Next 7 departures
- SatOct 3
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 62–73°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 Las Vegas3:15 PM MDT Sunny73°F NM-518 northwest of Mora4 PM MDT Mostly sunny62°F Taos5 PM MDT Mostly sunny73°F - SunOct 4
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 57–73°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 Las Vegas3:15 PM MDT Sunny70°F NM-518 northwest of Mora4 PM MDT Sunny57°F Taos5 PM MDT Sunny71°F - MonOct 5
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 61–76°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 Las Vegas3:15 PM MDT Sunny71°F NM-518 northwest of Mora4 PM MDT Mostly sunny61°F Taos5 PM MDT Sunny72°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 Las Vegas3:15 PM MDT Sunny77°F NM-518 northwest of Mora4 PM MDT Sunny61°F Taos5 PM MDT Sunny73°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 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 Las Vegas3:15 PM MDT Sunny74°F NM-518 northwest of Mora4 PM MDT Mostly sunny59°F Taos5 PM MDT Sunny71°F - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 58–80°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 Las Vegas3:15 PM MDT Sunny72°F NM-518 northwest of Mora4 PM MDT Sunny58°F Taos5 PM MDT Sunny70°F - FriOct 9
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 57–79°F along the way.
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 Las Vegas3:15 PM MDT Sunny71°F NM-518 northwest of Mora4 PM MDT Sunny57°F Taos5 PM MDT Sunny68°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
- 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
- Las Vegas, NMMile 598 · 9 h 10 min 6,426 ftelevation
- NM-518 northwest of Mora, NMMile 642 · 10 h 5 min 9,449 ftelevation
- Taos, NMMile 676 · 10 h 57 min 6,968 ftelevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with an inch or more of snow, at Dallas, NM-518 northwest of Mora and Taos.
| Month | Dallas 440 ft | NM-518 northwest of Mora Gascon station · 8,250 ft | Taos 6,965 ft | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | |
| Jan | 58° / 38° | 0 | 44° / 18° | 4.1 | 42° / 12° | 2.3 |
| Feb | 62° / 42° | 0.3 | 45° / 20° | 4.5 | 46° / 19° | 1.6 |
| Mar | 70° / 49° | 0.1 | 51° / 24° | 4.9 | 55° / 25° | 1.1 |
| Apr | 77° / 57° | 0 | 57° / 29° | 3.4 | 63° / 31° | 0.9 |
| May | 85° / 66° | 0 | 65° / 36° | 0.6 | 73° / 37° | 0 |
| Jun | 93° / 74° | 0 | 75° / 43° | 0 | 84° / 47° | 0 |
| Jul | 97° / 78° | 0 | 76° / 47° | 0 | 87° / 53° | 0 |
| Aug | 97° / 77° | 0 | 74° / 47° | 0 | 84° / 51° | 0 |
| Sep | 90° / 70° | 0 | 69° / 41° | 0 | 78° / 45° | 0 |
| Oct | 80° / 59° | 0 | 61° / 32° | 1.4 | 67° / 32° | 0.5 |
| Nov | 68° / 48° | 0 | 52° / 24° | 2.7 | 53° / 22° | 0.9 |
| Dec | 59° / 40° | 0.1 | 44° / 18° | 4.4 | 42° / 14° | 2.7 |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: DALLAS LOVE FLD (USW00013960, 440 ft); GASCON (USC00293488, 8,250 ft); TAOS (USC00298668, 6,965 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 Taos 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 Taos?
676 miles, about 11 hours of driving without stops, by way of US-287 and I-40. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
On NM-518 northwest of Mora, at 9,449 ft. It comes at mile 642, about 10 h 5 min of driving after you leave Dallas.
Does it snow on NM-518 northwest of Mora in November?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, Gascon (8,250 ft), averages 11.0 inches of snow in November, with about 3 days of 1 inch or more (1991–2020 normals).
How cold is Taos in January?
Taos averages a high of 42°F and a low of 12°F in January (1991–2020 normals).