CDT Sunny74°F Texas–New Mexico line12:15 PM MDT Sunny77°F Roswell2 PM MDT Sunny79°F Ruidoso3:15 PM MDT Sunny72°F - WedOct 7
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 59–80°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Mostly sunny61°F Weatherford8 AM CDT Sunny59°F Eastland9 AM CDT Sunny60°F Abilene9:45 AM CDT Sunny68°F Post11:30 AM CDT Mostly sunny76°F Texas–New Mexico line12:15 PM MDT Sunny78°F Roswell2 PM MDT Sunny80°F Ruidoso3:15 PM MDT Sunny72°F - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 60–81°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Mostly sunny63°F Weatherford8 AM CDT Sunny60°F Eastland9 AM CDT Sunny60°F Abilene9:45 AM CDT Sunny68°F Post11:30 AM CDT Sunny76°F Texas–New Mexico line12:15 PM MDT Sunny79°F Roswell2 PM MDT Sunny81°F Ruidoso3:15 PM MDT Sunny70°F - FriOct 9
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 63–81°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Dallas7 AM CDT Sunny66°F Weatherford8 AM CDT Sunny63°F Eastland9 AM CDT Sunny63°F Abilene9:45 AM CDT Sunny70°F Post11:30 AM CDT Sunny76°F Texas–New Mexico line12:15 PM MDT Sunny78°F Roswell2 PM MDT Sunny81°F Ruidoso3:15 PM MDT Sunny70°F
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
- Weatherford, TXMile 60 · 58 min 1,049 ftelevation
- Eastland, TXMile 126 · 1 h 56 min 1,447 ftelevation
- Abilene, TXMile 184 · 2 h 44 min 1,741 ftelevation
- Post, TXMile 305 · 4 h 27 min 2,609 ftelevation
- Texas–New Mexico lineState line · Mile 405 · 6 h 13 min 3,792 ftelevation
- Roswell, NMMile 492 · 7 h 56 min 3,574 ftelevation
- Ruidoso, NMMile 566 · 9 h 17 min 6,732 ftelevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with an inch or more of snow, at Dallas, Roswell and Ruidoso.
| Month | Dallas 440 ft | Roswell 3,649 ft | Ruidoso 6,930 ft | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | |
| Jan | 58° / 38° | 0 | 57° / 28° | 0.7 | 49° / 21° | 2.0 |
| Feb | 62° / 42° | 0.3 | 63° / 33° | 0.4 | 51° / 23° | 1.8 |
| Mar | 70° / 49° | 0.1 | 71° / 39° | 0.2 | 58° / 27° | 1.1 |
| Apr | 77° / 57° | 0 | 79° / 47° | 0 | 65° / 33° | 0.3 |
| May | 85° / 66° | 0 | 88° / 57° | 0 | 73° / 40° | 0 |
| Jun | 93° / 74° | 0 | 96° / 66° | 0 | 82° / 47° | 0 |
| Jul | 97° / 78° | 0 | 97° / 70° | 0 | 81° / 51° | 0 |
| Aug | 97° / 77° | 0 | 95° / 69° | 0 | 79° / 50° | 0 |
| Sep | 90° / 70° | 0 | 88° / 61° | 0 | 75° / 44° | 0 |
| Oct | 80° / 59° | 0 | 78° / 49° | 0.1 | 67° / 35° | 0.3 |
| Nov | 68° / 48° | 0 | 66° / 36° | 0.4 | 56° / 26° | 0.7 |
| Dec | 59° / 40° | 0.1 | 57° / 28° | 1.0 | 48° / 22° | 2.2 |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: DALLAS LOVE FLD (USW00013960, 440 ft); ROSWELL IND AIR PK (USW00023009, 3,649 ft); RUIDOSO (USC00297649, 6,930 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 and New Mexico rather than repeat them.
- Texas · TxDOTDriveTexas road conditions
- New Mexico · NMDOTNMRoads conditions and cameras
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 Ruidoso 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 Ruidoso?
566 miles, about 9½ hours of driving without stops, by way of I-20 and US-380. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
Ruidoso, at 6,732 ft. It comes at mile 566, about 9 h 17 min of driving after you leave Dallas.
Does it snow at Ruidoso in November?
Ruidoso averages 1.8 inches of snow in November, with about one day of 1 inch or more (1991–2020 normals).