Albuquerque to Kingman drive: Time, distance & best stops
The distance from Albuquerque to Kingman by car is 469 miles, with a 6h51m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Albuquerque to Kingman drive are El Malpais National Monument, Petrified Forest National Park and Flagstaff AZ.
Planning an Albuquerque to Kingman road trip itinerary
The Albuquerque to Kingman drive connects classic Route 66 stops in New Mexico and Arizona.
Fabulous Albuquerque experiences include a sunrise hot air balloon flight, old town ghost walks, nature tours by bike and guided hops between craft breweries . You can also pay a visit to the castle-like Turquoise Museum and old town food tours focusing on New Mexican flavours.
Great Albuquerque accommodation choices include the historic, adobe-style Casas de Suenos and the old town’s art-filled Hotel Chaco.
A lot of people drive straight though Kingman, either on Route 66 or turning off for Grand Canyon West.
It’s a good base for tours, though. Experiences from Kingman include a day trip taking in the Grand Canyon and the ancient Joshua tree forest. Another combines the Oatman mining village, burros and top Route 66 views. A third focuses on desert wineries, distilleries and breweries.
Attractions in Kingman itself include the Arizona Route 66 Museum and the Mohave Museum of History and Arts.
If looking for Kingman accommodation, try the Wayfarer’s Inn and Suites or the La Quinta.
Albuquerque to Kingman distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Albuquerque to Kingman is 469 miles. You can expect a driving time of around six hours and 51 minutes. The quickest route is along the I-40 and AZ-64.
The best stops to add to an Albuquerque to Kingman road trip itinerary are El Malpais National Monument, Petrified Forest National Park and Flagstaff AZ.
For more ideas of where to stop, break the drive down into sections.
Albuquerque to Kingman road trip attractions: El Malpais National Monument
A short diversion to the south from San Rafael, El Malpais National Monument covers a landscape formed by volcanoes. Get a special permit, and you can go caving in the lava tubes. Otherwise, there are several satisfying hiking trails. The 4.8 mile return hike to the top of cinder cone El Calderon is arguably the highlight.
The most popular sight is the Ice Cave by the Bandera Volcano. This is privately owned, and there’s a small charge to enter.
Albuquerque to Kingman drive: Petrified Forest National Park
Petrified Forest National Park in eastern Arizona gets its name from the vast fossil deposits of petrified wood. Most come from the Late Triassic period, and the short walk to the Giant Logs is arguably the best place to see what it’s all about.
But this national park has much more to it than the petrified wood. It is part of the Painted Desert, and several walking trails show off the multi-coloured Badlands. Try the one mile Blue Mesa Loop or 1.2-mile Tawa Trail from Tawa Point to the Painted Desert Visitor Center for particularly impressive, yet accessible, scenery.
Best stops between Albuquerque and Kingman: Flagstaff AZ
Flagstaff AZ is largely known as a gateway to Kingman. You can take a Kingman day tour from here, but you can also do a day trip to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.
Other Flagstaff experiences include haunted pub crawls, e-bike tours and an adventure course of wobbly bridges, ropes and ziplines. Stargazing enthusiasts can also take a tour of the Lowell Observatory and the Walnut Canyon National Monument is just to the east of the city. The latter is home to several ancient cliff dwellings.
Good Flagstaff accommodation options include the utterly charming Little America, and the great value Elev8.
More Albuquerque road trips
Amarillo to Albuquerque | Austin to Albuquerque | Colorado Springs to Albuquerque | Clovis NM to Albuquerque | Dallas to Albuquerque | Denver to Albuquerque | El Paso to Albuquerque | Albuquerque to Flagstaff | Fort Worth to Albuquerque | Gallup to Albuquerque | Albuquerque to Grand Canyon (South Rim) | Holbrook AZ to Albuquerque | Houston to Albuquerque | Las Cruces to Albuquerque | Lubbock to Albuquerque | Mesa AZ to Albuquerque | Albuquerque to Phoenix | Albuquerque to San Antonio | Albuquerque to Santa Fe | Santa Rosa NM to Albuquerque | Albuquerque to Scottsdale | Albuquerque to Sedona | Albuquerque to Taos | Tucumcari to Albuquerque | Albuquerque to Tucson | Tulsa to Albuquerque | Winslow to Albuquerque.