Arizona to Albuquerque ,
Mesita, and
Rio San Jose, and tributaries Arroyo Conchas (left) and Rio Paguate (right, with
NM 279) just west of Albuquerque, New Mexico, with the Route 66 Casino by their intersection As I-40 enters New Mexico in a northeasterly direction, it begins following the basin of the intermittent
Puerco River (
Rio Puerco of the West, as opposed to the
Rio Puerco of the East that it crosses near Albuquerque), roughly tracing the southern edge of the contiguous part of the
Navajo Reservation in the state. The freeway enters
Gallup later, paralleling the
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway's southern transcontinental mainline. Leaving Gallup, the now more easterly I-40 passes to the north of
Fort Wingate and part of the fragmented
Cibola National Forest before crossing the
North American continental divide via
Campbell Pass at an elevation of , with the stratovolcano
Mount Taylor towering to the east. The highway traverses more of the Navajo Reservation and the Cibola Forest before turning southeast and crossing a
malpaís. After serving interchanges near
Grants, the freeway, coinciding with the northern boundary of
El Malpais National Monument, crosses another malpaís, turns east, and enters the Acoma Indian Reservation, home of the
Acoma Pueblo. The route leaves the Acoma Indian Reservation with Mt. Taylor to the north and enters the
Laguna Pueblo. Near the interchange with
State Road 6 (NM 6), the railway line that accompanies much of the route from the Arizona border diverts to the south while the freeway turns east by northeast toward
Albuquerque. The route departs the Laguna Pueblo, briefly transits the
Tohajiilee Indian Reservation (a chapter of the
Navajo Nation), crosses the
Rio Puerco, and begins a steep climb to the top of a
mesa marked by several small cinder cones overlooking the
Rio Grande rift and Albuquerque. From Laguna to the Route 66 Casino, I-40 has at-grade intersections with a number of ranch access roads in violation of
Interstate Highway standards. These intersections are a vestige that remain from the conversion of US 66 to I-40 during the latter part of the 20th century.
Albuquerque Metro Area I-40 diverges from the former US 66 alignment (
Central Avenue) at an interchange with Atrisco Vista Boulevard on the
West Mesa that overlooks Albuquerque. I-40 descends Nine Mile Hill as it enters the city of Albuquerque and intersects 98th Street,
NM 345 (Unser Boulevard), and
NM 45 (Coors Boulevard) before crossing the
Rio Grande. The freeway then skirts the northern edge of
Downtown Albuquerque before intersecting
I-25 at a five-level stack interchange (
Big I). East of I-25, I-40 continues east, then turns southeast, passing through Uptown before intersecting Old US 66 (now signed as
NM 333/Central Avenue) at
NM 556 (Tramway Boulevard) as it leaves Albuquerque and enters
Tijeras Canyon. This section of I-40 is also referred to as the Coronado Freeway.
Albuquerque to Texas East of Albuquerque, I-40 crosses the
Sandia–Manzano Mountains by traversing Tijeras Pass, reaching its highest point of at Sedillo Ridge. Continuing east, I-40 descends out of the mountains and into the Estancia Valley while passing through the town of
Edgewood (exit 187). The highway continues east across the Estancia Valley, passing through
Moriarty (exits 194, 196, and 197). Before reaching Clines Corners, I-40 ascends into the Pedernal Hills, a region of hills and low-level ridgelines averaging around in elevation. East of Clines Corners (exit 218), I-40 gradually descends from the Pedrenal Hills region and into the
High Plains of eastern New Mexico. At
Santa Rosa (exits 273, 275, and 277), I-40 crosses the
Pecos River and then continues east-northeastward cosigned with
US 54 to
Tucumcari. At Tucumcari, I-40 diverges from US 54 and turns eastward and skirts the northern edge of
San Jon before reaching the
Texas state line at
Glenrio. ==History==