| State: | NM |
| Type: | SR |
| Route: | 81 |
| Map Custom: | yes |
| Map Notes: | NM 81 highlighted in red |
| Length Mi: | 45.800 |
| Length Ref: | [1] |
| Direction A: | South |
| Terminus A: | at Mexico–U.S. border |
| Direction B: | North |
| Terminus B: | in Hachita |
| Counties: | Hidalgo, Grant |
| Previous Type: | NM |
| Previous Route: | 80 |
| Next Type: | US |
| Next Route: | 82 |
New Mexico State Road 81 (NM 81) is a 45.8adj=midNaNadj=mid state road in southwestern New Mexico. The route runs from the Mexico–U.S. border in Antelope Wells north to NM 9 in Hachita, passing through desert and semi-arid farmland. NM 81 is maintained by the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT).
NM 81 begins at the Mexico – U.S. border crossing in Antelope Wells, Hidalgo County; a local road links the crossing with Mexico Federal Highway 2 to the south. The border crossing in Antelope Wells is the least-trafficked crossing between Mexico and the U.S., and the only residents of Antelope Wells are U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees.[2] North of Antelope Wells, the road passes through desert terrain, with a mountain range to the west. The road does not pass any communities or service stations between Antelope Wells and Hachita, and it has been described as "quiet" and "isolated"; according to NMDOT, 129 vehicles travel the road per day.[2] [3] Continuing north, the road enters a semi-arid farming region and passes another mountain range in the east. The road makes a turn to the north-northeast and crosses into Grant County before terminating at NM 9 in Hachita.[1]