IA staff have compiled useful information about arriving into Las Cruces and what to expect when you land in the region for the 2025 Imagining America National Gathering, October 3-5, 2025.
Arriving by Air and Ground Transportation
We recommend that you fly into El Paso International Airport (ELP) in Texas and use one of the many transportation options listed below to travel to Las Cruces, New Mexico. Las Cruces is 50 miles from El Paso International Airport and takes approximately 50-60 minutes to travel by car via Interstate 10, or longer via bus services.
If you prefer to fly into Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) airport in New Mexico, you can rent a car and drive 3 hours to Las Cruces from Albuquerque.
Arriving in the Paso del Norte Region
The 2025 IA National Gathering takes inspiration from the Payhla mur / Bay la mur / Río Bravo / Rio Grande** watershed, which flows from the San Juan Mountains in Colorado through New Mexico and along the Texas-Mexico border, serving as a lifeline for millions. This riverine passage connects and separates the vast and vibrant Paso del Norte region (a geographic cultural area that includes the cities of Las Cruces, El Paso, and Ciudad Juárez). Please also note that this landscape forms the binational Borderplex and is subject to a heightened level of surveillance and security – even as thousands of people move daily over and through the land.
With this reality in mind, we ask that IA National Gathering attendees prepare to see and experience militarized infrastructure (the U.S./Mexico border wall is visible from the highways, and Fort Bliss is adjacent to the El Paso airport) and U.S. Border Patrol vehicles and officers.
Please bring all updated travel and identification documents with you and check well in advance of October to make sure dates are not expired. Travel between El Paso, TX and Las Cruces, NM is not obstructed by border security, but if participants choose to travel to/from other regions in New Mexico, you will encounter a border security checkpoint (i.e. travel to White Sands National Park, Albuquerque, Hatch).
Please review regional maps and arrival directions in advance. The city of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico sits right next to El Paso, Texas, so if you are driving, please ensure that you have directions at hand because it is possible to accidentally cross into Mexico when driving in downtown El Paso — which is a beautiful and rich area to explore!
Lodging
Imagining America has coordinated special rates at the following hotels. IA will be providing transportation to/from these hotels to the IA National Gathering sites. Booking links will be provided soon.
Courtyard by Marriott Las Cruces at NMSU
456 East University Avenue
Las Cruces, NM 88005
575-526-1722
Hilton Garden Inn Las Cruces
2550 Don Roser Drive,
Las Cruces, NM 88011
575-522-0900
Ground Transportation
There are multiple options for ground transportation from El Paso to Las Cruces, including taxi and rental car services, ride share apps, private shuttles and bus services. Review information in the tabs below for a comprehensive list of options under each of these categories. We have provided this information for ease of reference, but please check to ensure the accuracy and availability of these services.