Alternate Route from Oklahoma to New Mexico

The route through Taos and Chama is nice and scenic, with no excessively tough grades.

Agree completely, and Taos is worth a visit.

We took US 412-64 from Tulsa across the OK panhandle two years ago. That's the Ken Burn's "Dustbowl" country and it's interesting to see it now. You can take a little detour to see Black Mesa , the "highest point in Oklahoma", in case you like to visit each state's hightest point.

Almost every year lately I travel 412 west to Boise City, then to Clayton NM. Last year I continued through Springer and then took 64 all the way across to AZ. There is a short stretch, maybe 10-15 miles where the expansion joints make the ride rough, but for the life of me I can't recall if that stretch is east or west of Guymon. The route through Taos and Chama is nice and scenic, with no excessively tough grades. But a stretch of 160 from the AZ line, to perhaps as far as Mexican Water, was teeth-rattling rough.

Where in Arizona? 380 across NM is nice and you can take I 25 up to 60 at Socorro or down to Hatch and connect to I 10

Good roads as far as gas goes just fill up when at a 1/2 tank. Check out Alabaster Caverns State Park and just bit off the path Black Mesa State Park. FYI there are no good places for the night between Tucumcari and Albuquerque.